Summary: A young American man meets a beautiful French student on a train bound for Paris, falls in love and asks her to share his last night in Vienna.
Summary: "Two strangers met by chance, spent a night together in Vienna, and parted before sunrise. Nine years later, Jesse has written a book about the encounter. During his accelerated European book tour, he meets up with Celine in Paris. Before Jesse's flight home, he joins Celine for a picturesque walk around the city and they have an intimate conversation, ending at Celine's apartment. Will they get the chance to fall in love all over again?"
Video Librarian Reviews
A little 80-minute gem of walky-talky romance, this sequel to Before Sunrise takes place nine years after that film's single night of intellectual and spiritual magic between two backpacking Eurorail summer-break tourists (Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy) in Paris. As they fleetingly promised in 1995, these sharp-witted, contemplative, and captivating characters do meet again, picking up right where they left off--except with nearly a decade's worth of worldly wisdom, and memories of each other that continue to produce emotional ripples. Hawke, Delpy, and director Richard Linklater (who all collaborated on this story that plays out spontaneously and unaffectedly) have created a simple yet psychologically complex, real-time narrative of long single takes and fluid free-association, resulting in a modest masterpiece of modern romance that culminates in a moment of wondrous warmth so stirring and memorable that it wipes away any doubt about the decision to leave the finale of its predecessor open-ended. Highly recommended. (R. Blackwelder) Copyright Video Librarian Reviews 2004.
Summary: Follows Jesse and Céline nine years later in Greece, almost two decades since they first met on a train bound for Vienna.
Video Librarian Reviews
This third chapter in Richard Linklater's emotionally vibrant examination of a constantly evolving romantic relationship follows 1995's Before Sunrise, in which American novelist Jesse (Ethan Hawke) met spunky Frenchwoman Celine (Julie Delpy) on a train, and 2004's Before Sunset, in which the lovers reunited a decade later. Now in their 40s, Jesse and Celine are living together in Paris. Jesse is seeing his adolescent son Hank (Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick) off at Kalamata Airport in Greece, returning him to Jesse's hostile ex-wife in Chicago after a summer vacation spent with Jesse, Celine, and their twin daughters. After dropping the girls off with friends, Jesse and Celine head out for what is supposed to be an idyllic, festive night at a picturesque seaside hotel. But a marital crisis erupts. Jesse feels guilty that he can't spend more time with Hank—which would involve moving back to the United States—and environmental activist Celine has been offered an exciting, career-changing opportunity. Add to that the inevitable challenges, resentments, and disappointments that come with raising children and facing middle age. As with the first two films, Before Midnight is about two fully-developed characters who authentically communicate their deepest feelings and frustrations. While not making a commitment to marriage, Jesse and Celine have nevertheless taken on added responsibilities that curtail their creativity and their freedom. All of this is explored in this beautifully naturalistic film written by Linklater, Hawke, and Delpy, featuring carefully scripted, teasing, taunting dialogue that rings painfully true. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (S. Granger)Copyright Video Librarian Reviews 2011.
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