Past Lives is a marvelous, wistful, and thoughtfully romantic film that’s easily going in my top ten of the year. I thought it was about immigrants returning to their homeland and finding out they no longer fit in with the people left behind. It kind of has that but it’s not that film at all.
It’s about a couple of twelve year old South Korean kids, best friends since they were younger, starting to realize there might be more to their friendship. But then her family emigrates to North America and he remains in Seoul. Twelve years later they reconnect over Skype…
This is one of the most honest and intelligent movies about “what might have been” that I’ve ever seen. Every minute, every line of dialog, every acting choice is perfect for the emotions and the uncertainties on screen. It’s perfectly cast and acted and not just the adult versions of the two Koreans but also the white guy who comes into the picture (who has his own equally important balancing act).
When they first reconnect over Skype, it’s charming, truthful and romantic. When they reconnect again later in life, the dynamic changes and the film challenges us. Where are we going with this story? The film nails the difference between the real world and movie world with a simple line of dialog from the white guy… if this were a movie, he’d be the bad guy.
The final scene had me in tears with its understanding of emotions, longing, and what might have been. Not just the more showy response from the woman, but the understated, unstated understanding and empathy of the white guy. It’s rare to see a movie feel this truthful about how complex human emotions work.
I also loved how the film makes a direct connect with a reference to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. That’s a film about forgetting our past lives while this film uses that film to make the opposite observations. It’s about choosing to remember our past because those who live there are what make us who we are today. Brilliant.
This is a fantastic film. A master-class in smart, intelligent, and human writing that never feels like we’re in movie world. It confronts our feelings about these relationships, challenging our expectations of what comes next. Do you believe in movie romances complete with The Baxter (if you know, you know) or do you believe in something more honest, more believable? And which is better? I know my answer. This is a great film.
Score: 96