Slight and fleeting but well written, sweet, natural and left me with a slight smile on my face even if it is all a bit idyllic and cheesy at times

Rating: Null/10 (30 July 2004)

Six months after they originally met traveling around Europe, Jesse went to the place that Celine had agreed to meet him only to be left by himself. Almost a decade later Jesse has written a book based on this one night meeting and is on an European tour. At the Paris location, Celine arrives to meet up with him. Overjoyed to see her again but pressured to leave for the airport in an hour and a half, Jesse goes for coffee and a walk with her in order to talk and catch up.
Its been almost 10 years since I saw the original movie and had a vague recollection of it but I wanted to go to the cinema to see a film. I was left with a choice of Spiderman 2 or this film and I plumped for Before Sunset (although I will see Spidy another time). The film opens with some flashbacks and a rather pretentious Jesse talking about his book before the film proper starts with the pair taking yet another walk. From here on in you need to be in at least a semi-romantic mood or the pace and tone of this film will just grate on you. For me, I was open to see where it went and, although some of it was a bit cheesy at times, generally I was carried along with it. The tone is quite natural and the romance is not forced, in fact it isn't really that much for a love story for the majority. The long conversations are enjoyable and engaging and it is these that gets us into these people's lives just enough to care about them. The wandering film continues to a conclusion that may frustrate some but was perfect for my needs. For my money it was the sheer amiable mood of this film that made it enjoyable. At the end of the film I had a little smile on my face and, although it was only a fleeting feeling from a film that won't stick in my head long, I did feel a little warm thanks to the film.
Of course it isn't perfect and it will be easy for the 'real men' in the world to just dismiss it as nonsense and, partly, they are correct. The dialogue at times is very natural and seems to fit the characters but at other times it is very close to being part of a fondue set. Likewise the characters are not as 'real' as I would have liked  she's an environmental saviour and is pretty and friendly; he's a sensitive author type who has youthful good looks etc. At the start of the film the two actors played the characters very eager and all smiles and I hoped that they were doing this in the way we all do when meeting someone  putting on the pleasantries. But I hope that this would fade as hurt etc came out; it came but it was left very late in the film and the material was kept just a bit too sweet. Delpy is still good despite her rather self-righteous character but it took me longer to warm to Hawke who, although likable, was unconvincing as the man that the script told us Jesse had become. The two have a good chemistry though, and it is fun to walk through Paris with them listening to their conversations that are interesting, pretentious, flirting, funny and cheesy  but still enjoyable to sit through.
Director Linklater does a good job using Paris as a backdrop without going for the really obvious locations or landmarks in a touristy film type of way. More than that though, I was impressed by the technical aspect of the film  long tracking shots in one take and an impressive moment where the camera follows them (from the side) up two flights of stairs. As writer he did OK and, if you're not able to accept a little bit of romantic dialogue and warm chat then you're in the wrong movie.
Overall I enjoyed the movie but, had I been in the mood for action then I would have been less patient with it. At 80 minutes it is brief and sweet and left me feeling a little warm inside for a while afterwards. It is not the type of film that will stick in my memory for months to come but it did the trick for 80 minutes  I wandered round Paris listening to friends chatting. It's not all perfect  far from it, but it is fun if you're in the mood. As the final shot faded, the audience got up to leave with little smiles on their faces and everyone was polite and friendly as we left  I came out into the corridor as an earlier Spiderman 2 had just finished in the other screen and the place was packed with running teenagers, hyper kids, hassled parents  all a bit hyped up and bustling; in other words  for a calm, peaceful and warm Sunday afternoon I had picked the right movie to go to and, if that's what you want then try Before Sunset.