Past Lives

Using her playwright background, writer and director Celine Song, split the film into three acts, each set twelve years apart, and follows two young Korean childhood sweethearts, Nora Moon and Hae Sung. When Nora’s parents suddenly decide to emigrate to Canada, the youngsters are torn apart. Twelve years later, Nora, now married to Arthur, an American, is living in the US, while twelve years after this, Nora and Hae Sung agree to meet in New York for one fateful week. This beautiful film’s emotional climax is how these three sympathetic characters resolve their feeling for each other. The direction is wonderfully balanced between them, as the audience are skilfully invited to chose between the protagonists longings and desires. With stripped-back dialogue, so much is played out on the faces of the excellent actors, each articulating their own specific agony and need. This heart-rending romance confronts notions of destiny, love and the choices that make one’s life. This is an exceptional film worthy of the multiple accolades and awards poured over it.

A:   A very moving, ‘love story’ filled with longing and tension, beautifully filmed and acted and well worth a second viewing on the big screen. (A)  Excellent…and moving (A)   Great story, well told.(A)   Brilliant, beautiful (A)  Very special. Congratulations (A)

Top film. Thank you (A)      A powerful interpretation. (A)    So superbly acted, it didn’t seem like acting. Poignant & moving (A) Beautiful, thought provoking. A very interesting insight into Korean psyche! (A)    Beautiful. A lesson in how something can be the same and completely different at the same time!(A)  Slow paced, beautiful. Life is full of what ifs (A)        Quiet and warm without cliché! (A)    What a good script, excellently acted and very enjoyable.(A)    Very good film & an interesting insight into a culture that I’m not very familiar with (A)   Nothing wrong with being a cry baby (A)

B: Fascinating film – interesting angle on immigration. No going back. (B)  Enjoyed the dialogue (B)  Sad and curious.(B)   Full of emotional tension. Amazing final scene. What a nice husband. Did they meet again – No. (B)  A delight. Makes me think about what might have been in one’s life. (B)    Layers of time. Reminded me of Lost in Translation…. Slow & real.  (B)  Beautiful film – the importance of significant friendship from childhood.   (B)

 C:   Beautiful acting. Very emotional but slow to get going. (C) Nice story, portrayal to slow but beautifully done. (C)      Still waiting for something to happen (C)        

D: Terrific music but similar territory to Rose Tremain’s Absoloutely Forever (D)  Gentle, good music but slow? Good start to the season. (D)

E: Tedious (E)

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