A Caring and Thinking Wo/man's Movie - Good to the Last Drop

Rating: 10/10 (27 June 2004)

Before I went to see Before Sunrise at its June 26, 2004 Austin Premiere last night I read the reviews written here at imdb.com to get an idea of what to expect. However none of the reviews prepared me for the excellence of this movie.
As you probably already know, the entire movie is basically of one conversation between two people who (at least seemed to) fall in love nine years previously but had not seen one another again until this day having relied on one date for another rendezvous in Venice -- and having failed to exchange phone numbers, addresses, etc.
First of all, the acting was nothing less than excellent, lacking self-consciousness and "over the top" theatricality. Much credit for this I'm sure goes to Rick Linklater, the Director, who told us last night after the screening that it was very important to him that it not "get dramatic." Ah...a fine director, is like fine wine, no? Bravisimo!
By the way, I also learned at the Q&A last night -- which was with Richard Linklater and the two stars, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy -- and was fascinated to learn that ALL THREE OF THEM wrote this script. To me, that helps to explain how the script could have come out so profoundly well -- full of meaningful insights, questions that are asked by hearts with a bottom line of love and warmth.
What I am going to say next is something I have said before about BOOKS, but never about MOVIES -- not for the same reason. That is, I want to see this movie again -- and again -- and again so that I won't miss a line. There is so much to think about and care about among the topics discussed -- about love and life and the world we live in. Some of the things expressed were so interesting to me that I found my own mind running off with a thread of thought for a few moments after hearing what was said. It was just so stimulating. But then I would have to force myself to drop the thought in order to put my attention back to what they were saying lest I miss out on yet another pearl of humor, enjoyment, wisdom, riddle or profundity. I tried hard, but for me hearing ALL of it in one showing could just not be done. I will have to seen the movie again and again until I feel satisfied I have eeked the "last drop." And NO, I am not implying that the ending is a letdown; in my opinion it is a delightful ending and I hope-hope-hope that in another 7-8 years these collaborators will get together to write us another script. I want them to wait that long before writing it though, so that they can bring ever more wisdom and maturity to each sequel.
Thank you, Rick; thank you, Julie; thank you, Ethan! How REFRESHING and NEEDED it is in our world today to have MEANINGFUL entertainment where the bottom line is where it should be -- for and about thinking and caring human beings. And by the way, Julie and Ethan have noticeably aged; Julie is (indeed) thinner and more mature, a fascinating natural beauty with that sexy French accent; Ethan's resemblance to Tom Cruise startles me. Yet there is another dimension to Ethan and I hope I don't make anyone angry to say I also prefer his acting over the former's. I very, very, very rarely pay full retail price for my own VHS or DVD of a film. I can't wait to buy this one and I look forward to watching it again with happy anticipation.

10 Stars!