Past Lives

A beautiful experience, that falls short of being complete

Turning our lens to Past Lives, a well-crafted film written and directed by Celine Song and produced by A24, there's no denying it's a quality production that offers an enjoyable experience. However, when it comes to delivering a fully realized narrative, the movie comes up a bit short. Here's why.

Writing a complete story

A complete story is one that establishes a context whereby all four perspectives we can evaluate conflict are present. These perspectives are represented by the Four Throughlines: the Objective Story (OS), Main Character (MC), Obstacle Character (OC), and Relationship Story (RS).

The Objective Story Throughline offers the objective third-person "THEY" point-of-view, typically referred to as the "plot". The Main Character Throughline offers the first-person subjective "I" point-of-view, representing the personal baggage of the Main Character. The Obstacle Character Throughline presents an alternate approach to conflict, challenging the Main Character's methodology. Lastly, the Relationship Story Throughline explores the emotional heart of the story, and is often the relationship between the Main Character and the Obstacle Character.

Past Lives is heavily focused on the Main Character Throughline, but unfortunately, that's about it. This is not uncommon for a Female Mental Sex story, which "Past Lives" definitely is, but it's also not an excuse for an anemic narrative.

Appreciating the Mental Sex of a narrative

In the context of narrative, Mental Sex refers to the psychological processes inherent within the flow of a story. Male Mental Sex stories are driven by spatial concerns, events, conflict, and obstacles to overcome, handled through cause and effect. Female Mental Sex stories, on the other hand, focus on temporal concerns, growth, relationships, and the passage of time.

In Past Lives, the narrative unfolds predominantly through a Female Mental Sex lens. This means there's a focus on growth and the passage of time, elements that resonate deeply from this perspective, much like "plot events" or "plot points" would in a story guided by Male Mental Sex.

Some might dismiss the film as self-indulgent, interpreting it as a tale of two men vying for a woman's attention. However, seen through the Female Mental Sex framework, these men aren't competitors; they're pathways, experiences that contribute to her development—and theirs. In this context, the relationships and connections serve as the backbone of the narrative, much like "plot points" do in a typical Male Mental Sex action/adventure flick.

To some in the audience, it appears as if "nothing happens" in the film. These judgments are a result of the Male Mental Sex mind unable to truly appreciate--on an instinctual level--the quality of the experience unfolding on the screen. To the Female Mental Sexed mind, Past Lives is chock full of "happenings"--they're just witnessed as moments of growth along shared experiences.

Providing something more than just experience

Writing a Female Mental Sex story is no excuse for not providing all the various Throughlines required to create a lasting and meaningful narrative that exists beyond the experience. Films like Leave No Trace, The Worst Person in the World, and Captain Fantastic are examples of Female Mental Sex films that manage to honor that viewpoint as well as provide all Four Throughlines needed to make sense of the experience.

To wrap it up, Past Lives undoubtedly shines as a visually stunning and emotionally engaging experience. However, if you're on the hunt for a story that offers more than just the experience, one that delivers a cohesive and impactful narrative, you might find the film falls a little short.