Past Lives (2023)
Loving you in a past life.
Presentation:
I wasn't a big fan that this was shot on film with Kodak 2383 as the main leads are Asian and 2383 doesn't complement yellower skin tones in my opinion. The film utilizes long focal lengths to maximize intimacy and you really are immersed in dialogue. The beginning has some clever framing and symbolic shots, but the remainder of the film was not particularly exceptional. Pacing is not slow nor good and the actors are not particularly engaging especially the woman. Greta Lee is so incredibly dull, I can’t imagine how anyone finds her charismatic or how she could be a memorable actress. It’s like they picked a regular bilingual girl off the street and asked her to talk normally. But I suppose that’s enough charm for a lot of filmgoers. If anyone disagrees I welcome them to watch her performance in Tron: Ares.
Story:
This is a film that is critically acclaimed, so why did I not feel anything? For me, I didn't really connect with the characters. Part of this reason is that the female lead is not particularly charasmatic or likable. She played hard to get when she was younger and never really showed any meaningful interest or commitment, so I was never convinced of this star crossed lover. The destiny aspect is quite romantic, but for me the film was dead on takeoff. The final scene was quite captivating with one of the longest tense cuts in memory. In that moment, you really have no clue what will happen.
Conclusion:
This film was meant for romantics, but I couldn't invest in the characters. They attempt to make a romance transcending destiny, but it’s built on unstable roots so I didn’t connect with the story for one second. Maybe the performances will blow you away but it was far too mawkish and self-absorbed for me to appreciate. I was shocked to see how well received this film is so maybe I am to blame, though I don’t think I am dead inside? I even think Like Crazy is a better version of this film.
Recommendations
Let Park Chan Wook cook!