The space between words.

Rating: 6/10 (26 September 2019)

As with its predecessor, 'Before Sunset (2004)' is at its most successful when it focuses on the relationship between its two core characters, this time painting it as a painfully accurate reunion. This focus on 'what could've been' and 'what may be yet to come' is where the piece really shines, crafting a palpable dynamic between its two long-lost lovers and giving the story a strange sense of suspense. Of course, a seventy-five-minute conversation is going to meander. This is especially noticeable when the topics of conversation turn to philosophising, with changes in direction sometimes being as drastic as going straight from "how are you?" to "do you believe in god?". When this is the case, the dialogue reflects the writers far more than the characters - I mean, you can practically hear Linklater saying some of this stuff - and the experience is worse for it. Still, it's all remarkably compelling for what it is. Despite being slightly theatrical, it feels incredibly 'real' as compared to others in the genre. There are no grand gestures or arbitrary break-ups, there's just an excellently evolving relationship. It's also great how the space in-between words is sometimes as important as the words themselves, indicative of subtle writing that really knows what it's doing. Overall, it's about as good as it's predecessor. As an experiment, it works rather well. It's not always the most engaging affair but it often makes you smile and it has a decent pace considering it's a constant 'talk-fest'. The core relationship is what really keeps you watching and it really is one of the best in its genre. 6/10