Before Sunset (2004)
Also known as "Before Sunrise 2"
What if you had a second chance with the one that got away?
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Vernon Dobtcheff, Louise Lemoine Torres, Rodolphe Pauly, Mariane Plasteig, Diabolo, Alebrt Delpy, Marie Pillet
Director: Richard Linklater
Running Time: 80 minutes
US MPAA rating: RUK BBFC rating: 15
Drama, Romance
Nine years ago, wandering American bloke Jesse (Ethan Hawke) met Bohemian French totty Celine (Julie Delpy) while on a train hurtling from Budapest to Vienna. Before long, idle chit-chat had turned into a one night stand, and the smitten pair agreed to meet up again in the Austrian capital six months later. But 'Before Sunset' isn't about that. No, if you want to see that story being told, you'll need to track down a copy of 1995's 'Before Sunrise'. This, fellow cosmopolitans, is the sequel.
Skip ahead to the present day and Jesse is a successful published writer. He's in Paris plugging his latest book (which is basically the story of the first film), and guess who also just happens to be in town? That's right - after nigh-on a decade of failing to bump into each other (which could be something to do with their ludicrous decision not to exchange either phone numbers or surnames), the guitar-strumming environment-loving slightly-Communist Celine is back in his life.
There are two things that there are a lot of in 'Before Sunset', and they are walking and talking. In fact, those two activities pretty much consume the whole of the 80 minute running-time, as Celine and the Jessmeister stroll the streets of Gay Paree, half-awkwardly looking into each others' eyes and mulling over what might have been.
I suspect this film must have been much harder to make than it looks, particularly for the lead pair who hug the entirety of the screentime and are undoubtedly under considerable pressure to comfortably deliver dialogue which is relaxed enough to seem real but inhibited enough to fit the situation. Scenes go on for longer than the average movie-goer will be used to, which creates a "real time" effect for the whole thing but must also substantially reduce the error margin for all involved. Of course, the fact that both Hawke and Delpy were heavily involved in writing the screenplay must have helped - but that shouldn't detract from the fact that both really succeed in delivering the goods on the performance front.
'Beyond Sunset' is romantic, it's warm, and it features some wonderful scenery, but more than anything else it's nice. It's the sort of film that's good to watch while it's unravelling on-screen, and even a little refreshing for its simplistic and non-mushy handling of the subject matter, but ultimately it makes little lasting impression beyond its end credits. Much like its predecessor, it's there to be enjoyed while it's on, but could struggle to be remembered another nine years down the line.
It's Got: Talking. And walking. And then some more talking. And more walking.
It Needs: Celine to go for ten minutes without mentioning her "journal".
Alternatives: Before Sunrise, The Notebook
Summary: Enjoyable while it lasts - but chances are you'll have forgotten it before sunset.
Review by Gary Panton
Review Date: 22nd October 2004
External Links
Official Web Site
Before Sunset at the IMDB
Comments14 Comments |
| THE WORST MOVIE I HAVE EVER SEEEEEN |
| Comment by:- ME | | 11 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| Absolutely aweful; what a waste of money. |
| Comment by:- AF | | 13 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| this is by far the worst movie i have had to endure. Nothing but ramblings on and on and on and on and on. Get the picture. |
| Comment by:- ed | | 13 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| It's true, as the previous critics have pointed out: there are no car crash scenes, handguns (except discussion of one), and only talk, talk, and more talk. ("Well ****. I paid a $5.50 rental fee for this?") Sure glad I did! Just how often are you transported back to the pure excitement you felt discovering a new "love at first sight," both of you bursting to tell your stories because you just can't stand being outside of each other another minute (literally and figuratively)? This was an amazing piece - I laughed; felt their tension, wanting to jump each others' bones at this moment and again the next; felt their regret for not having been more assertive in leaving nothing to chance during a fleeting meeting a decade earlier; their discontent in their lives and willingness to suspend it while together. This is romance so individual, so deep, so longing. This is "new" love, between the ears and over years. Ignore the few corny moments; most of this film and its screenplay is simply, utterly great. |
| Comment by:- tom | | 13 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| I can't beleive they would actually filn crap like this. It's like a REALLY bad talk show. |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 13 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| I loved it. I loved Before Sunrise and now Before Sunset. If you are mature enough to see a movie without excessive violence and have a soft spot for romance then I think you'll love this film too. |
| Comment by:- Dave | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| beutifull I am choqued id bad critics of this movie Well only few people have inteligence to see this movie, so be prepared |
| Comment by:- Joao Loureiro | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| i do like it..somethin i can relate to |
| Comment by:- jon b | | 18 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| The conversation is very intelligent. Long takes require memorizing extensive dialog and not only this but it is realistically acted. A great movie for intelligent people. If you just like shoot em up actions movies with no long words, avoid it. |
| Comment by:- Clive | | 20 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| since i love before sunrise, i was a little disappointed with sunset but after thorough thinking, i realized that the movie was really good, because i could even feel the longing and tension both characters felt. after 9 long years, they met again. the movie continues audience guessing if they would really end up together and that't what i love about both(sunrise and sunset) it still has the essence of being hanging.and that's what i love because it would make audience think and can even talk about after viewing. |
| Comment by:- deehan | | 21 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| the best movie so far i've ever seen. very clever. it's boring to mentally handicapped people. the lines are very good and ethan and julia delivered it beautifully. forget about the car-crashing, mentally-stimulating movies that will make you think hard and even harder, those are crapped and unrealistic movies.so far, this is the one.. kudos! |
| Comment by:- mary | | 24 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| i love before sunrise even more than before sunrise, & i love the last 5 minutes: celine keeps talking & singing, Jesse just watching..that's really life. |
| Comment by:- i love jazz | | 12 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| Is "Before sunset". I'm grown up but getting older & lost more.. Maybe 9 years later, we meet somewhere. |
| Comment by:- i love jazz | | 12 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| This is a great movie! It evokes emotions that are perhaps best left unstirred. The more you bring to it, the more satisfied you will be with its sublime artistry. It's truly one of those movies that will have you immersed in the emotions of the characters, as if they were your own. What a wonderful achievement! |
| Comment by:- TheMeester | | 20 December 2004 | ip: logged |
