There’s a moment early in Past Lives where protagonist Nora (Greta Lee) is so excited about an impending Skype chat with childhood sweetheart Hae Sung (Tee Yoo) that we see her swing her left arm around and around up in the air.
It’s her dominant gesture as she walks back to her apartment, a process captured in a wide shot emphasizing the larger bustling metropolis, New York City, Nora calls home.
Even in this expansive shot, Nora’s swinging arm is emphasized.
It’s a tiny piece of body language, something that would be a throwaway beat in other movies if it even made the final cut.
Here in Past Lives, though, writer/director Celine Song embraces that instance of subtle physicality.
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