This post is part of my movie-a-day challenge in which I will watch a film every day for 365 days. Today is Day 110! You can see all the posts for this challenge HERE. To see the original Movie-a-Day Challenge post, click HERE.
Hello friends!
Today, we’re diving into the introspective pool of “Past Lives,” directed by the talented Celine Song. Brace yourselves for a film that’s like staring at a faded Polaroid from a life you almost lived, equal parts melancholic and mesmerizing.
Let’s meet Nora and Hae Sung, childhood besties in South Korea who share a bond deeper than kimchi jjigae (trust me, that soup is deep). But life, the mischievous puppeteer, yanks them apart when Nora’s fam migrates to Canada. Fast forward 12 years (hello, puberty!), and fate hits them with a double-edged sword: an online reunion. Cue the awkward texts & video calls, nostalgic heart pangs, and a yearning for “what ifs” that could fill a library.
Now, before you grab your tissues and prepare for a full-blown rom-com meltdown, hold your horses. This is not your run-of-the-mill love story; it’s more of a gentle nudge to those ‘what could have been’ thoughts we stash away.
So, fast forward to adulthood, Nora’s living her best life in New York with her husband when Hae Sung pops back into the picture and flies to New York to see her, and it’s like, “Hello, past, meet the present.”
The way our two characters navigate their tangled web of feelings is like watching a masterclass in subtlety. There’s this moment when Nora (played by the mesmerizingly talented Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo, whose eyes tell a story all their own) share a look, and you can practically hear the symphony of their shared past and unexplored future. They capture the complexities of long-lost connections, the ache of “what might have been,” and the bittersweet beauty of letting go. I found the characters relatable on so many levels. Oh, and let’s not forget Arthur (John Magaro), Nora’s husband who’s essentially the nicest guy caught in the emotional crossfire.
What really got me was the film’s exploration of the paths we choose and those we leave behind. It’s got me pondering my own series of what-ifs and almosts, which is both terrifying and exhilarating. Like, what if I actually did run away with the circus?
But…and yes, there’s a ‘but.’ While I appreciate the film’s artistry and the stellar acting, it didn’t quite resonate with me on a deeper level. Everyone’s been raving about it, calling it an epic love story, but for me, it felt more like a poignant drama about regrets and missed opportunities. It didn’t really play out as romantic. It’s more of a drama, through and through, focusing on the complexities of life, choices, and the paths not taken.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed it – the cinematography is stunning, the score is hauntingly beautiful, and the story is thought-provoking. But the “epic love story” label left me wanting more, well, love.
So yeah, “Past Lives” made me feel like I was eavesdropping on a very intimate, bittersweet conversation. It’s beautifully made, thought-provoking, and will definitely have you drunk texting your old friends (or exes) at weird hours, pondering the what-ifs. While it didn’t quite capture my heart in the epic love story way, it did make me appreciate the quiet moments and the paths we choose in life.
Catch you on the flip side,
Roger