‘Past Lives’ is Beautiful
Greta Lee and Teo Yoo in Past Lives | Credit: A24
Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) were childhood friends in Korea until Nora and her family immigrated to Canada. More than 20 years later, as adults, they reconnect again, reflecting on their lives and what could have been.
I have heard so many great things about Past Lives and have been itching to watch it. I was a little worried that it might not live up to the hype, but I was so impressed by this film.
My reaction is also surprising because this is classified as a romance, which is a genre that I don’t normally enjoy. However, the characters in Past Lives are so real, relatable, and interesting that I was easily swept into their world. Each person goes on their own character journey, and we get to know them more and more as the film goes on.
The script is so smartly written because we see new facets of these characters every time they’re on the screen. The things that we think about them are reframed in a new light as we gather new information. There are also opportunities to question our own lives as we watch these characters make choices throughout the film.
Past Lives is also beautifully shot. There are so many quiet moments where we see glimpses of a city and the people who live there. In some ways, it felt similar to The Farewell in the toned-down color palette and gorgeous cinematography. The camera will also just linger on the characters as they say nothing, allowing us to take in everything that has been said and everything that’s unspoken between them.
This film is gorgeous, thoughtful, and contains multitudes within it. There’s a sweet romantic storyline here, but more than that, I think this is a contemplation of the human experience. It’s a reflection on the choices we make and where they take us.
I am going to dive into some of the characters and themes of this film, which means that I will need to talk about the ending. So, if you haven’t yet seen Past Lives, please don’t read on. I don’t want to spoil anything for you.
Greta Lee and Teo Yoo in Past Lives | Credit: A24
Nora is an ambitious playwright living and working in New York City. She’s always been a high achiever; before her family leaves Korea, she remarks that she’s leaving “because Koreans don’t win the Nobel prize for literature.” What a fantastic answer for a twelve-year-old!
Twelve years later, when she reconnects with Hae Sung, she is torn between two things that she wants: to be with him and to devote herself to her craft. Eventually, when it’s clear that their relationship can’t move forward right now and it’s affecting her work, she ends it. She knows who she is and what she wants, and she’s willing to pursue that, even if it means denying herself something else she wants.
There’s a theme that we see in many films that we can have everything we want in life, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes, we need to focus more on certain things in certain seasons to meet our goals. We make choices about what’s important to us, which sometimes means leaving something we want behind. It’s all about the choices that we make along the way. And that’s okay.
After Nora breaks it off with Hae Sung, she spends some time as an author in residence, where she meets new people, including Arthur (John Magaro). The two end up getting married and building a life together. We eventually learn that they didn’t end up together as some whirlwind romance, but their relationship took a different path. They slept together at the author in residence program, then moved in together back in NYC to save money, and then got married for Nora’s green card.
I really love that Nora and Arthur don’t have this dramatic romance but that their relationship grew steadily over time. The two have built their history together that looks different than Nora and Hae Sung’s, but that doesn’t make their history any less important.
We see how Nora has grown tremendously over these years as she’s made all of these pivotal choices. She’s still driven and ambitious, but her desires look a little different than she once did. She’s happy and content with the life she’s built, even if it is tempting to imagine what could have happened.
I love that the romances in this film between Nora and Hae Sung and Nora and Arthur are really opportunities to reflect on the choices that we make. It’s a chance to contemplate how we become who we are today.
John Magaro and Greta Lee in Past Lives | Credit: A24
Another element of this film that I really appreciate is the relationship between Nora and Arthur. They are able to have really real conversations, getting into some difficult and uncomfortable things, which is part of being in a real relationship. They don’t run from those difficult topics — like when Nora comes back from spending the day with Hae Sung. Instead, they use that as an opportunity to express their fears and insecurities, drawing closer to one another.
I think that Arthur also provides an example of what it looks like to be an ally. He has embraced Nora, including her heritage, and seeks to learn Korean (even though he’s terrible at it) so he can better connect with her. He has embraced parts of her culture and infused it into his life. This celebration of her history and where she came from is so important and precious.
Arthur is also humble enough to know that he’s never going to know everything about Nora, her past, or her culture. His humility and desire to learn are incredible traits that help make him such a likable character.
Past Lives is a beautiful and thoughtful meditation on the choices that we make and the people we become along the way. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this, and I’m certain that my appreciation of it will continue to grow as I continue to think about it.
And I can’t wait to see it again!