Have you watched the achingly beautiful film Past Lives and find yourself craving more poignant tales of love, longing, and the twists of fate? Look no further! We’ve curated a list of the 15 best movies that capture the same wistful, melancholic magic of Celine Song’s masterpiece. These films explore the complexities of relationships across time, distance, and cultural divides, leaving you with a bittersweet ache in your heart.
So grab some tissues, curl up on the couch, and dive into these unforgettable stories that will make you ponder the “what ifs” and “could have beens” of life and love.
1. Sliding Doors (1998)
Sliding Doors is a classic ’90s romantic comedy-drama that plays with the idea of parallel universes and the impact of seemingly small decisions. Gwyneth Paltrow stars as Helen, a London ad executive who experiences two drastically different outcomes in her life based on whether or not she catches a particular train.
In one timeline, Helen makes the train, arrives home early, and discovers her boyfriend’s infidelity, leading her to dump him and embark on a journey of self-discovery and new love. In the other, she misses the train, remains oblivious to the cheating, and continues her unsatisfying relationship.
Sliding Doors is a thought-provoking exploration of the role chance plays in shaping our lives and the paths not taken. Like Past Lives, it leaves you wondering about the alternate versions of your own story that could have unfolded with just one fateful choice.
2. Lost in Translation (2003)
Sofia Coppola’s dreamy, atmospheric Lost in Translation follows the unlikely connection between two lost souls adrift in Tokyo. Bill Murray plays Bob Harris, a washed-up movie star in Japan to film a whiskey commercial, while Scarlett Johansson is Charlotte, a lonely young woman tagging along on her photographer husband’s business trip.
Both feeling isolated and disconnected from their lives, Bob and Charlotte find solace in each other’s company, forging a deep bond as they navigate the neon-lit streets and surreal landscapes of the city. Their relationship, while never quite crossing into romance, is a poignant portrait of two people finding understanding and companionship in a foreign land.
Like Past Lives, Lost in Translation captures the bittersweet ache of a fleeting but profound connection, one that lingers long after the credits roll. It’s a love story in the broadest sense, a testament to the power of human intimacy and the beauty of shared moments, however brief.
3. Before Sunset (2004)
Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy is a must-watch for any fan of Past Lives, and Before Sunset is perhaps the most resonant installment. Set nine years after the events of Before Sunrise, the film reunites Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) in Paris, where they spend a single afternoon walking, talking, and reckoning with the lingering what-ifs of their initial encounter.
Now in their thirties, with careers and relationships of their own, Jesse and Celine grapple with the weight of their choices and the roads not taken. Their conversation is at once flirtatious and melancholic, laced with regret and longing for the connection they once shared and the lives they might have lived.
Before Sunset is a master class in dialogue and chemistry, anchored by Hawke and Delpy’s utterly natural performances. Like Past Lives, it’s a meditation on the enduring pull of a soulmate and the bittersweet knowledge that timing is everything in love.
4. In the Mood for Love (2000)
Wong Kar-wai’s lush, evocative In the Mood for Love is a mesmerizing portrait of repressed desire and missed connections. Set in 1960s Hong Kong, the film follows two neighbors, Chow Mo-wan (Tony Leung) and Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung), who discover their respective spouses are having an affair with each other.
Drawn together by their shared heartache and loneliness, Chow and Su begin a tentative friendship that teeters on the edge of romance. They take long walks, share meals, and even collaborate on a martial arts serial, all while maintaining a careful distance, bound by their own moral codes and societal expectations.
In the Mood for Love is a masterpiece of restrained emotion, conveying volumes through lingering glances, pregnant pauses, and the aching strains of Nat King Cole. Like Past Lives, it’s a story of love that remains forever out of reach, a connection that can never quite be consummated but leaves an indelible mark nonetheless.
5. Call Me By Your Name (2017)
Luca Guadagnino’s sun-drenched, sensual Call Me By Your Name is a coming-of-age tale that captures the heady rush and heartache of first love. Set in the idyllic Italian countryside in the 1980s, the film follows the blossoming romance between 17-year-old Elio (Timothée Chalamet) and Oliver (Armie Hammer), a handsome American graduate student staying with Elio’s family for the summer.
Over the course of six languid weeks, Elio and Oliver engage in a dance of attraction and hesitation, their desire simmering beneath the surface until it finally boils over. Their relationship is tender, passionate, and ultimately fleeting, a summer fling that leaves an indelible imprint on Elio’s heart.
Like Past Lives, Call Me By Your Name is a story of love that is intense but impermanent, shaped by the bittersweet knowledge that it cannot last. It’s a testament to the transformative power of connection, however brief, and the way certain people can shape us even as they slip through our fingers.
6. Marriage Story (2019)
Noah Baumbach’s searing, semi-autobiographical Marriage Story chronicles the unraveling of a once-happy couple as they navigate the painful process of divorce. Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson give career-best performances as Charlie and Nicole, a theater director and actress whose relationship buckles under the weight of unspoken resentments and diverging dreams.
As they lawyer up and battle over custody of their young son, Charlie and Nicole are forced to confront the ways they’ve failed each other and themselves. Their interactions range from tender to toxic, capturing the full spectrum of emotions that come with the end of a marriage.
Like Past Lives, Marriage Story is a raw, unflinching look at the complexities of love and the ways people can grow apart despite their best intentions. It’s a reminder that even the most passionate romances can fizzle and fade, and that sometimes the bravest thing we can do is let go.
7. Blue Valentine (2010)
Derek Cianfrance’s Blue Valentine is a searing portrait of a relationship in freefall, told through a fractured timeline that juxtaposes the giddy highs of falling in love with the crushing lows of growing apart. Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams deliver gut-wrenching performances as Dean and Cindy, a working-class couple whose once-passionate romance has curdled into resentment and recrimination.
As the film toggles between the past and present, we see the cracks that were always present in Dean and Cindy’s relationship, the ways their youthful idealism and naivety blinded them to the harsh realities of making a life together. Their attempts to rekindle their spark only serve to highlight how far they’ve drifted, each tender moment undercut by the knowledge of what’s to come.
Like Past Lives, Blue Valentine is a raw, unflinching look at the ways love can wither on the vine, and how even the most promising beginnings can lead to heartbreak. It’s a reminder that relationships take work, and that sometimes, despite our best efforts, they simply run their course.
8. The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby (2014)
Ned Benson’s ambitious The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby is actually three films in one, each telling the story of a couple’s unraveling from a different perspective. The Him and Her versions focus on the husband and wife’s individual experiences, while Them weaves their narratives together into a single, devastating whole.
Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy star as Eleanor and Conor, a once-happy couple struggling to reconnect after a tragic loss. As they drift apart, each grappling with their grief in different ways, the film explores the ways trauma can erode even the strongest bonds, and how sometimes, love simply isn’t enough.
Like Past Lives, The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby is a meditation on the fragility of human connection and the ways we can become strangers to the people we once knew best. It’s a reminder that love is not a fairy tale, but a living, breathing thing that requires constant tending and care.
9. Like Crazy (2011)
Drake Doremus’ Like Crazy is a tender, intimate portrait of a long-distance love affair, chronicling the ups and downs of a relationship stretched across continents and years. Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones star as Jacob and Anna, college sweethearts who are separated when Anna’s visa expires and she’s forced to return to England.
As they navigate the challenges of maintaining a connection across time zones and oceans, Jacob and Anna’s relationship is tested by distance, temptation, and the simple passage of time. Their love is passionate but imperfect, a constant negotiation between their individual dreams and their desire to be together.
Like Past Lives, Like Crazy is a bittersweet exploration of the ways geography and circumstance can conspire to keep even the most compatible people apart. It’s a reminder that love is not always enough to overcome the obstacles life throws our way, and that sometimes, the greatest act of love is letting go.
10. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Michel Gondry’s mind-bending Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a trippy, heartbreaking exploration of love, memory, and the ways we try to erase the pain of the past. Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet star as Joel and Clementine, a once-happy couple who have each undergone a procedure to erase the other from their memories after a bitter breakup.
As Joel’s memories of Clementine begin to disappear one by one, he realizes he doesn’t want to let go of their relationship after all. What follows is a surreal journey through the landscape of his mind, as he tries to hold onto the fragments of their love even as they slip away.
Like Past Lives, Eternal Sunshine is a meditation on the enduring power of human connection, and the ways certain people leave an indelible mark on our lives, even if the relationships themselves don’t last. It’s a reminder that love is messy, complicated, and often painful, but ultimately worth the risk.
11. The Notebook (2004)
Nick Cassavetes’ sweeping romance The Notebook has become a modern classic, a tearjerker that spans decades and defies the odds. Based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks, the film tells the story of Noah and Allie (Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams), two young lovers from different worlds who are separated by class, circumstance, and eventually, Allie’s advancing dementia.
As an elderly Noah reads from his notebook to a frail, forgetful Allie, we see their love story unfold in flashbacks, from their passionate summer romance to the years of longing and missed connections that followed. Through war, marriage to other people, and the ravages of time, Noah and Allie’s love remains a constant, a testament to the enduring power of the heart.
Like Past Lives, The Notebook is a reminder that true love can survive even the greatest obstacles, and that the people we are meant to be with have a way of finding us, no matter how long it takes. It’s a story of second chances, unbreakable bonds, and the bittersweet beauty of a love that lasts a lifetime.
12. One Day (2011)
Lone Scherfig’s One Day is a poignant, decades-spanning love story that checks in on its central couple, Emma and Dexter (Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess), on the same day each year. We first meet them on the night of their college graduation, where a brief dalliance turns into a lifelong connection.
As the years pass and Emma and Dexter’s lives take them in different directions, they remain tethered to each other, their bond weathering failed relationships, career ups and downs, and the simple passage of time. Their story is one of missed opportunities and bad timing, of the way life can get in the way of even the most meant-to-be romances.
Like Past Lives, One Day is a reminder that love is not always a straight line, and that the people we are meant to be with may come in and out of our lives in unexpected ways. It’s a story of growth, change, and the enduring power of a connection that can survive even the most tumultuous of journeys.
13. The Age of Adaline (2015)
Lee Toland Krieger’s The Age of Adaline is a sweeping, romantic fantasy that spans nearly a century, following the life of a woman who stops aging after a freak accident. Blake Lively stars as Adaline Bowman, a 29-year-old who remains eternally young as the world changes around her.
Afraid to form lasting connections for fear of revealing her secret, Adaline lives a solitary life, moving and changing identities every decade to avoid detection. But when a chance encounter with a charming philanthropist (Michiel Huisman) makes her question her choices, Adaline must decide whether to open her heart to love or continue her lonely existence.
Like Past Lives, The Age of Adaline is a meditation on the passage of time and the way certain connections can echo across the decades. It’s a story of love, loss, and the bittersweet beauty of a life lived on one’s own terms, even if it means sacrificing the chance at true happiness.
14. The Time Traveler’s Wife (2009)
Robert Schwentke’s The Time Traveler’s Wife, based on the beloved novel by Audrey Niffenegger, is a romantic drama with a sci-fi twist, following the complicated love story of a man with a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel unpredictably. Eric Bana stars as Henry DeTamble, a librarian who falls in love with Clare Abshire (Rachel McAdams), an artist who has known him all her life.
As Henry and Clare navigate the challenges of a relationship in which one partner is constantly disappearing and reappearing at different ages, they must grapple with questions of fate, free will, and the sacrifices we make for the people we love. Their story is one of devotion in the face of impossible odds, of the way love can transcend even the boundaries of time itself.
Like Past Lives, The Time Traveler’s Wife is a reminder that the course of true love never did run smooth, and that the greatest romances are often the ones that require the most faith, patience, and understanding. It’s a story of the enduring power of human connection, and the way certain bonds can survive even the most unconventional of circumstances.
15. The Fault in Our Stars (2014)
Josh Boone’s The Fault in Our Stars, based on the bestselling novel by John Green, is a tender, heartbreaking love story that unfolds in the shadow of illness and mortality. Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort star as Hazel and Gus, two teenagers who meet and fall in love at a cancer support group.
As they navigate the challenges of their health struggles and the uncertainty of their futures, Hazel and Gus find solace and joy in each other’s company, their connection a bright spot in the darkness of their circumstances. Their story is one of love in the face of adversity, of the way human connection can give us strength and hope even in the most difficult of times.
Like Past Lives, The Fault in Our Stars is a reminder that love is not always easy or straightforward, and that the greatest romances are often the ones that bloom in the most unlikely of places. It’s a story of the transformative power of human connection, and the way certain people can change our lives even if they’re only in them for a short while.
These 15 films, like Past Lives, are a testament to the enduring power of love in all its forms, from the passionate and all-consuming to the quiet and steadfast. They remind us that the greatest romances are often the ones that require the most patience, understanding, and faith, and that even the most fleeting of connections can leave an indelible mark on our hearts.
Whether you’re in the mood for a sweeping historical romance, a mind-bending sci-fi love story, or a quiet, intimate drama, these films offer something for everyone. They’ll make you laugh, cry, and ponder the big questions of life and love, all while reminding you of the enduring magic of human connection.
So grab some popcorn, settle in, and get ready to have your heartstrings tugged by these unforgettable tales of love, loss, and everything in between. Whether you’re a hopeless romantic or a jaded cynic, these movies are sure to leave you feeling a little more connected to the world and the people in it.
