Personally, I’ve been very delighted lately by how many fantastic Asian-led projects have been coming out of A24. Now, we’ve got yet another to look forward to: Past Lives, slated to release sometime this year, and starring Greta Lee and Teo Yoo:
Nora and Hae Sung, two deeply connected childhood friends, are wrest apart after Nora’s family emigrates from South Korea. Two decades later, they are reunited in New York for one fateful week as they confront notions of destiny, love, and the choices that make a life, in this heartrending modern romance.
A24
Yes, this kind of story has been told many times, but I’m a firm believer that a good story structure is always elevated by adding new elements to it. And in this case, I’m always in favor of more stories about Asian Americans and immigrants—we want a well-rounded and interesting market, something for everyone, you know?
Plus, look, I am such a sucker for the lead, Greta Lee. I’ve followed her since I saw her star as “Homeless Heidi” in the delightful HBO show High Maintenance (RIP), and since then I’ve seen her in the likes of Girls and Russian Doll. Greta has a really distinct sense of humor and wit about her, although I’ll be honest, I’ve only ever seen her prominently shown as a comic relief character (and usually as the only Asian lead). I’m delighted to see her get her own starring role in something that seems so personal and aching. I’m ready to cry with you and your beautiful bob-cut, Greta!
What I’m especially curious about is how they go about the intersection of an Americanized life versus the life one leaves behind as an immigrant. I like that they don’t seem to be going the black-and-white route of vilifying her white husband; there’s this trope that “Asian women always go for white guys,” but obviously, in real life, things are more complicated than that. There are lots of factors that go into attraction, and many of those factors are simply dictated by circumstance. I get the feeling this film will explore these factors and questions with a lot of compassion and care, and I’m excited to see it.
And, of course … we love a long-lost love story, don’t we?
(Featured Image: A24)
