Best known as an Oscar contender, Celine Song’s indie-biographical drama lives up to the hype. The story of a South Korean-born woman who can’t shake off her first love is original, sarcastic and achingly loving.
Academy voters will almost certainly nominate this story from What Happens to Us Young/Nora (Greta Lee) for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Actress. But the Schmoscars Oscars! That’s not why you’re seeing it.
At the age of 12, aspiring playwright Na Young left Canada awash. He told his close friend and admirer Hye Sung that the move was necessary because “Koreans don’t win the Nobel Prize in Literature.” Twelve years later, Nora, as she is now called, is just as ambitious. Although now he wants to get a Pulitzer.
By chance he discovers that Hae-sung (Teo-yoo) really wants to communicate with him. They start having cozy and confusing Skype calls and plan to visit each other (still in Seoul), but Nora backs down. Soon she meets and marries Arthur (John Magaro), a New Yorker. Twelve years later, Hae-sung says he’s coming to New York. an optimistic romantic who believes his past and future lives are intertwined; they should be together What if he’s right?
Millions of films paint images of the agony of perfect, unsustainable attachments (my favorites: Brief Encounter, Annie Hall, Brooklyn). Past Lives shares the lo-fi intensity of these classics. What is different in Song’s scenario is Nora’s feelings for Hae-sung. She likes him. Sometimes you imagine it. But as far as we know, her heart isn’t in pain (nor is she quite hot and heavy for Arthur). Some viewers will find Nora cold. or a narcissist. But Song complicates these notions and allows us to appreciate the flawed, down-to-earth woman who just doesn’t fit the romantic mold.
Lee and Yoo are a perfect match (both have eyes that sparkle with humor). As for Arthur suffering from Magaro’s pain, Nora neglects him a lot, but not in the film itself. We’re always encouraged to empathize with him.
The story goes on
Past Lives shows how useful it is to extract one’s history. Like Charlotte Wells in “Aftersun,” Song finds the political in the personal and avoids appearing indulgent or specialist. The ending is very shocking (this is a movie about crying babies) because its themes are universal. If you ever feel like you are not in tune with your loved ones, you will. receives He she.
Billie Eilish once sang “I Love My Future”. They think the song is equally in love. She raves about what this extraordinary newcomer has accomplished and plans her next step.
