Before Sunset

In 1995, Richard Linklater co-wrote and directed a most unique love story. Before Sunrise told of two young strangers randomly meeting on a Budapest-Vienna train and deciding to spend one together in Vienna, doing mostly nothing except exploring the city and talking to each-other. At the end of the film they promise to meet up again six months on, at the same train station in Vienna.

Before Sunset is set nine years later, in Paris. Jesse, played by Ethan Hawke, has published a book about the night the two spent together (though the story is officially fiction) and is on a book tour around Europe promoting it. On his last stop in Paris, Celine, played by Julie Delpy, finds him at a bookstore and they decide to spend some time together before Jesse has to catch his plane out of the city.

In the sequel, the two have already built up a relationship on that first night and, despite the small amount of time they've spent together, have a strong connection, so the film doesn't have to focuse on them getting to know each-other, instead making their second meeting less than two hours long, so the film is pretty much shot in real-time and they only have this small portion of the day to 'catch up' on each-other's lives. There's also less focus on romance and intimacy, becuase both characters are now involved with other people, so Before Sunset has to build up a romantic atmosphere without a single kiss between the two romantics.

Before Sunrise, though always focused on the two main characters, also had many beautiful shots of Vienna, and though there is less of this in the sequel, it's still a beautiful movie with lovely backdrops for the two stars as they walk through the city.



Jesse and Celine are now many years older, so are more experienced and sophisticated, and this comes through in the way they speak. (It's a good idea to rent the first movie a day or two before you go to Before Sunset, if you haven't already seen it.) Neither Hawke nor Delpy have to worry about 'acting' older, because they are older, and they are more experienced in life, which is why it was so wise of director Richard Linklater to wait eight or nine years until he shot the sequel - whether a sequel had always been his intention I'm not sure, but despite the time gap, Before Sunset actually feels more like a continuation of the two's journey than simply 'Before Sunsrise 2'.

Hawke is well suited to his role and plays it fantastically - you'll find yourself hanging on to his every word from the first scene to the final moments. Julie Delpy is just as good, and visually stunning, but neither really steal the show from the other - they simply play well together, never straying from their characters.

The ending is slightly abrupt but perfectly mirrors Jesse's reluctance to leave Celine, afraid he will lose her again and never find true happiness like that which he feels when he is in her company.

Overall, this is a wonderfully uplifting film, well shot, well written and well acted - I can't think of any criticisms I can possibly level at it. I simply loved it. ***** out of 5.