USA 2023
Writer / Director: Celine Song
Starring: Greta Lee, Teo Yoo and John Magaro
Opening with a late night scene in a trendy New York bar a woman is sitting between two men and is locked into an intimate conversation with one of the men. The other man is clearly not engaged in the conversation and at times the woman has her back to him. You cannot hear their conversation but another couple, maybe siting at a distance, speculate about the relationships between the trio at the bar. This scene is the first of many where Korean-Canadian writer/director Celine Song expertly uses perspective to play with the viewer’s attitude to each of the main characters. For me this is the gold in this movie. The opening dialogue speculates that the couple looking lovingly at one another may be brother and sister or lovers. You will likely know that they are childhood sweethearts who have reconnected after many years but this opening scene gives you a false sense that you might know how this story ends.
We are then taken back Seoul where 12-year old Nora (Moon Seung-ah) and Hae Sung (Leem Seung-min) are classmates who compete for grades, are very close and go on a date organised by their parents shortly before Nora emigrates to Canada. The young Nora and Hae Sung do not express their feelings to each other well and their parting seems abrupt and with an absence of drama. That they may never see each other again does not appear to cross Nora’s mind but Hae Sung is clearly saddened by the move.
12 years later when both Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) are university students and Hae Sung has completed his national service, Hae Sung seeks out Nora by writing a social media comment on a post of her father’s new film. Nora then makes contact with Hae Sung and they embark on an intense long distance friendship that is then ended by Nora when she, studying in New York at the time, believes the relationship may not progress any further. Nora then meets fellow writer, Arthur (John Magaro), on a writing study placement in Montauk, they marry and settle in New York. Another 12 years passes, Nora and Arthur are still living together in New York and after many years without contact, Hae Sung contacts Nora to let her know he has plans to visit New York for a holiday. Hae Sung’s impending visit worries Arthur who then starts to question the strength of he and Nora’s marriage.
There are so many layers to Past Lives it’s one of those films that I have continued to think about and unpack since watching it. In one scene, Nora’s parents are smoking together in room of their apartment and playing a Leonard Cohen while they pack for their move. This scene suggests a sense of nostalgia toward their future home and possibly even reliving part of their youth. It appeared to be a thoughtful juxtaposition of the relaxed and liberal North America against a more structured and rigid South Korea. There is a realness to this movie and the setting, whether it be in Seoul or New York, has a sense of realness with plenty of the mundane and uninteresting on display. This is in no way a travelogue for either New York or Seoul. Well known landmarks are included but without fanfare and in some cases they add to a deliberate awkwardness. Hae Sung appears out of place in New York and he is clearly not there to see the sights. Past Lives is described as a romantic drama but it isn’t romantic in a traditional sense. Director Celine Song does a great job of portreying the complexity of relationships, how relationships can evolve as a result of convenience and how relationships can withstand challenges. Nora and Hae Sung are not prone to passionate whims and their careers take priority.
This is a beautifully well-crafted semi-autobiographical debut feature from Celine Song who uses camera angle, facial expression and dialogue to expertly manipulate perspective. This is an engaging journey through the challenges of relationships, the passing of time and belonging to place. Noting that Greta Lee was born and raised in Los Angeles to Korean parents and Teo Yoo was born in West Germany and is now residing in Seoul, both actors have expressed how thrilled they were to be involved in this project. The immigrant experience is something close to both of them and writer/director Celine Song has subtilely incorporated the complexities of the cross cultural experience in this film. This movie is far more than the sum of its parts and will stay with you for a long while.
4/5 stars
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