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Film Review: Past Lives

Siobe Morling
The exterior of a retro-style cinema with neon pink signs.

Siobe Morling

Past Lives, A24’s most acclaimed film of the year, is a romance about the complicated adult lives of two childhood sweethearts. It’s guaranteed to tug on the heartstrings.

SYNOPSIS

Despite its initial release in June, Past Lives only hit UK cinemas this autumn. The indie romance drama amassed critical acclaim for its writing and lead performances, making it to the top of many year-end lists for 2023. The film depicts the nonlinear relationship between two childhood sweethearts as they grow apart and rekindle their bond over 24 years.

“Song produces a vibrant yet quiet experience for the viewer”

Director Celine Song cites her filmmaking father as a source of inspiration, alongside her own experiences in South Korea and America, to portray a delicate story about falling in love with the ‘right’ people. Starring Greta Lee as Nora, Teo Yoo as her childhood sweetheart Hae Sung, and John Magaro as her American husband, Song produces a vibrant yet quiet experience for the viewer, led by emotions and destiny. She encourages the viewer to question the notion of fate (In-Yun) and whether it can be applied to their own lives.

PRODUCTION

The early stages of the casting process were conducted over Zoom in response to the pandemic. In a conversation with BAFTA, Song could tell from these online discussions that “Greta was a soul match to the character, and Teo was a soul match to the character of Hae Sung”. Chemistry tests were done for the children to ensure that childhood chemistry in this story is both believable and nostalgic. Soon, the pieces fell into place, and filming began in the summer of 2021.

“Past Lives uses its 116-minute runtime to take the audience along this decades-spanning journey”

Importantly, this film is a directorial debut for Celine Song, and much of the movie is inspired by her personal experiences. For example, the film’s final act replicates a time when she had drinks with her childhood sweetheart from Korea and her husband in a bar in New York. As a semi-autobiographical story, Past Lives uses its 116-minute runtime to take the audience along this decades-spanning journey. It makes the viewer question how they would approach this awkward yet beautiful situation whilst grappling with the turmoil that inevitably comes with it.

DEALING WITH THE PAST

Whether a person is right for someone is an age-old question. This is where falling for the so-called wrong person seems almost a rite of passage. At its core, the film addresses how people can fit into different stages of their lives and whether these are experiences that should be relived or left in a past life. As the film explores, the best choice is sometimes to let go.

The complexities of the on-screen relationships in Past Lives were partially emulated behind the scenes. For instance, Teo (Hae Sung) and John Magaro (Arthur) kept their cameras off during video call readthroughs and only saw each other in the scene where their characters meet in the film’s final act. The first take where they interact in person for the first time is what we see in the final cut.

CULTURAL DIVIDES

Cultural difference is a key theme of this movie. In an interview with the LA Times, Song explained that her biculturalism became a “chip on [her] shoulders”. It was something that people would not otherwise care about. “I felt like it made me powerless,” she added.

Despite this, Song channels her own experiences of biculturalism into this movie. There is a poignant cultural confrontation between Nora’s past and present lives. Song addresses the multicultural experiences of many in a way that invites the audience to acknowledge its potential difficulties, with the added drama of a rekindled romance.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCES

Blending this culture into the project felt like a must for Greta Lee. In particular, it was the concept of in-yun to which she had grown attached. Like her on-screen counterpart, Lee had grown increasingly accustomed to her American lifestyle.

In the same interview, Lee explained that when she would act alongside Korean-born Teo, Song would only direct in Korean. This helped to remind Lee of her childhood and Korean roots. She added, “There are a lot of people in my life who don’t even know I speak Korean.”

She continues to describe how she was often told she “was not Korean enough”. This is, unfortunately, a widespread issue. As a biracial woman brought up in the UK, I’ve spent my whole life being told that I’m not British or Filipino enough. I believe the focus should be on how these two parts of oneself can be embraced and intertwined. This is something that Past Lives strives to achieve and succeeds at.

While Nora has permanently moved to the US, this 24-year journey allows her to reconnect with a past self. She relearns the Korean language, reconnects with an old friend, and embraces that part of herself she had been suppressing.

RELEASE AND ACCLAIM

Since its release in the US in June, many have embraced the romance and messages of this poignant movie. It even became a TikTok trend to record yourself before and after experiencing the film, with viral ones showing many bawling their eyes out.

@louisekayesy

easily my top film of the year. #pastlivesmovie

♬ Scott Street (Slowed Down) – Phoebe Bridgers

It is certainly A24’s best chance at Oscar success in 2024. The film won a Gotham Award and has garnered five Critics Choice nominations this December. Past Lives is perfect for those on the lookout for a heart-shattering romance.

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Featured image courtesy of Myke Simon via Unsplash. No changes were made to this image. Image licence found here.

An Ancient History and History graduate from the University of Leeds hoping to pursue a career in journalism. Passionate about entertainment, fashion, news, sport and most topics!

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