Love in its Simplest Form

Rating: Null/10 (25 September 2013)

Recommended by a good friend, Before Sunrise is probably one of the most memorable romantic movies I have seen. There is nothing like it and its simplicity is, I think, what compelled people to love it.
The movie, starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Deply, is about both young American Jesse and French Celine. They met in a train bound for Vienna and talked a little about each other. Each has no idea where their simple conversation would lead. Everything that happened on that day happened naturally, all unplanned. They spent the night in Vienna, walking around the city, visiting famous landmarks and talking, revealing details about themselves like they've been friends for quite some time.
It's a no brainer to figure out that there is going to be more of Jesse's introduction/pep talk to Celine on the train. And while waiting for something out of the ordinary in the plot, I find myself enjoying the mundane things the film is showing. As I've said, it's the simplicity of the movie that draws its audience to finishing it and listening intently to the lines of the characters.
Three things that I like about Before Sunrise are as follows:
1. Good script. Not great but good. But that is the beauty of it, there are no filled with ripe wisdom lines that characters are throwing but the good script makes audience know who is the cynic and who is the romantic at heart but is careful at loving. The script even makes it worth waiting how the film is going to end.
2. Good theme. This one is one of the things unmasked by number 1. Jesse and Celine have fallen into minor disagreements and I find myself comfortable with it. I don't even take sides, I just let it be. I enjoy the role of an observer. Point is, the characters are two young souls who are still in the process of knowing themselves and having been through experiences that may have torn them but they talk about it comfortably. Their self-discovery is a work in progress and their self- fulfillment could be a case-to-case basis but it's there.
3. Sense of Wonder. Unlike some friends who were left hanging with the story's ending, I was basking in the sense of wonder. I actually find this part realistic. After knowing that a romance is brewing and realizing that the film's about to end, I enjoyed wondering what it is going to be for Jesse and Celine.
Before Sunrise is no perfect movie but it will make you feel better about a lot of things: life, love, friends, family, and faith. If these things interest you, this one is for you.
Highly recommended!