Very few romantic dramas come as original and moving as this

Rating: 8/10 (21 May 2016)

As the years pass, filmmakers are running low on ideas for the romance genre faster than some may expect. Many films manage to spit evidence of this, take the film adaptations for Nicholas Sparks' novels for an example (though a few of them are okay). That is not to say the romance genre is dead. Every now and then, Hollywood manages to surprise us with some surprisingly riveting and original love tales such as 'The English Patient', 'Romeo + Juliet', 'There's Something About Mary', and James Cameron ever popular 'Titanic'. But most of time, filmmakers choose to follow down almost same formulaic route: a guy meets a girl, they fall in love, hit some obstacles that put their relationship to the test, and in the end they get back together, a formula that's grown tiresome long before we knew it. This romantic drama directed by Richard Linklater supplies an entirely original love story that completely devoid from the typical romantic clichés that have long plagued the genre. The film opens up with Jesse (played by Ethan Hawke), a young man in his late teens or early 20s on a train to heading back to Vienna (France) where he will be flying back to America at 9:30 the following morning. In escape of a bickering German couple, young woman named Celine (played by Julia Delpy) moves down the aisle where she and Jesse come face-to-face. After engaging in a heart-warming friendly conversation, Jesse convinces her to tour with him around the city of Vienna before he leaves for his flight in the morning which she agrees. Before we know, a heart-touching romance develops between the two in what is their only night together.
This love tale takes just about everything we've grown familiar with in romance flicks and pushes them to the sidelines. This is not a story of a man and a woman falling in love in the midst of a sinking boat, a teenage girl finding the hots of a vampire, or a woman developing a relationship with a soldier returning home from war; this follows two college- aged individuals who meet as complete strangers and decide to take the day to know each other before developing a sudden relationship that leads to the night of their lives. Though the film is lacks a cohesive plot is there is very little action other than the characters walking and talking, this film conceives a romantic tale that veers closest to reality than any romance flick has ever before. With most of the film consisting the characters engaging thought-provoking and philosophical conversations about life or revisiting past memories, the film gives audience a long opportunity to immerse with the lead characters and witness the powerful chemistry grow between them. Whether viewers become fascinated by the clever dialogue or the genuine performances by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, there is plenty of magic to experience. Though there are occasional lines that come off rather awkward, particularly when sex becomes the topic. The characters are developed to individuals many can relate to. At certain times, the characters allow us feel their emotions. We experience their anxiety of knowing the next morning they will both be departing separate ways and may never see each other again. Typically, many movies try to the emotional manipulation route by adding syrupy dialogue or overly sentimental music score. Good news! This movie steers away from that.
Before Sunrise is a solidly original and riveting romantic tale granted by the graceful talent of Richard Linklater. This is a movie that defies expectations and slams the door on tedious rom-com clichés, very few love stories come as original as this one. However, those expecting a groundbreaking plot are more than likely up for a disappointment. Otherwise, this movie is worth the watch.