No. 62 (2023) PAST LIVES August 12th.

 

Film No. 62  (2023)  August 12th.  11:00 AM  LUNA LEEDERVILLE,  Cine 1, Leederville.

 

"There is a word in Korean. In-Yun. It means providence or fate." (Nora explains to Arthur a saying Korean's use as a technique to seduce someone).

WINNER: (Celine Song) Best Indie Film. WINNER: (Greta Lee) Best Actress The Hollywood Assoc. Midseason Awards.

After my 100 minutes with PAST LIVES, I'm struck by a thought; is there a country producing films of such quality, per capita, as South Korea is currently doing? In PAST LIVES, Celine Song has created another gem to fall in line with recent S.K. contributions of the likes of, HUNT, THE BROKER and DECISION TO LEAVE.  

From the opening scene where the three key characters are introduced to us with such irreverence, we know there is going to be something special about what we learn via Nora (Greta Lee), Jung (Teo Yoo) and Arthur (John Magaro). This very clever prologue adds spice to this simple story. The scene give us a clue as to where we are headed, but we are left with no idea of the significance or the depth and breadth of emotion that will carry us there.

 
So, post prologue, Song presents a film in 3 Acts. Nora and Jung are teenage classmates in school in Seoul in the late 90's. It's a sweet relationship which ends suddenly. Nora's family decides to leave for Canada. They part with Jung seemingly sadder than Nora (her newly adopted western name). 12 years on Jung finds Nora via facebook. They connect again, digitally. It's here that as adults they need to resolve the emotional distance between them that has arisen since their sudden parting as teens. Song handles the next 50 minutes with perfect care and timing. I'll not reveal any more.  

Some films finish and you are left wondering why they pushed so many emotional buttons with such quiet precision. PAST LIVES left me in a quiet, melancholy state as the titles rolled. And it wasn't that I was wondering what might come of  Nora and Jung, it was more to do with thoughts relating to similar bonds struck through chapters in ones own life. Sliding door moments where  some of the Korean philosophies just seen on screen ring true! Really good films can do that, don't you think?   11GUMS.