Past Lives is a rare example of cinematic art that imitates life, and ultimately, it serves as a reminder that while, like its characters, it may be hard for us to part with the past and the idea of fate, sometimes, the best and only thing we can do is to let things go.
Overall Score: 10/10
Image: A24
Have you ever been in love with someone you didn’t end up with? Or have you ever fallen for someone with whom things didn’t work out? If so, have you ever found yourself wondering what could’ve or might’ve been if certain events had played out differently? And have you ever longed for the fulfillment of those unrealized possibilities?
These are the very questions that Celine Song’s remarkable directorial debut, Past Lives, explores. The film tells a decades-spanning tale about two childhood sweethearts, Nora and Hae Sung, who reunite over twenty years later and, as A24’s official website puts it, “confront notions of destiny, love, and the choices that make a life.”
Now, if, like me, you keep up with movie-related news (especially pieces regarding early awards contenders and stuff worth watching), you’ve probably heard that Past Lives is a must-see. In fact, reviews from just about everywhere — like those from Vox, Rolling Stone, The Hollywood Reporter, and IndieWire — have already proclaimed it “one of 2023’s best films,” if not the “best movie of the year.” That’s high praise for any cinematic output, really, and considering how general audiences only recently got to see it (several months after its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival back in January, I might add), many are probably wondering, “Is Past Lives really that good?”
The answer — or, in this case, my answer — is a resounding “yes.” Yes, it is that good. Let me start with one of the things about the film that struck me as most impressive: its refreshing sense of realism. Take Celine Song’s screenplay, for example. Every event, every piece of dialogue, and the way the story unfolds feels natural and organic. Nothing presented on-screen is something that Song’s just come up with. No. Instead, they’re directly inspired by her past personal experiences, which gives her work a nice touch of realness and authenticity.
The same can be said for Song’s characters. They behave, interact with one another, make decisions, and act and react in different situations in the exact same way real-life people do. Again, like her screenplay, her characters don’t feel fictional. Instead, they’re very realistic, so much so that it’s almost as if we, the audience, are watching the lives of two — or three, depending on how you look at it — infinitely real people play out.
Additionally, Past Lives features a pair of exceptional performances from Greta Lee and Teo Yoo. The two actors are phenomenal as the film’s leads, and both finely portray the act of falling in love in a delicate and wholly realistic manner. In an interview with The Daily Beast's Obsessed, Lee once described the process as “a full-body experience.” And she’s right. Both she and Yoo are able to convey so much with just their eyes and body language alone, to the point where a single glance is all it takes to communicate their respective characters’ feelings, longing, and, sometimes, even internal pain.
John Magaro (who appears in a supporting capacity) is also great in the movie. He isn’t tasked with delivering the same kind of subtle yet intense performance, but he does bring a fair amount of sincerity and sensitivity to his role. And though, as of now, I’m still not entirely sure if any of these three actors have a decent shot at winning an Oscar in their respective categories, if this year’s nomination for Aftersun’s (which is another must-see A24 release) Paul Mescal is anything to go by, their chances of getting nominated are probably pretty high.
Past Lives is also a film that features a very deliberate directorial approach. Song uses a variety of subtle cinematography, lighting, and framing techniques to present her different shots in specific ways. For example, we sometimes see characters from afar, in the dark, through reflections, and even through the frames of train door windows. And from my own interpretation, I believe that Song intends for all of this to represent distant memories, shadows of the past, and glimpses of what could’ve been but wasn’t meant to be.
Furthermore, Past Lives is nicely and satisfyingly slowly paced. In fact, Song really takes the time to sit in and cherish every moment, which allows her to masterfully capture the complexity yet beautiful mundanity of her characters and their lives. Not only that, but she also has her camera linger on faces, bodies, and surroundings, a trick she uses to subtly but effectively illustrate the immense sense of longing shared between her two leads.
And finally, the thing I appreciate most about the film is its thematic exploration of love, destiny, and the choices we make in life. Are two souls bound together across space and time? Will every reincarnation lead them to find one another again? What did two people mean to each other in their previous lives? And what will they be in their next ones?
Past Lives thoughtfully deals with these questions by asking but refraining from definitively answering them. And despite playing around with the notion of “what if,” it ultimately settles for what we all know is true: We only live one life. The choices we make are what lead us to where we are. We should be happy with what we already have. And what once was sometimes isn’t meant to be. These universal and often painful truths define the film’s ideology, and the fact that it doesn’t shy away from embracing any of them makes it compelling, realistic, and thought-provoking.
In conclusion, Celine Song’s Past Lives is, quite simply, a masterpiece. It’s a beautiful, tender, realistic, and quietly devastating depiction of two people’s yearning for the past and what might’ve been. And though you may or may not find yourself crying by the end (depending on your level of sensitivity), one thing’s for sure: If you’ve ever fallen in love with or had feelings for someone with whom things didn’t work out and wondered what would’ve happened under different circumstances, this movie will hit you hard. Past Lives is a rare example of cinematic art that imitates life, and ultimately, it serves as a reminder that while, like its characters, it may be hard for us to part with the past and the idea of fate, sometimes, the best and only thing we can do is to let things go.
Comments