BY JAZMIN BANAL
THE MOVIE, Past Lives, was recently shown in Philippine cinemas. The opening scene is captivating, the end heart-wrenching.
Na Young/Nora, Hae Sung, and Arthur form the cast of characters dealing with the consequences of choice and the impact of connections. Na Young and Hae Sung were childhood sweethearts in Seoul. Nora and Arthur got married in Brooklyn. There are no parallel universes where both versions exist. What is real is now.
But reaching the now takes 12 years into Skype and another 12 years standing before the Statue of Liberty. Na Young and Hae Sung part as 12 year olds. They seem mature in handling the separation. Perhaps, they do not want to appear vulnerable. Hae Sung and Nora meet again as 24 year olds. The chemistry is palpable, but so is the longing and frustration. It is time for an Arthur. New values are created and it is a good life. But the past is coming, and Nora, Hae Sung, and Arthur get to know one another and they must decide how to move forward.
The story feels real and that is why it is so endearing. Itâs also amazing that so much is said without saying too much. When Hae Sung is finally in New York, he waits for Nora in Madison Square Park. The next four minutes combine suspense, restraint, and richness. âWah.â âWah.â, they keep on saying to each other. Then thereâs Nora and Arthur in their bathroom and on their bed. Sometimes it feels as if Nora is trying too hard to comfort Arthur and Arthur is trying too hard to be self-deprecating. Itâs not easy hearing Arthur ask Nora, âAre you attracted to him?â But Arthur is not someone to be ignored. Heâs the one who has allowed everyone to live through the tensions and make peace with their decisions. And finally, the ending among the three characters comes to the screen. It is powerful and emotional, making it hard to breathe as the film comes to a close.
With so much chemistry happening, itâs not surprising to learn that the writer-director, Celine Song, asked Greta Lee (Nora) and Teo Yoo (Hae Sung) and Teo Yoo and John Magaro (Arthur) not to meet in person until the actual meeting of the characters in the movie. Another striking feature is that no song lyrics dominate a scene. The trailer though perfectly teases us with Cat Powerâs Stay.
I can see how all the elements of the film affirm Songâs desire to let it get into our skin. Past Lives examines the extraordinary connections that we have and the deliberate acceptance of how our lives turn out. Who we are today is different from who we were yesterday. Past Lives is sad but it is also beautiful. Now Iâm curious if, as Song puts it, I might feel differently about it, say, five years from now when Iâm no longer the same person who saw it for the first time./PN
