It’s a bit disconcerting for the film industry that there isn’t as much theatrical viability for romantic films that don’t have some sort of genre component. While there might be a touch of romance snuck into an action spectacle like <em>The Fall Guy</em> or a horror thriller like Sinners, audiences don’t seem to have as much interest in straightforward love stories that reflect reality. Past Lives felt like a breath of fresh air because it embraced a classical style of “walk-and-talk” romance similar to favorites like Roman Holiday or Brief Encounter. However, there was nothing regressive about what Celine Song pulled off in her terrific debut, as it asked deep existential questions whilst highlighting the specificity of the immigrant experience.

Song may have been a novice behind the camera, but she already had a wealth of experience drawing up compelling characters and writing lovely dialogue. It’s not surprising that Song had previously written many stage shows, as Past Lives has a degree of intimacy and authenticity that is usually only seen in live theater. Although it’s one thing to incorporate beautiful monologues that give actors a chance to showcase their abilities, Song also succeeded in making a visually dynamic film that took advantage of the themes of perspective and awareness. Even if it has been dwarfed at the box office by <em>Anyone But You</em> and <em>It Ends With Us</em>, Past Lives is thus far the best romantic drama of the young decade.

‘Past Lives’ Is a Unique Spin on the Love Triangle Premise

Past Lives approaches the notion of a “love triangle” in a realistic way that does not feel hackneyed or manipulative. Since many people form childhood crushes, the initial romance between the Korean classmates Nora Moon (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) feels entirely realistic, especially due to the strong young actors that Song cast as the youthful version of the central characters. Past Lives tackles the complex issue of reconnecting with a prior lover in the midst of a new relationship, as Nora moved to the United States and married Arthur Zaturansky (John Magaro). Encountering Hae Sung again is complicated because there was no animosity within their initial split, since the only reason they fell out of contact with one another is the trouble of maintaining a long-distance relationship. Hae Sung’s arrival in New York forces Nora to question whether she should have waited for him.

Past Lives is clever in dispelling the expectations that audiences may have had about the way that its story might play out, as the opening scene even includes a moment in which Nora, Arthur, and Hae Sung are observed from a distance by strangers who make assumptions about them. Past Lives found a creative way to explore the evolution of a relationship without being weighed down by exposition, as it beautifully follows how Hae Sung and Nora drifted in and out of each other’s lives. The barriers that they faced do not feel artificially inserted for the sake of escalating the drama; Hae Sung had to commit to military service, and Nora became more focused on her job, which is what eventually introduced her to Arthur. It also makes sense that the characters would take advantage of the opportunity to reconnect, even if they weren’t expecting their emotions to be reignited in such a powerful way.

‘Past Lives’ Is Informed by Cultural History

Remarkably, Past Lives doesn’t set up an obvious conclusion or paint either of its male leads in a negative light. It never feels like Hae Sung reconnected with Nora for the sake of disrupting her marriage, and Arthur never feels like a lackluster option that she “settled” for after losing the love of her life. The strength of both actors makes Nora’s choice more challenging, as the audience experiences the same fluctuation of opinions that she does. Even though Hae Sung is incredibly charming and the moments he shares with Nora crackle with the tension between Lee and Yoo, Magaro delivers an amazing monologue in which he discusses prioritizing his wife’s happiness over anything else. Even if Arthur recognizes that he does not want to be “the other guy,” Hae Sung also begins to realize that Nora isn’t the same person he fell in love with. It’s not a coincidence that she changed her name from Na Young after moving to Canada; for better or worse, Nora has accepted the culture of her new home and altered some of the beliefs that she had whilst in South Korea.

Song had the patience to let the conversations between the characters play out to their natural conclusions, as the film is able to work remarkably well when it’s almost entirely centered on its three stars. Although there are moments that are quite profound and nearly feel like rehearsed proclamations of love, Past Lives isn’t afraid to look at how funny, awkward, and occasionally scary it can be to reflect on the past and think about childhood aspirations. If anything, Song was put under more scrutiny for her follow-up film Materialists, which drew blowback because of the undeniable privileges of its main characters. The magic of Past Lives is that, while it is certainly informed by Song’s own experiences as a Korean American, the film touches on universal themes of regret and reflection that audiences from any walk of life can relate to.

Past Lives is available to stream on HBO Max in the U.S.

Here you can find the original article; the photos and images used in our article also come from this source. We are not their authors; they have been used solely for informational purposes with proper attribution to their original source.[/nospin]

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