This Is The One 2023 Movie I Absolutely Loved. Heres Why You Should Watch It
There's a scene in Celine Soon's past life where Nora (Greta Lee from The Morning Show ) talks to her future husband Arthur (John Magaro) about the concept of yin. Nora explains that the word “inyon” means “prosperity or good fortune” and “specifically refers to relationships between people.” Inyoung is about people who come into your life. It could be something small, like two strangers meeting on the street. Inyoung can also be about the person you marry and how thousands of layers in thousands of lives have led you to this moment. In other words, you met this person in your past life.
If there is one person in this movie, Past Lives is my version of Yiyeon. Thanks to Song's beautiful direction and the poignant performances of its three lead actors , Past Lives feels like a film I would love at any age. This movie affected me on so many levels, both physically and emotionally. This is the kind of movie that will make you sit quietly for a few minutes after the screen goes dark because it forces you to re-evaluate your life and question your decisions. It all feels a little too heavy for an A24 romance drama, and at times it might feel like you're on the verge of an emotional meltdown, but Past Lives is one of the best dramas of 2023.
The star's first single
“Past Lives” revolves around two childhood soulmates, Nora and Hye Sun (Teo Yoo), who are now over 24 years old. The story is told in three chapters. The first chapter takes place in South Korea, when Nora and Hye-sung are 12-year-old classmates who have developed feelings for each other. Nora's family moved to Toronto and she ended their relationship. The events of the second chapter take place 12 years later, when Nora lives in New York and Hye Sung lives in South Korea. They reconnect via Facebook and spend time video chatting. Today, twelve years later, this is the location of the third act. Nora is married to Arthur and lives in New York. Newly single Hye-sung travels to New York to spend a few days with Nora and reflect on their relationship and what it could have been.
Given the way she stages each scene and frames each shot with such beauty and care, it's hard to believe that Past Lives is Son's directorial debut. As a New Yorker, Son considers the little things I take for granted — riding the ferry around the Statue of Liberty and walking the streets of the East Village — to be the most romantic things in the world. Song is a brilliant playwright, which explains the power of her dialogue and her ability to put action into words. Every aspiring screenwriter should watch the scene with the three main characters of the tape to understand how to write scripts about romance, love and masculinity.
One of my takeaways from Past Lives is that Son will be a leading voice in cinema for decades to come. I love watching a director make his directorial debut and immediately know he's going to become a star overnight. It's similar to what it felt like to watch Ryan Coogler's Fruitvale Station , Greta Gerwig's Lady Bird, and Cooper Reeve's Shit . I can't wait to see what Song does next.
A beautiful and heartbreaking final scene.
Warning: There will be spoilers below. Skip this section if you don't want to know what happens in the final scene .
Finishing work is hard, so it should be celebrated when it's done well. After her last meal, Nora Hye-sung drives around the block to wait for an Uber. They exchange a friendly look before the taxi arrives. Before leaving, Hye Sung asked Nora if this moment was a past life and if they would be more for each other in the next life. Nora says she doesn't know, and Hae-sung smiles and says, "I see you." Hye Sung leaves and Nora slowly returns to her apartment. At the front door, Nora cries and falls into Arthur's arms.
Past Lives is a farewell film, and the final act is the final farewell, Son said. Hae Sung will be able to say goodbye to his friend who unexpectedly left him 24 years ago and close this chapter of his life. Noura also had to say goodbye to the child, which made her cry. This scene was brilliantly directed by Sun. Nora walks from right to left to bid farewell to Hae-sung, who symbolizes the past. Nora then returns to her apartment from left to right, returning to the present and continuing her future with Arthur.
Platonic and romantic love
After watching Past Lives, the first thing that came to mind was Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation , a 2003 drama about Bob Harris (Bill Murray), an aging star undergoing a midlife crisis. While working in Japan, Bob meets Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), a recent college graduate struggling to find her way. The genius of Lost in Translation is how it balances platonic and romantic love. There are times when the platonic relationship between Bob and Charlotte can turn into a romantic relationship, especially when they sleep in the same bed. However, the film is more effective because they are not acting on their sexual desires. Although Bob and Charlotte kiss in the end, their embrace shows their love and appreciation for each other more effectively than any sex scene.
The same balance between friends and lovers is evident in Past Love . In most romance movies, Nora and Hye Sung have their final goodbyes while Arthur is left in the dust. However, this is not the story Song was trying to tell. Honestly, it would have ruined the movie. When choosing between Hae Song and Arthur, the decision was simple. Nora chooses who she loves in this reality and not in her past life. This is his book, like my book: Past Lives .
Past Lives can be rented or purchased from many digital retailers.
