Movie · Drama, Romance · 2023 · PG-13

Past Lives: parents' guide

Name: Past Lives
Released: 2023

13+our pick

Best for ages 13 and up. Rated PG-13 for some strong language.

A gentle, grown-up romance for thoughtful teens who don't mind a quiet, talky film. Two childhood friends from Seoul reconnect online years after one emigrates, then meet again in New York, where she lives with her American husband. Nothing here is graphic: no violence, only kissing, and a husband seen in his boxers. The PG-13 comes from two f-words and two s-words in the subtitles, and there is some drinking, smoking and one drunken night out. The longing between the leads and the f-words make it a better fit for about 13 and up.

What's in it

Violence

None

None. The only weapons are rifles carried during a man's mandatory military training.

Language

Moderate

Plugged In counted two f-words and two s-words, mostly spoken in Korean and shown in subtitles, plus single uses of 'bitch,' 'bastard,' 'hell' and 'piss.' The husband's novel is titled 'Boner.'

Sex and nudity

Mild

Kissing, a married couple in bed with the husband in boxers, a passing reference to sex and a joke about a past-life affair. The emotional pull between old friends strains a marriage, but there are no sex scenes or nudity.

Drinking, drugs and smoking

Moderate

Adults drink and many smoke cigarettes. A young man and his friends get noticeably drunk consoling a friend after a breakup, and he is hungover the next morning. No drug use.

Scary or intense scenes

None

Nothing scary. The sadness comes from missed chances and growing apart, which is wistful rather than upsetting.

Worth talking about

Nora has to decide how much of her childhood self to carry into her new life. Ask your teen what moving, or simply growing up, has led them to leave behind.

Where to stream →

On our lists

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Checked October 13th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, Plugged In, movieguide.org. The age is our judgment, not an official rating, and every family draws its lines differently: read the notes, not just the number. Spotted something we missed? Tell us. How we rate.