Past Lives * * * *

Nora and Hae: Captive on a carousel.

This is a charming Korean/American film from a first time director (Celine Song).  She is also the writer.

It's more or less a love story, but the two main characters don't actually marry or even become lovers. 

We meet Nora and Hae Sung as children.  They are best friends.  They are only twelve, not ready for romance but enjoying each others company in a flirtatious way.  Then Nora's parents announce they are emigrating to Canada and Nora and Hae Sung have to say goodbye, presumably for ever.  

Twelve years pass and we learn that Nora is now an aspiring writer.  She has left Canada and moved to New York.  In Korea we see Hae Sung is still living at home, hanging out with his mates and then doing his National Service.  Then one day the two of them re-connect on line.  Surprisingly the warmth is still there and their calls to one another become intensive, skyping at all hours of the day and night.  Nora feels this is not going to work though.  She must concentrate on her writing.

At a young writers retreat she meets Arthur. Their relationship blossoms quickly and soon they are married.  Another twelve years pass. Nora and Arthur have no children but they have each other and their writing.  Out of the blue, Hae Sung contacts Nora again.  He says he is coming to New York for a visit.  Nora agrees to meet with him.

He is a somewhat melancholic character now.  He feels like an under-achiever, even though he has a good job. He still lives at home and cannot maintain a relationship. 

They don't fall in love, they don't even flirt; yet they still can warmly converse and share their deeper thoughts. They discuss the ancient Korean concept of in-yeon - the idea that you will constantly meet people from your past, one of whom will grow in significance until you realise it is the person you should marry.

Have they frustrated the inevitable? Would they be together if Nora had never emigrated?  

Past Lives is quite a talky film, but the conversations are light in tone and the characters are pleasant to spend time with.  

It's also a film full of subtleties, both spoken and visual.  The fairground, the sculptures in the park, the  ferry crossing, the walk along the banks of the Hudson River, where everyone seems to be lovers except them are stand out scenes.