By Nicholas Vermaaten, Contributor

[A24; 2023]

Rating: 8/10

Everyone has at least one thing from their past that almost happened. Something that festers in the mind, making them wonder how their lives would have played out had things happened just a little differently. Maybe it’s a career opportunity they never took, a trip they never planned, or, as Past Lives eloquently discusses, a relationship that was never meant to be. 

Past Lives follows the ever changing relationship between Na Young, or later known as Nora Moon, (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Tao Yoo). Beginning as a playground crush, the film’s first dozen or so minutes dedicate themselves to exploring the adolescent relationship between Na and Hae. Things don’t remain as such, as very soon the two are pulled apart when Na Young’s family immigrates to Canada. 

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A decade later, Hae Sung uses Facebook to contact Na, now going by Nora Moon, to reignite their long-concluded relationship. The latter half of the film dedicates itself to the development of Nora and Hae as they grow apart once more, with Nora eventually marrying fellow playwright Arthur (John Magaro). In its final 40 minutes, the film captures a final meeting between these three subjects in Toronto.

If there is one aspect of Past Lives that especially deserves praise, it’s likely the film’s lead performances, with Lee especially standing out. Despite the lack of Oscar nominations, Lee’s performance as Nora is one of the year’s best, with plenty of moments where her subtle expressions and emotion-laden line delivery truly brought an unspoken depth to her character. 

The cinematography of this film is also excellent. Often using symmetry and close-ups to capture scenes of intimacy between characters, cinematographer Shabier Kirchner does an incredible job portraying these moments with a tenderness that heightens many moments throughout.

The film also has a (mostly) excellent screenplay. Written by director Celine Song, the film’s writing is both naturalistic and clever, creating dialogue that is engaging throughout. Hopefully not spoiling too much, I will say the final scene between Nora and Hae highlights Song’s screenwriting talents as we watch banter naturally switch into sincere recollection. Granted, there is a five-minute segment between Nora and Arthur at a “writer’s retreat” where the script takes a dip in quality, but excluding that one scene, the rest of the film is incredibly well written.

Celine Song’s directorial debut Past Lives is an incredible cinematic experience that has me excited for what she makes next.