Before Watching: Before Sunset (2004)

Rating: 6/10 (14 July 2019)

"Before Sunset" (2004) is the sequel to "Before Sunrise" (1995) and follows Jesse and Celine as they meet nine years after their first encounter. Like its predecessor, Before Sunset a romantic movie, and if you want to get as much out of it as possible, there are a few things you need to keep in mind before watching:
As with Before Sunrise, the emotional impact and reward from this movie comes from the level of resonance one experience with the characters - more dialogue will hit home, train of thoughts will be relatable, and they will undoubtedly be more sympathetic. Audiences younger or older risk losing a lot of value and emotional satisfaction because of this very reason.
An important thing to be aware about is the tone in the dialogue. Before Sunset is cruder than its the prequel, and there are frequent gags and talk about sexual subjects which can risk upsetting conservative or sensitive people, or at least detract from the overall viewing experience. The moral grounds in itself is also quite loose, as it becomes more and more apparent throughout the runtime that Jesse and Celine are tempted by the thought of leaving their current partners for each other, which doesn't feel entirely in line with the people we got to meet in the prequel. This can be perceived as quite questionable.
Finally, the resolution to this movie can also by some be perceived as unrewarding, as consequences are not really dealt with as consequences, or at least one in the same way as one would expect from the prequel. It is hard to say more before giving away the plot, but before watching Before Sunset, one could benefit more from being less conservatively consequential here than in Before Sunrise. Do remember, however, that this movie impacts you depending on how much you can relate with the life situation Jesse and Celine are in, and that nothing in this review thereby can be taken as a final say.
My personal grade: a disappointing 6/10. If you found this helpful, check my profile for more reviews.