
Past Lives
dir. Celine Song
87
8 sourcesSynopsis
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.
Critics consensus
A remarkable debut for writer-director Celine Song, Past Lives uses the bonds between its sensitively sketched central characters to support trenchant observations on the human condition.
Audience consensus
Moving in its subtlety, Past Lives is a mature love story that feels powerfully real.
What resonated with audiences
'Past Lives' showcases Celine Song's masterful directorial debut with stunning cinematography and deeply thought-provoking themes about connection and fate. The performances are outstanding, conveying complex emotions through subtle gestures. While most found it profoundly moving and romantic, the film proves divisive: some struggled with its slow pacing and found characters underdeveloped. The deliberate, contemplative approach resonates powerfully with many but leaves others feeling disconnected and bored.

Directed byCeline Song
StarringGreta Lee, Teo Yoo, John Magaro, Moon Seung-ah, Leem Seung-min, Yoon Ji-hye
Written byCeline Song
CinematographyShabier Kirchner
EditingKeith Fraase
MusicChristopher Bear
Past Lives
2023 · PG-13 · 1h 46m
Drama, Romance
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.
