We are all stardust

Rating: 10/10 (27 July 2005)

Everyone I've asked has maintained the sequel to Before Sunrise is superior. I disagree. Perhaps they related to Jesse and Celine later in their lives, or maybe they just prefer Paris to Vienna. In baseball, however, when the ball and the runner reach the base at the same time, the tie goes to the runner. In the case of originals and sequels, ceteras para bus, the tie should go to the original: without it, there would be no sequel. The characters, the tone and the structure were developed in Sunrise first. I suppose this is the place where I would review the film, but it seems unfair to divulge any of the lovely secrets embedded in almost each scene, lest the reader hasn't seen the film. You really ought to discover these things on your own. But for what they are  well-plotted, exceptionally well-written conversations perfectly synthesized by the actors and shot in a glorious cinematic style  these films are perfect. Frost once wrote that great art came from freedom within the reins. Linklater adheres to this, allowing his premise to guide him. THe result is his films never try to be too much, yet they build tension like no Michael Bay film.