If there was a phrase that could sum up the relationship between Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo), it would actually only be one word: “woah”. As Nora and Hae Sung encounter each other over the course of half a lifetime in Past Lives, this is the phrase they often find themselves repeatedly uttering each time they see each other. 

That overwhelming feeling they have each time they see each other makes sense. Most of us are familiar with the sweet and mildly euphoric sensation we get when we reconnect with people we haven’t seen in years or even decades, be it an old friend, a former colleague, or a high school sweetheart. In these moments, “woah” can perfectly encapsulate the myriad of thoughts and feelings we have rushing back to us about this person we had known but grew apart from. Without dramatic sensationalization, Past Lives explores the nature of this connection through the lived experience of these two characters, delivering a deeply affecting story that is sure to impose a lasting impression on audiences.

From childhood, Nora and Hae Sung were playmates and best friends in South Korea. But the blossoming relationship between these two grinds to a halt when Nora and her family move to the United States. Twelve years pass before the two encounter each other again online with the help of social media. They strike up a relationship again, taking delight in each other’s company and conversation as often as possible via frequent video calls.  But this reconnection is short lived as the distance between Seoul and New York poses too great of a separation between them at this stage of their lives.

Yet another twelve years pass before Nora and Hae Sung reconnect in another phase of life. This time, it’s in New York as Hae Sung travels following a breakup with his most recent relationship and where Nora has now been happily married to Arthur (John Magaro) for over seven years. In this series of connection and reconnection, the longing and heartache only grows bigger and stronger as the forces of In-Yun - the notion that people are destined to be drawn together throughout the course of many lifetimes - seems to whimsically determine the fate of their relationship.

In this strong feature debut, writer and director Celine Song delivers the most emotionally stirring film of this year’s Sundance selections. Coming from a background in playwriting, her talent in storytelling and character development is on full display here, as seemingly ordinary conversations between two characters elevates this film into an extraordinary theatrical experience. Being based on her own life experiences, Song imbues this film with a refreshing sense of authenticity, from the honest and open conversations characters have with each other in parsing out feelings for this complicated scenario to her way of writing this film in equal parts English and Korean to demonstrate how Nora is torn between two worlds.

In addition, Song crafts this narrative with a well sharpened sense of discretion in where she chooses to begin and end this story. She opens the film with a sense of mystery, leaving audiences to guess along with off screen voices who the three people sitting at a bar are and how they’re related with a very slow zoom in shot that literally draws audiences in. These questions are best answered when the film backtracks to the beginning of the story, then unfolds. And on the other side, it’s entirely imaginable how finding an appropriate ending could have been a precarious task. Wrap the story up too soon, and the themes of destiny would vanish. Yet, add another twelve year interval to the story, and the emotional devastation would likely dissipate.

With the story structure Past Lives has, it is in the final scene - composed of extended silence, subtle body language, and a few sentimental statements derived from nostalgia - that the emotional value of the film swells with extraordinary resonance. You don’t have to believe in In-Yun to appreciate Past Lives’ take on people and our connections to each other. Song captures the mystery and wonder of life and how the choices we make lead us to where we are now. As the credits roll, viewers may find themselves with only one word floating through their minds then gently escaping their lips: “woah”.

Acting/Casting - 2 | Visual Effects and Editing - 2 | Story and Message - 2 | Entertainment Value - 2 | Music Score and Soundtrack - 2 | Reviewer’s Preference - 2 | What does this mean?