Past Lives

Past Lives

Released June 2, 2023 

Written and Directed by Celine Song

* Light Spoilers - but nothing not in the trailers *

Celine Song wrote and directed a beautiful, somber, and genuine story of two childhood friends who took separate paths in life. Calling this a romantic drama would limit and cheapens this. Past Lives is far from cliche, it is painfully real, going against any preconceptions you might have for a story about destiny and love. Like 500 Days of Summer or Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, it defies genre and subverts the conventions of a romance film. 

Destiny, providence, and the pain of what could have been are all major themes of Past Lives. A connection between people fated for each other has been the subject of countless movies. It might be the most universally enduring kind of story. So why does Past Lives feel so unique? Celine Song highlights the Korean concept of “In yun”  where a fleeting brush with a stranger could be a sign of a deeper history from a previous existence. The immortality of our spirits, and soul mates being tied to one other across incarnations is a idyllic and fanciful concept, but Song finds a way to ground it in reality. Presenting the contemplation of “what if" without guilt but with a somber, sweet and gentle acceptance. We see a genuine glimpse into the emotion without succumbing to the rash and heedless actions typical of dramatic fiction. 

It’s striking how honest the film was when dealing with emotion. Running home to get on a Skype call with joyous glee is shown without shame or self consciousness. This isn’t a musical where the character is singing as they skip home, but we do get a shot of Nora (Greta Lee) with a distinct spring in her step and body language that captures that same excitement. The facial reactions and gestures when her and Hae Sung are video chatting couldn’t help but bring a smile to my face. When they finally embrace after literally decades passing is given space to linger and feels so unabashedly wholesome. 

That honesty isn’t just reserved for positive emotions. That gleeful excitement is also paired with the pain of longing. Distance is difficult, not being with a loved one or partner is almost more difficult when you can so easily see them on a screen. The way technology can connect us leaves us wanting more. It makes the desire to just be in that persons presence even more painful. The film also allows jealousy and frustration to exist, the feelings aren’t dismissed, but are recognized and discussed openly. Even further the movie and its characters are self aware, commenting on how Arthur (John Magaro) should be the evil American villain “if” this were a movie. Instead he not perfect but is supportive and open about his feelings. As an audience we are conditioned want the fairly tale ending, no matter how impractical or ridiculous, but Past Lives actively pushes against the cliche love story. 

This is all presented though excellent dialogue and acting that is incredibly natural. Greta Lee plays Nora with so much heart and charisma that you cant help but like her. The glances, looks, and moments of pause are so truthful that I could have forgot this was not a documentary. Teo Yoo embodies the earnest and hopeful Hae Sung. He is cautious, reserved but wonderfully endearing, feeling like someone who has a good heart. Making both of your leads so likeable is not easy, and it went a long way in keeping me invested. Arthur was also perfectly unremarkable, the performance is great because he does an amazing job of feeling like a regular dude. His portrayal of Arthur and the honest expression of his feelings was yet another way the movie felt authentic. 

The movie is in both Korean and English and the split between those two languages and cultures is a significant part of the story. Each of the two leads embody unique and separate worlds, and is made so clear by the cultural clash between being Korean and Korean American. Feeling like you are too foreign when you are with Americans and too western when you are with your own people is palpable. Even the commentary on dreaming in another language, where we can have worlds inside our own mind that others can’t truly be a part of, was intriguing. 

Visually, Past Lives is deliberate and stunning from the very beginning. The opening shot perfectly sets up the character dynamics. There are observers off screen trying to decode the relationships, when the film abruptly cuts back twenty-four years in the past. We get a glimpse of the possibilities but also the inevitable divergence from the story book ending. When this scene is later revisited it puts us as the audience into this awkward interaction. Going out to dinner with your spouse and their long lost childhood soul mate and being relegated to a third wheel would be incredibly awkward. What better way to depict that than to literally crop Arthur out of the shot, sitting right there just off screen. It’s not a situation where he is physically pushed further away, he is right next to Nora but invisible. The framing feels intentionally awkward, disturbing the symmetry to deliberately draw attention to him being cut out, while present just off screen. 

Song frames and blocks characters like this so many times though the film.  When the pair are finally in each others presence for the first time after decades they are surrounded by affectionate couples. There are almost no single people walking around them as extras. It’s a small detail but one that adds so much to the context of that moment. I could go on about all of the brilliant symbolism and visual storytelling, but the most iconic shot was the two children going their separate ways down a branching fork in the path. Absolutely stunning and packed with so much meaning, especially when it’s mirrored again later in the film.

Despite spanning decades this is a tight 1 hour and 45 minutes that flew by. The movie was so lean and efficient, nothing felt unnecessary. Even still I would have loved to have seen more of the two as children. Isn’t that ironic? My desire for more was just my longing for what was lost. Just like Nora and Hae Sung I wanted those early moments to last forever. I guess that is the point of it all. Their life together as kids was so short lived, but that did not deprive it of it’s meaning.

9/10 - A beautiful, somber and gentle glimpse into a forgotten friendship and soul mates that weren’t meant to be. Constructed with so much care and genuine authenticity that I was captivated throughout. Movies are an outlet for us to experience the unrealistic and fantastical, but Past Lives actively works against that expectation. Delivering an honest and powerful discussion about destiny, longing, and acceptance, this one of the more memorable and impactful films of the year.

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