PAST LIVES (2023)

 

Written & Directed By: Celine Song

Cinematography: Shabier Kirchner

Editor: Keith Fraase 

Cast: Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, John Magaro 

Nora and Hae Sung, two deeply connected childhood friends, are wrested apart after Nora's family emigrates from South Korea. Twenty years later, they are reunited for one fateful week as they confront notions of love and destiny.

For a film that can be so romantic. It is ultimately a film about heartbreak. 

The film has a cinematic beginning of what if. That ends up answering all the questions that the opening scene raises and gives the answers a lot more depth. It does give the film an initial memory that is replayed later, but it is also the only part of the film that feels a bit more pandering and conventional. 

The film is a story that should be a two-hander. The films to will remind you of usually are such as the BEFORE trilogy (BEFORE SUNRISE, BEFORE SUNSET, BEFORE MIDNIGHT) and other romantic films such as SUMMERTIME, IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE. That usually takes place in foreign locales. To paint a view of being a visitor or an outsider exploring the terrain or make the audience feel that way.

Here the film does take place in a few foreign locales but rarely explores them. As it is more interested in exploring the character's motivations, emotions, and decisions. 

Which is what works in its favor as it has its own vibe. While staying reminiscent of those other films. If it had followed suit it would have been fine. There are many ways to tell a story. Just make sure you tell it well and to the best of your ability. 

These films are usually told through conversations. This film is similar but more is said by what the characters don’t say and through gazes, looks, body language, and actions. Films were a bit more common when I was younger and indie cinema was seen as the cream de la creme. Now these types of films are a rarity and it’s no wonder why such praise is heaped upon them. 

This film takes place over time, over decades but mainly a few days in their lives, And while it is a small story. It is an emotional minefield that stays subdued but feels bigger than it is letting on. Ultimately it involves fate and the future, but the past is important as it gives the modern definition. 

The film shows the grace and beauty of Greta Lee in a star-making lead performance. Showing her great range as I primarily remember her from the movie SISTERS, where she played a more comedic over-the-top role. Here you can’t help but fall for her. You see what the other characters surrounding her see.

This is a film where it’s relatable to the audience. As it is about that person who got away and wonders what could have been. It also might remind people of that special friend they grew up with and not only what happened to them, but why they never really got together. 

Everything through the film has a subtlety but is devastating. It feels like a testament to things never truly said or spoken. As the characters dance around, just to get to the heart of the matter and moments. 

Grade: A-