We discuss 10 movies like Past Lives you must watch. Add these well-recommended and highly-rated films to your watch list.
Past Lives is the 2023 romance-drama film starring Great Lee, Teo Yoo, and John Magao. The story follows Nora and Hae Sung, who were once emotionally connected childhood friends until Nora’s family emigrated from South Korea to the USA.
Decades pass, and they reunite for one week, confronting their destiny and the choices that they have made in their life. Nora is married, and this affects her relationship.
It’s a dramatic, emotional, and thought-provoking film with themes of love, loss, and what could have been. The film has two main topics: not being able to forget your first love, and intercultural relationships, both of which are handled and expressed effectively. If you enjoyed watching this, here is a list of ten other films we think you might like.
10 Movies like Past Lives
Sliding Doors (1998)
This film follows the theme of what could have been and the different paths life can take when different decisions are made. The story follows Helen (Gwyneth Paltrow), a London ad executive, who is fired from her job and rushes out to catch a train; here, two scenarios take place. It’s a thought-provoking and emotional film that will make you rethink your choices.
The Last Letter from Your Lover (2021)
This film is based on Jojo Moyes’ novel and follows Ellie, a journalist in modern London, and Jennifer, a socialite in the 60s, who stumble upon the same mysterious letter exchanged between two lovers, “J” and “Boot.” Both women pursue the letter to uncover a secret affair that changes their lives.
Remember Me (2010)
This romantic drama sees Tyler meeting a girl called Ally under strange circumstances. Ally eases his trauma, and they fall in love. Tyler then learns her secret, which creates a divide in their relationship. Similar to Past Lives, this film has themes surrounding troubles in relationships, secrets, and consequences from choices.
Lost in Translation (2003)
Sophia Coppola-directed Lost in Translation is set in early-2000 Tokyo and takes place in an airport. The story follows the unlikely friendship between travelers Bob (Bill Murray) and Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson). The two meet randomly and unexpectedly begin to share stories and bond.
In the Mood for Love (2000)
This film follows two neighbors, Chow Mo-Wan (Tony Leung Chiu-wai) and Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung), who form a Platonic bond after both suspect their marital lovers are having affairs. What makes this film special, and what Past Lives also achieves, is creating a relationship through emotion and energy rather than the physical.
Brooklyn (2015)
Brooklyn is the emotionally driven story about an Irish immigrant named Ellis, who moves her life to NYC. Here, she falls into a romantic relationship with NY local Tony. Similar to Past Lives, our female protagonist struggles with identity; finding her place in her new city while missing her home and native roots.
Hello, Love, Goodbye (2019)
One of the topics covered in Past Lives is the complexities of relationships spanning multiple cultures and countries. Hello, Love, Goodbye also delves into this, and we follow two Filipino lovers, Joy (Kathryn Bernardo) and Ethan (Alden Richards), who meet while working abroad in Hong Kong.
Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy (2021)
Japanese writer-director Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy is a beautifully written anthology that depicts three separate women dealing with the problems of modern relationships in different situations.
Similar to Past Lives, one of these relationships is two old friends meeting again after twenty years, changing their current thoughts and feelings about their life and choices.
Before Midnight (2013)
This film takes a look into the difficult changes a relationship faces once the initial romantic spark is gone. Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) face married life in their forties, now more skeptical of their lives together than ever.
Similar to Past Lives, there are themes of questioning life decisions and what could have been.
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
Finishing this list with one of the best romantic-comedy films to ever be made. This Rob Reiner’s classic tells the story of Harry and Sally, who briefly become “friends” after sharing a road trip for university.
Five years later, they decide to give their friendship another try. Harry firmly believes men and women cannot be friends as sex and feelings always get in the way, while Sally believes they can be friends with no romantic strings.
Eventually, feelings bloom, causing conflict between the two.
Do you have any other recommendations for movies like Past Lives? Let us know in the comments.
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