NOT "My Dinner With Andre"

Rating: 6/10 (17 September 2005)

One of my all time favorite films "My Dinner With Andre" is also about a conversation between two people. I loved that film! I was fascinated and mesmerized by the stories Andre told and the pictures he painted with words. I was hoping "Before Sunrise" would be just as good, but I was disappointed.
Maybe I just didn't "get it." Maybe I was not in the proper frame of mind when I viewed it. Maybe my expectations were too high. Whatever the reason, I did not have the same experience many of the other reviewers had. While I did enjoy watching, there were times it became tedious, and it seemed like they were saying lines rather than having a real conversation. I wished it had been more. The film is mostly about their conversations on a variety of subjects, but I never really felt any one topic was explored in much depth. It was no "My Dinner with Andre." Maybe that was because the characters were too young to possess the experience and wisdom to explore more esoteric topics. But since they were both college students I think they could have had some deeper discussions.
The screenplay indicates that there is an attraction between the two. I guess there was, but I didn't feel there was any passion between them. At least I did not feel or see any sparks. I did feel they were enjoying each other's company, but I didn't feel any sexual tension.
It's definitely not a bad movie and I did enjoy watching, but for me it was not a masterpiece.