THE FILM
TITLE: Past Lives
RELEASE DATE: 21 Jan 2023
WATCH DATE: 25 Feb 2024
TYPE: live-action feature film (Korean)
ACCESS: available for rent on Google TV
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THE PEOPLE
DIRECTOR: Celine Song
PRODUCER: Christine Vachon, Pamela Koffler, David Hinojosa, Khan Kwon, Yale Chasin
WRITER: Celine Song
ACTORS: Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, John Magaro
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THE STORY
RUNTIME: 1h 45m
STORYLINE: centered around the concept of In Yun (providential relationships), a girl and a boy grow up together in South Korea, briefly reconnect later as adults from New York City and Seoul, and he finally visits her in NYC years later, only for them to go separate ways for good
GENRE/THEMES: drama, romance, fate, destiny, time, providence, relationships
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THE CRITIQUE
THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS
Beyond the concept of In Yun (providential relationships across time and multiple lives, as Buddhists believe)... I'm not quite sure what the point of the story is about. It seems like that is the heart of this film, which is a fine concept. If you want to make a movie about In Yun - existing in past lives, and the providence of each relationship - this story was a letdown. There's so much more potential to that idea than this film even began to touch on.
Past Lives is the story of a lovesick puppy man-child who wants to keep talking to his crush but makes no real effort to pursue her until it's too late. Far too late. Ten years too late. She is 10 years married to another man.
Though not a poorly made film, I found this to be boring and missed the mark. The problems lie with the storyline - which is ironic since it's nominated for Original Screenplay, which I'd say is misplaced. It is - like a few other Oscar nominees - nothing special.
Some interesting visual imagery is used in the cinematography, depicting the division of the two main characters. The three acts of the film are well-structured and flow together… however, it is generally flat. The plot builds everything up to maybe Nora (Greta Lee) leaving her husband (John Magaro) and getting back together with her childhood crush (Teo Yoo) - which is exactly what you don’t want to happen. And indeed, it does not happen. She stays with her husband and the man who’s spent now 30 years wallowing in lovesickness returns to South Korea.
Being nominated for Best Picture and Original Screenplay are some pretty big nods from the Academy… but since it’s nothing special, those nominations should have been given to another, better film.
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THE RECEPTION
NOMINATIONS
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THE IMPRESSION
IN A SINGLE WORD:
MOST STRIKING ELEMENT:
REWATCH: no
RATING: 2.5 // 5 stars ⭐⭐
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