A simply brilliant snapshot of life at that age at that time

Rating: 10/10 (26 March 2015)

It's rare that I give a film 10 out of 10. I am one to regularly give films harsh reviews (even supposedly good ones).
This was simply captivating cinema and I'm strangely annoyed that I hadn't seen it sooner.
It's not about the story. It's about the people in it. The acting is brilliantly natural and I couldn't help by look back at my times of my early 20s, where your eyes are opening to the realities of life and the world, holding onto optimism, coming to grips with the concept of love, dealing with disappointment and resentment, social awkwardness; and contemplating ones own mortality.
These things form the basis of many conversations throughout the film as two travelers almost "suspend reality" while they fall in love over night, then grapple with it all ending at sunrise. There is this magnificent line when Ethan Hawke said "we're back in real time" which evokes strong memories of magical European nights that you never wanted to end and time feels like it stops.
It moved me deeply, but not in a depressing way. It simply stirred a lot of reflection on the past and the way we all were once upon a time. For those who have traveled to Europe and had many random nights, this provides so many snapshots that you will be able to related to.
Best of all, it didn't fall into mushiness and become a sloppy Hollywood love film with a happy ending. It was a deep, but totally realistic, well made film, with great scenic contrast and mesmerizing direction. I can't recommend this enough and look forward to the sequels.