PAST LIVES
Starring: Greta Lee, Teo Yoo and John Magaro
Director: Celine Song
ADRIANO
Past Lives made my jaw drop. This is a story about how we approach fate and the way human beings seek connection to one another, and it’s told through a very unique love triangle, with Teo Yoo and Greta Lee giving compelling performances. But it’s writer/director Celine Song that’s the real star, as she knocks it completely out of the park. She directs every scene with a deft hand and writes every scene with poignancy, comedy, and in the end, bittersweet heartbreak. I don’t say this often, but this was a perfect film.
JACOB
Truth be told, it’s difficult to define in precise terms what I feel about Celine Song’s Past Lives in the immediacy of its conclusion, but one thing about my feeling is certain: it is profound and inescapable. The pitch-perfect screenplay from debut writer/director Song is a ballet of longing – for a life one once knew, for the life one could have – and a delicate reckoning with what is. Greta Lee owns every minute of screentime she has, inviting your attention without demanding it, while Teo Yoo and John Magaro shine in their supporting parts. This one is a real knockout.
PAIGE
A24 may have another Best Picture winner on their hands with writer/director Celine Song’s phenomenal debut, Past Lives, a deeply impactful film that knows how to pull at your heart strings. The screenplay will give you a lot to ponder over, but it's the soulful and layered performances that will stick with you, especially Greta Lee as Nora. Furthermore, the film is a very subtle but thoughtful piece about the influence of soulmates and the "what ifs?" of life, something we can all relate to.
This film was reviewed by Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.