Nora and Hae Sung (Greta Lee and Yoo Teo) are childhood sweethearts until Nora and her family emigrate from South Korea. 20 years later, the two reunite, forcing them to question their destinies and their own lives — past, present, and future.
I am a strong believer that everything happens for a reason, however, the concept of “what if” is always one that interests me. And it is heartbreaking no matter what way you slice it or dice it. Especially when it is examined through such a delicate and personal lens — and that’s what Celine Song has done with her writing and directing debut, “Past Lives.”
Song’s narrative is achingly beautiful with a quiet power and emotionally subtlety. A masterclass is delicately crafted storytelling, “Past Lives” is graceful, sensitive and deeply nostalgic with carefully constructed characters.
The film is not only a moving tale of dissecting past lives and our past relationships but, it is also a very poignant immigrant journey. The if-thens of the life that could have been. All the possibilities.
Whether it is home or someone you feel at home with, it is the raw emotion of acknowledging the loss of the things that weren’t meant for us and embracing our destiny that make this such a moving story.
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