A Pleasant Summer Film Worth Catching

Rating: 8/10 (24 November 2004)

Before Sunset, 3 out of 4 stars 80 minutes Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy Directed by Richard Linklater
A Review by Jimmy Geurts
Before Sunset can be seen as movie-making in the moment- a film that requires the audience to focus their attention on the movie for a meager 80 minutes if they hope to find themselves swept away by this pleasant albeit fleeting piece of film. And those who let their minds wander from the amiable characters and their coincidental meeting may notice some of the script's shortcomings and as a result might not enjoy Before Sunset to its highest potential. Despite myself I found myself enjoying the sequel to 1995's indie favorite, Before Sunrise. One of Before Sunset's strengths is that it is not a sequel made for financial reasons, so it as a film does not need to be held by a need to satisfy commercial demands. (It was made on a budget of only $10 million). Rather, I like to think that Linklater, Hawke, and Delpy, like many of us, wondered if Jesse and Celine ever met again in Vienna six months later like they promised each other to after that unforgettable night. When we see Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy on screen, the two seem to be reuniting with the characters of Jesse and Celine just as much as they are acting them.
Before Sunset picks up nine years after Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) parted ways. It turns out for one reason or another, the two never did meet up in Vienna. Jesse is now married with a kid, and Celine, while not betrothed, is currently dating a photographer. Jesse has still not gotten over Celine, and has written a book about the trip to Vienna in the past few years. He is in Paris on a book tour when at a press conference Celine appears into his life again. The two make small talk, about everything from idealism to sex, and try to avoid bringing up the inevitable question: why they never met again after that one magical night in Vienna.
There is a sense of urgency to Before Sunset's proceedings because instead of sharing a day together, Jesse and Celine only have eighty minutes to reunite until Jesse must take his plane back to the United States. Hawke and Delpy play off each other very nicely, and share a chemistry that hides just below the surface. Hawke as usual does a very good job, and Julie Delpy is just radiant as Celine. The way Delpy plays Celine I could see how someone could become smitten with her.
For the most part I found Richard Linklater's script to be well done, but especially later in the movie, the conversation between Jesse and Celine does occasionally feel stilted and uneven. In addition, the transition between friendly chat and long-held feelings seems to be a little rough. I can appreciate that this probably intended on Linklater's behalf to emphasize the sudden shift of heart of the two characters, but for a director who I see as having such an ear for earnest truth in his films' dialogue, I would hope he could find a more natural way of changing the mood of the film. Only minor complaints but they did hurt the film for me nonetheless.
The film plays out as if we were right there with Jesse and Celine, being careful not to cut away from the conversation of the two. Before Sunset is shot with a steady camera and fairly successfully manages to balance both an intimate feel and a good sense of Paris' beauty. And while the movie does use transitions but not to the point where it becomes a distraction. In other independent movies like Running Time, it might've benefited the film's strengths more. Before Sunset is not of those movies.
Before Sunset is like a light meal: pleasing, light, and ultimately forgettable. Fans of the original who wondered what ever happened to the two after the credits rolled will probably enjoy the sequel. Anyone that disliked the first Before Sunrise aren't going to find much here that will change their minds. For everyone else, it provides a healthy alternative to the Hollywood action blockbusters of the summer.