Thoughts: I’ve heard quite a few things about this film so I went into it expecting a lot. Jesse (Ethan Hawke) is an American traveling on a train to Vienna when he randomly meets Celine (Julie Delpy). They strike up a conversation and when they reach Vienna decide to spend the afternoon through evening together and depart the next morning – hence the title. It seems like a perfectly innocent romance, though highly unbelievable, but what killed it for me was the contrived dialogue the two characters were spouting. I wanted to put a gun to my head listening to them go on about reincarnation, how to be a good person or their opinions of men and women. However, the moments when they are just two people really enjoying each others company and liking each other made up for some of the hair pulling conversations. The film ends with them parting and agreeing to meet up six months at the same spot. At the end it showed all the spots Jesse and Celine were at that night which was a good closure bit.
(M) Before Sunset. (Richard Linklater, 2004) Grade: B+
Thoughts: Since I had both films I watched this one 5 seconds later. Nine years have passed since Jesse and Celine have seen each other. Now Jesse has written a ‘fictional’ book about that one night with Celine and is doing a book tour which happens to bring him to Paris. Lo and behold who is at the signing but Celine. The two reconnect and before Jesse has to hop on a plane back to the States they spend the afternoon together. I have to say I appreciated Before Sunrise more after viewing this film. I think as a stand alone piece Before Sunrise was good but not great but with Before Sunset you really cherish that connection and chemistry the two shared. Personally I enjoyed Before Sunset more because I could not stand the 20’s/idealist talk in Before Sunrise. In this movie, the two characters are older and wiser and more damaged; truer to life. Ethan Hawke has not aged too well but Julie Delpy looks great.
2 comments:
UGH!!! That is what is SOOOOO great about Before Sunrise... it's that young hopeful idealism, and finding yourself and discussing the meaning of life. They are young people finding themselves. It is awesome and what makes Before Sunset so great is exactly what you said. Now, they are older and have been crapped on in life and dealt with reality and the real world and developed the cynicism but still deep down hold on to the idea of that great and true love despite the realities of life.
HAHA. They both should get A's!!!!!!
New Wave, I don't know if there is a romantic bone in your body (unless it involes Robert Smith or Thome Yorke). HAHA!
I saw Before Sunrise in 1995 and thought it was brilliant. Granted, I was 15. I never expected a sequel but luckily Sunset exceeded my expectations. Great films.
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