Celine Song’s directorial debut tells an incredible story about love, choice, and growth.
One of the most thought-provoking films of 2023 yet, A24’s “Past Lives” examines the lives of Nora and Hae Sung – childhood best friends who fell out of touch when Nora’s family immigrated to Canada. Years later, the two reconnect on social media and begins to rekindle their friendship and explore what might have been.
The film debuted at Sundance and received praise for the cast’s performance and its writing. At the time of this review, “Past Lives” has a 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes for critics and an 83% score from audiences.
The pacing of this movie is slow, and it forces the audience to hang in that moment with the characters as they explore their past and contemplate their choices. When Nora and Hae Sung finally meet back up in person, the tension fills the screen. While not a lot of words are spoken between the two, the awkward silence between the two speaks volumes.
It’s an emotional film that’ll leave you wondering what could have been had we made different choices in life, and if given the chance, what would we do in that moment?
Watch Wendy’s review here:
