"You need resign yourself to the awkwardness of life."

Rating: 7/10 (28 November 2017)

Right before Jesse (Ethan Hawke) said it, I thought to myself, the sidewalk philosopher has the same poem ready for every couple who comes along and simply sticks in the word of choice to make him seem brilliant. Darn if that's not what happened! You know if I were back in my Twenties and I saw this picture I'd probably think it was wonderful. What young couple doesn't go through some of the same conflicting emotions upon a first meeting and stammer through a host of responses? Fast forward a few decades and the whole exercise seems pretty manufactured and pretentious.
The thing that really threw me was when Celine (Julie Delpy) admitted to Jesse that she obsessed over her stupid, ugly, bad-in-bed, and alcoholic first boyfriend after HE dumped her. Not much there to recommend her as a good judge of character. And I wasn't counting, but I think it's safe to say she used the 'F' word more times than Jesse did. But heck, he got the ball rolling with his very first question about sexual feelings. But that was then and this is now; today Jesse would have opened himself up for sexual abuse charges if Celine ever had a change of heart.
Look, I hate to rain on anybody's parade, but this picture just about gagged me. I'm all for romance but this one didn't do it for me. Which is to say, it's a pretty safe bet I won't be running out to catch the sequel.