6. Before Sunset (2004); What if you had a second chance with the one that got away?

Before Sunset

Directed by Richard Linklater

Starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy

I loved the whole concept of making a sequel to Before Sunrise. The story that they added along to the first wasn’t as interesting, but it was still really entertaining. Their conversations are so deep and intellectual that it makes all other conversations seem materialistic and lazy. I love it.

So, here’s a summary- Nine years later, Jesse is finishing up his international book tour and runs into Celine right after his last interview. They are forced into the same time-crunch as before, but still decide to up and walk around Paris together. At first their conversations are pretty boring, but as the movie continues, the character’s real emotions and feelings come out.

There are three interviewers that are asking him questions and I think by having those interviewers, it was a great way to remind the audience about their initial thoughts towards the ending of Before Sunrise. The three interviewers represent the three possible endings of Jesse and Celine’s first meeting. There was the romantic that was convinced that the characters meet up and live happily ever after (Jesse and Celine really do meet up); The cynic that doesn’t think they ever meet up again (Neither show up ); And the middle-man who wants them to meet up but is doubtful about the whole situation (One of them shows and the other doesn’t). I thought this was a great way to leave the audience hanging until the two characters discuss it later in the film.

I have to say that I didn't really like Celine in this movie, as comparison to the first. In Before Sunrise, she seemed more independent and not as “girly” about everything. She was kind of tough and to the point. In Before Sunset, she seemed to dance about the subject a little and not be so straightforward. For example, the two of them discuss whether or not they had made love on their first night, and instead of admitting that she remembers (like she does a few minutes after) she pretends that she doesn’t remember. For being a character based on “living in the moment”, I thought that was a bad way to show it. That conversation just made her look insecure. I just didn’t understand that whole part. However, she exclaims to Jesse later that reading his book brought back all kinds of feelings and emotions that she couldn’t really explain. I thought her “break down” was more her original character- saying exactly what she felt. Don’t get me wrong, I love her character and all the crazy ideas that she had in her head, but I just wanted a little bit more consistency. But then again, people may change a lot over nine years.

I mentioned something about the wardrobe in the Before Sunrise entry, but I will mention it again about Before Sunset. What was the casting department thinking?! I can’t believe that they would go through the entire ordeal of making this movie and not give Ethan Hawke a BELT!? It made his character look uncomfortable as a professional and just plain dumb. I thought that Julie Deply looked beautiful, but…really? I tucked in patterned shirt without a belt?! Grr.

I thought this movie was pretty good. I definitely like Before Sunrise more, but putting both films together, I thought it was really awesome.

On the Becki Scale- I give it a 4.

*Oh, another thing- I didn't notice until I saw this film that the scenes shown in the opening credits are the places that the two characters go to throughout the movie. Duh. Pretty sweet idea though.