more than lives up to the first film

Rating: 9/10 (16 August 2004)

The film is wonderful. If you saw the first, 'Before Sunrise', you'll definitely want to watch this sequel. I was very anxious about the prospect of a sequel to Sunrise which was a self- contained film that wasn't demanding a sequel. Although 'Before Sunrise' ended with an aching ambiguity I was dreading the prospect of a sequel because it would have been far too easy to screw it up and ruin the memory of the first. To their credit, they didn't. In fact, I found that Sunset surpasses Sunrise in depth and maturity. Both characters reappear now nine years later as more complex and with greater depth. The writing is spot-on and authentic, and it's clear that everyone involved has invested themselves into the film.