Celine Song’s direction brings us this remarkable film, rich with emotion and exploring the idea of cherishing memories even when they are brief. Ha Young is a young girl growing up in Korea who develops feelings for a classmate named Hae Sung. Eventually, her family moves to Canada, which causes great sadness for Hae, as he will miss his friend. Twelve years later, Ha is living in New York City and now goes by Nora. On a whim, she searches for him online and reaches out. She discovers that he has also been trying to find her. They reconnect through online conversations, but Nora becomes concerned that it’s distracting her from other commitments and they stop communicating. Another twelve years pass, and Nora is married to Arthur, who works as a writer. Hae unexpectedly contacts her again, informing her that he will be visiting New York and wants to meet up with her. The scenes depicting his arrival are particularly beautiful. The conversations and subtle implications are portrayed perfectly. There’s so much they want to express to each other, but just as much remains unsaid, creating a palpable tension. The film concludes with moments that are heartbreaking, though perhaps not in the way one anticipates. It leaves behind a lingering sense of sadness and emotion that is difficult to define. "Past Lives" stands out as one of the best films of the year and I believe it’s definitely worth seeing.

Source on TMDB