The best romantic film of the 2020s is now streaming on HBO Max

It’s a bit disconcerting for the film industry that there isn’t as much theatrical viability for romantic films that don’t have a genre component. Although there might be a touch of romance in an action show like The fall guy or a horror thriller like Sinnersaudiences don’t seem as interested in simple love stories that reflect reality. Past lives it was like a breath of fresh air because it adopted a classic “walk and talk” style of romance similar to favorites like Roman holidays Or Brief meeting. However, there was nothing regressive about what Celine Song had a great debut because it asked deep existential questions while highlighting the specificity of the immigrant experience.

Song may have been new to behind the camera, but she already had a wealth of experience in crafting compelling characters and writing lovely dialogue. It’s no surprise that Song has already written many stage shows, such as Past lives has a degree of intimacy and authenticity usually only seen in live theater. While it’s one thing to incorporate beautiful monologues that give the actors a chance to show off their abilities, Song also managed to craft a visually dynamic film that takes advantage of themes of perspective and consciousness. Although it was overshadowed at the box office by Anyone but you And It ends with us, Past lives is the best romantic drama of the young decade so far.

“Past Lives” is a unique take on the love triangle premise

Past lives addresses the notion of a “love triangle” in a realistic way that doesn’t seem cheesy or manipulative. Like many people have childhood crushes, the initial romance between Korean classmates Nora Moon (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) seems entirely realistic, especially thanks to the strong young actors that Song chose to embody the juvenile version of the central characters. Past lives addresses the complex issue of reconnecting with a former lover in the midst of a new relationshipas Nora moved to the United States and married Arthur Zaturansky (John’s machine). Meeting Hae Sung again is complicated because there was no animosity within their initial breakup, since the only reason they lost contact with each other is the difficulty of maintaining a long-distance relationship. Hae Sung’s arrival in New York forces Nora to wonder if she should have waited for him.

Past lives is clever in dispelling any expectations the audience may have had about how its story might play out, as the opening scene even includes a moment in which Nora, Arthur, and Hae Sung are observed from a distance by strangers who make assumptions about them. Past lives found a creative way to explore the evolution of a relationship without being weighed down by exposition, as it beautifully tracks how Hae Sung and Nora drifted in and out of each other’s lives. The barriers they faced do not seem artificially inserted in order to escalate the drama; Hae Sung had to enlist in military service and Nora focused more on her work, which ultimately introduced her to Arthur. It also makes sense that the characters would take the opportunity to reconnect, even if they didn’t expect their emotions to be reignited in such a powerful way.

“Past lives” are inspired by cultural history

Remarkably, Past lives does not establish an obvious conclusion or present any of its male protagonists in a negative light. It never feels like Hae Sung reconnected with Nora to disrupt his marriageand Arthur never feels like a dull option that she “settled” for after losing the love of her life. The strength of both actors makes Nora’s choice more difficult, as the audience experiences the same fluctuation of opinions as her. Even though Hae Sung is incredibly charming and the moments he shares with Nora crackle under the tension between Lee and Yoo, Magaro delivers an astonishing monologue in which he discusses prioritizing his wife’s happiness above anything else. Even though Arthur recognizes that he doesn’t want to be “the other guy,” Hae Sung also begins to realize that Nora is not the same person he fell in love with. It’s no coincidence that she changed her name from Na Young after moving to Canada; For better or worse, Nora accepted the culture of her new country and changed some of the beliefs she had in South Korea.

Song had the patience to let the conversations between the characters play out to their natural conclusions, as the film is able to work remarkably well when focused almost entirely on its three stars. Even though there are some pretty profound moments that almost feel like repeated proclamations of love, Past lives isn’t afraid to see how funny, awkward and sometimes scary it can be to think about the past and reflect on childhood aspirations. If anything, Song was subjected to greater scrutiny for her follow-up film. Materialistswhich garnered backlash due to the undeniable privilege of its main characters. The magic of Past lives is that, while it certainly draws on Song’s own experiences as a Korean American, the film touches on universal themes of regret and reflection that audiences of all backgrounds can relate to.

Past lives is available to stream on HBO Max in the United States