← Back to results
Past Lives
2023 106 min United States of America, South Korea PG-13 16+
★8.4
Drama, Romance
Director: Celine Song
Trailers
Description
After decades apart, childhood friends Nora and Hae Sung are reunited in New York for one fateful weekend as they confront notions of destiny, love, and the choices that make a life.
Budget:
$12M
US Gross:
$11.33M
Worldwide:
$28.13M
Starring
Greta Lee
Actor
Teo Yoo
Actor
John Magaro
Actor
Awards
Academy Awards 2024
— Best Picture
Academy Awards 2024
— Best Screenplay
Golden Globe 2024
— Best Picture (Drama)
Golden Globe 2024
— Best Actress (Drama)
Golden Globe 2024
— Best Screenplay
Berlin International Film Festival 2023
— Golden Bear
BAFTA 2024
— Best Original Screenplay
BAFTA 2024
— Best Actor
Golden Globe 2024
— Best Director
Golden Globe 2024
— Best International Feature Film
BAFTA 2024
— Best International Feature Film
Key opinion
Past Lives is a meditative and emotionally resonant drama that explores themes of identity, immigration, and the nature of "what-if" relationships. While many critics laud its nuanced, understated storytelling and evocative atmosphere, a minority of viewers find the narrative pacing too slow and the script lacking in traditional dramatic development.
| Emotion | The film masterfully conveys complex emotional states through subtle gestures, glances, and long, meditative pauses rather than heavy dialogue. | |
| Direction | Celine Song’s directorial debut is widely praised for its ability to transform a simple narrative into a profound, poetic exploration of fate and self-definition. | |
| Cinematography | The cinematography effectively utilizes a calm, immersive visual style that emphasizes the reflective mood of the characters' journeys. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is viewed by some as a delicate, thoughtful exploration of the immigrant experience and unresolved paths, while others perceive it as repetitive and lacking substantial plot progression. | |
| Pacing | The film's slow, contemplative tempo is hailed by many as a necessary component of its atmospheric depth, but is criticized by others as being dull or uneventful. | |
| Acting | Opinions on the performances are divided: while several reviewers find the lead acting to be strong and nuanced, others argue the performances are unconvincing or unremarkable. |