Summary

• I'll Never Forget You provides a unique and realistic approach to time travel, suring many modern movies in its storytelling and execution.
• The movie's explanation of time travel, using the analogy of stars, is one of the best and most understandable concepts in the genre.
• The film's focus on the moral and ethical implications of time travel sets it apart, making it an underrated gem in the genre.

Every time travel movie has its own set of rules for the science fiction phenomenon, but one movie from over 70 years ago, time travel classic Back to the Future, the 1951 film I’ll Never Forget You follows scientist Peter Standish, whose decision to travel from the 1950s to the 18th century doesn’t quite work out as he had hoped. Rather than leaving behind the complexities of 20th century life for a simpler existence, Peter has a difficult time assimilating to the past. To make matters worse, Peter falls for the wrong woman, jeopardizing both his past and future.

Considering the concept of time travel wouldn’t become mainstream in movies until almost a decade later with The Time Machine in 1960, I’ll Never Forget You’s love story is way ahead of its time. I’ll Never Forget You’s tale is fully grounded in reality, which allows it to be easily accessible, shining a light on the moral and ethical implications of Peter’s journey in a way that modern movies often don’t. Not only is I’ll Never Forget You an underrated yet great time travel movie, but its distinct approach to and explanation for time travel remains one of the best.

I'll Never Forget You Perfectly Explains The Time Travel Concept

I’ll Never Forget You’s explanation of the concept of time travel is one that makes that most sense. According to Peter Standish, the past is still happening around those in the present, and he uses the analogy of stars to convey his point. When people look at stars, they are often seeing them as they were long ago rather than how they are in the present due to the time it takes for light to travel. Peter claims that the problem is that the past is like stars: Those in the present can see it, but can’t reach it yet.

While all time travel movies offer their own rules for the concept of time travel, they often follow conventional standards for how time works. Most time travel movies operate under the assumption that time is linear or nonlinear, but I’ll Never Forget You’s star analogy is easily one of the best explanations for the concept of time travel. It perfectly describes how the “past” can become the new “present,” and how time continues to in the “present”. I’ll Never Forget You’s “simultaneous” concept of time is completely unique, which cements it as one of the most underrated time travel movies.

I'll Never Forget You's Time Travel Story Is Better Than Most Modern Movies

Though I’ll Never Forget You’s story is straightforward, it manages to outdo those of many modern time travel movies. Other time travel movies can get bogged down in trying to explain its concept with science, which sometimes can lead to the plot becoming overly convoluted. However, I’ll Never Forget You’s comparatively simple approach allows the movie to fully invest itself in the issues surrounding Peter’s flawed actions in the 18th century. The morality and ethics of time travel is a core tenant of all great movies in this genre, and I’ll Never Forget You’s ability to focus on these questions contributes to its successful execution.

Part of I’ll Never Forget You’s plot that puts it ahead of modern movies is its realistic approach. Because Peter keeps slipping up and can’t fit in, his 18th century peers deem him "insane" and take him into custody. While it’s a dismal outcome, it makes sense that someone from modern times wouldn’t be able to assimilate into a previous century, something time travel movies often get wrong. While I’ll Never Forget You is rarely considered in conversations about the greatest time travel movies, its unique yet realistic approach to the subject proves it should be.