Astounding

Rating: 10/10 (6 August 2004)

I saw the ad for Before Sunset on a trip, and had to wait for 12 days before being able to see the movie. That 12 days seemed like ages. I felt that I was waiting to see an important friend after losing contact for 9 years, with all the curiosity what happened to him/her (here, for both Celine and Jesse). I felt fortunate to have seen Before Sunrise exactly 9 years ago without seeing it again so that I have exactly the faint 9-year-old impressions while watching Before Sunset.
I was astound after seeing Before Sunset.
What I did not expect was how much more serious Before Sunset is, compared to Before Sunrise. That 80 min conversation echoed so many things in life, e.g. why/how one stays in dissatisfied relations, our responsibilities and compromises, our occasional fall-back into feeling sad about life, while keeping our eyes on things still worth our effort and hope. The indirect allusions are so effective.
While some has complained about a relative slow pace, I found the pace very powerful. I was practically grilled by those moments of suspense or uneasiness or hesitation. I was also surprised and shocked when the pace was fast at certain points. I don't know whether they are intended or or, but such emotions engaged me like no other movie.
It is a very good movie even without hitting anyone's "soft pots" though a lot of the reviewers reported being "badly hit." The movie itself, the acting, and the story itself are all extremely charming. It definitely surpasses Before Sunrise, which has lent from scenery and is a little too sentimental at the very end. The atmosphere in Before Sunset is created entirely internal, which is amazing. It is also fortunate to have all the natural 9-year change in appearance and maturity in the cast. I cannot help suspecting that the makeup was made intentionally to feature a kind of aging into 32-33. I believe most actors and actresses at 32-33 look much younger on the screen.
The technique to have a continuous flow was also used in "Rope," which also delivers to the audience a good deal of emotional engagement for reasons described above.
Finally, this movie is really for an extreme minority, but it is nice to hear from others from within that minority group!