Past Lives: Review

8th August 2023

Past Lives: Review. By Nick Boyd.

“Past Lives” is a richly thought-out and tender film about relationships, fate, and self-reflection spanning 24 years. The movie first looks at two 12-year-old Korean kids – a boy named Hae Sung and a girl named Nora. The two close friends share a special bond – competing for the higher grade in school and playing among the structures in the park. One day, Nora and her family decide to immigrate to Canada for better opportunities, which saddens Hae Sung. From there, the film checks in on the two every 12 years.

Nora (now played by the actress Greta Lee) becomes a playwright, while Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) after completing military service, is an engineering student back in Korea. When the two reconnect at the age of 24 (they find each other through Facebook and begin to Skype), Hae Sung is still in school, while Nora has already started her career. Their online interactions become deeper and more serious. However, when it is clear that neither of them is willing to visit the other either in New York or Korea, Nora abruptly ends their communication and their lives move on in different paths. At this point, Nora decides to begin a live-in artist residency.

During this time of self-reflection, Nora meets fellow artist Arthur (John Magaro). They slowly begin to develop a relationship, and later the two become happily married.

After years of being with Arthur, Nora discovers that Hae Sung would like to finally take a vacation to New York City. Of course being that she is married, this complicates things somewhat. Once Nora and Hae Sung finally do meet again in person and she shows him all the sights of New York City, it is awkward at first, especially as Nora has been Americanized in many ways, but the two are able to rediscover that shared connection they once had.

Much of that connection is shown, not through words spoken but rather with the subtlety of lingering glances and excited smiles, somewhat of a rarity for a big-screen romantic drama. Their feelings are reignited and neither of them knows what decisions will be made. When it comes time for Nora’s husband Arthur to meet Hae Sung, there’s understandably awkwardness and tension, but they are able to warm up a bit to each other. Naturally, when Nora and Hae Sung are speaking Korean over dinner, Arthur looks left out, watching and wondering. This even causes some observers to wonder how the three of them could be connected.

A deeply emotional experience, the film looks at all the what-ifs in our past relationships and how fate plays a role in our decisions. Very well-written and acted, this is one to be savored.

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