Past lives: Understated beauty

A little bit of background📃

Past lives earned two Oscar nominations in 2024, one for Best Motion Picture of the Year and the other for director Celine Song for Best Original Screenplay. Read on for my review.

Past lives | Released in Australia August 2023 | Viewed September 2023 | Directed by Celine Song | Main cast: Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, and John Magaro

The story📖

Past lives tells the story of Nora (played by Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (played by Teo Yoo), childhood friends who go in separate directions when Nora and her family emigrate from South Korea to Canada and Nora later moves to NYC. The story is told in three pieces: Nora and Hae Sung's childhood friendship as 12 year olds in Seoul, 12 years later when the two reconnect over Skype, and another 12 years later when they finally meet in NYC.

My thoughts on the film💭

Past lives is beautifully shot, with minimal dialogue, relying on the talents of the three leads to help the audience understand the characters' thoughts and emotions. Their performances are understated and nuanced and they do a phenomenal job with the sparse dialogue.

Greta Lee is the standout as Nora, whose face conveys a myriad of emotions. She isn't always a likeable character, sometimes coming across as cold, particularly after she and Hae Sung part ways for a second time after reuniting via Skype. John Magaro is also great as Nora's Jewish New Yorker husband, Arthur, navigating a complex and awkward situation. I loved the quiet moments between Nora and Arthur as their connection felt real and deep despite the struggles Nora faces in letting Hae Sung go.

I don't think I am spoiling things to discuss the final scene. This scene is crucial to the film's strength, I think. It shows Nora walking back to her New York City apartment after saying goodbye to Hae Sung as he heads back to Seoul. There is no dialogue but but the raw emotion Greta Lee displays made me feel terribly sad. The ending left me thinking a lot about the 'what could have beens' we often experience in life. The film speaks to the strong connections that can develop with people that sadly are just not destined to grow or endure. The film also emphasises that our pasts always stay with us, sometimes driving us forward and other times holding us back.

My only criticism is that the pace is a bit slow at times, and some more dialogue would have helped me connect with, and understand the characters better. The technique of minimal dialogue and strong emotional acting from the three leads is beautifully done. The film just needs a little more balance, with a stronger narrative of the connection between Nora and Hae Sung and the direction their respective lives take after Nora leaves South Korea. A lot of the thinking is left up to the audience. I don't mind that, but I still think there could have been just a bit more character exploration through dialogue.

In sum📝

The very un-Hollywood nature of the film is part of its power. There isn't the traditional happy ending as the character's actions and relationships are authentic. There is also little drama to pepper the film so I can understand why some people found it boring. Past lives won't be everyone's cup of tea, but if you like emotionally intelligent films that leave you thinking long after the credits roll, then give it a go.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐