“Past Lives” breaks hearts in the best way

4 out of 5 Stars

“Past Lives,” the latest A24 film written and directed by Celine Song, follows Nora, portrayed by Greta Lee, throughout three stages of her life and dives into the idea of inyun.

인연인연”Inyun”: The ties between two people over the course of their lives; one’s connection with certain people or things.

Spoilers Ahead

The story begins with Nora’s childhood in Seoul, South Korea, where she spends most of her time with her best friend and crush, Hae Sung, portrayed by Teo Yoo, until having to immigrate with her family to Canada. 

The story then picks up twelve years later as Nora begins studying to become a writer in New York City and virtually reconnects with Hae Sung, before jumping ahead another twelve years.

She is still in New York City, but now married to a fellow writer named Arthur, portrayed by John Magaro, and is about to meet Hae Sung in person for the first time since they were children.

The highlight of “Past Lives” is the conversations had throughout and the way relationships are built between characters. 

Throughout the film, Nora grapples with her own identity, as well as figuring out how she fits into the world around her. This personal navigation is all done through conversation and her connection to people in her life.

There’s a moment later in the film after Hae Sung has come to New York to meet Nora in person, and Nora and her husband Arthur are in bed together when Arthur shares his fears with her. 

Arthur tells Nora that when she talks in her sleep, she only speaks Korean, and he shares how much it scares him because there is this whole other place that she goes to in her dreams that he can’t go to.

It’s a moment that stands out as some of the best writing I’ve seen in a long time. Despite the connection that gets built between Nora and Hae Sung, this small moment demonstrates the love between Nora and Arthur and how much they care for each other, making the situation even more complex.

As much as the dialogue sticks out in this film, one aspect that stands out even more is the lack of dialogue in crucial moments. 

At the beginning of the film, the audience learns Nora is immigrating to Canada, and the final goodbye scene between Nora and Hae Sung is one of these moments.

Despite the lack of dialogue, it’s a scene made beautiful through its mise en scène as well as the direction of the actors. 

An overwhelming sense of loss and uncertainty fills the air as Nora ascends a set of stone steps while Hae Sung continues on the path ahead, neither of them looking back as they get not only emotionally but visually torn apart.

However, what truly sets “Past Lives” apart from others of the romantic drama genre, is the final scene of the film. It’s one that’s heartbreaking, yet also the perfect ending to this evolution that Nora goes through. 

The scene captures Nora having to say goodbye to Hae Sung after she just got to reconnect with him, with the knowledge that she may never see him again. 

Nora walks Hae Sung to his Uber in silence and then they pause to just stare at one another before the car arrives. It’s a shared moment of heartbreak, yet also of knowing that although they weren’t meant to be together in this life, they were meant to pass in one another’s lives.

The only thing I could have asked from this film is more of it. 

There were times, mainly at the beginning, that felt rushed and, with more time, I felt these characters could’ve had the space to reveal themselves even further. 

That being said, in the 106 minutes allotted for this feature, the filmmakers told a complete and beautiful story, enough so that I wanted to spend more time with each of the characters.

“Past Lives” is truly unique in its ability to showcase this aspect of a person re-discovering a version of themselves.

There are so many memories and emotions that get associated with different moments in our lives, and often the people that surrounded you during that time bring all those emotions and memories flooding back.

Although Nora seemed indifferent to leaving Seoul at first, she made it clear that the change was extremely difficult. Hae Sung’s coming back into her life reminded her of everything that she left behind in her childhood. 

It’s that final moment at the end of the film of longing yet letting go that has Nora breaking down in tears as she says goodbye not only to her childhood friend but to a past version of herself.

Review Rewind: “Before Sunrise” (1995)

Do you want to go see if that listening booth still works? “Before Sunrise” is quite possibly one of the best romance movies ever made. 

Similar to “Past Lives,” this film is made wonderful by simplicity as it follows the conversations between the two main characters, Jesse, portrayed by Ethan Hawke, and Celine, portrayed by Julie Delpy, after they meet on a train and spend the day together in Vienna. 

The conflict in this film is a bit better though, due to the external factor of both of them knowing they only have until sunrise to be together.