Before Sunset (2004)

 

Another film to discuss that I had already seen, and unlike Scott Pilgrim my opinion on the film hasn't drastically changed, so I have no justifiable reason for talking about it, other than to share my love of this little-seen film and hopefully bring it to more people’s attention. There are a couple of notable things to discuss about the film right off the bat, the first is that it is a sequel (to the 1995 film Before Sunrise), and it is solely a film focused on a real time conversation between two characters. The original film did this too, though played around with the timeline a bit more, giving the initial meetings and courting of Ethan Hawke's Jesse and Julie Delpy's Celine a whole day and night in Vienna. After their initial meeting, with plans of returning in six months and no information exchanged, Before Sunset picks up the story a whole nine years later. One of the things that is so impressive about the film is that it manages to be an example of a sequel that could have felt unnecessary, and makes it absolutely vital and key, at once adding to the story of the original and improving it. I could write just as much about the original film and highly recommend you check that out before watching this film. Typically explaining away ambiguity in sequels is the kiss of death, but in the case of Before Sunset the film-makers were smart enough to use the long time gap between films to their advantage. By having the two primary actors reprise their roles, nine years on and with all the encumbered experience of that time on their shoulders, they help bring these characters to life in a way that films rarely do. It is significant that, as opposed to the original, both Delpy and Hawke share a writing credit on Sunset, indicating the level of themselves they brought to the characters this time round.

It's hard to put into words what is so captivating and enthralling about these films, on paper it sounds pretty trite and boring. Two characters meet and catch up, all the whilst walking around Paris. That is it. There are no more than two characters, no conflict in the traditional sense, no set pieces. But it is the riveting nature of the conversation, and the humanity of the characters that draws you in. The years have not all been kind to these characters and it is fascinating to see how they have changed over time, how their idealistic youth has made way for a more compromised and damaged adulthood. There are some very deep themes dealt with in the film, but with such a lightness of touch and with such vulnerability that it never seems preachy or self-righteous. The dance that the characters make throughout the film is fascinating, as they suss each other out and seek to determine how that one night in Vienna has subsequently affected their lives, and what they could have been. The key element of any film, but especially one as focused on character and conversation as this one is the chemistry of the actors. Thankfully everything that worked in the original is again amplified here, Delpy's Celine is just as adorable, if with a newer more cynical edge. Hearing her speak you completely understand Jesse's misty eyed devotion, yet she is far from a idealised love interest. Equally Hawke's performance is just as worthy of praise, he plays a complicated situation well, hiding aspects of his feelings and constantly assessing the situation in a very real way.

Director Richard Linklater could have been said to have an easy task with this film, but to sustain an audiences interest in conversation for 80 minutes is no easy task, he has a wonderfully naturalistic style here letting the individual scenes breathe and extend out. Paris has rarely looked as inviting as well and is almost the third character in the film, imbuing the film with a subtle air of romanticism. Returning to the film all of these elements and their construction, and the scripts immense subtlety and grace, really stuck out to me, more so than on my first viewing. It is a film that benefits from repetition and has a surprising depth. It is one of the most romantic and honest 'relationship' films I think I've seen, and one I will continue to enjoy in the years to come. If this doesn't sound like your typical film I would urge you to give it, and its predecessor a shot. Much of what passes for romance in cinema now is horribly shallow and contrived, as such Before Sunset still feels like a breath of fresh air, and something of a quiet miracle.