Nine years after Jesse and Celine met on the train in Vienna, they meet again in France during Jesse's book tour in the area. They stroll around France and catch up before Jesse will leave again for a plane back to America.
After a failed tryst in the past, two people cross paths once again but this time, with a nine year gap between the two of them. The movie is very exciting and nerve-wracking. You wouldn't know what happened and you would only understand as the movie progresses. A romantic film that keeps you at the edge of your seat is something worth noting.
The movie, just like its predecessor, is Jesse and Celine walking through the streets of France, catching up with all the things they missed with one another. Director Richard Linklater makes use of long takes just like the predecessor. Such skills are really remarkable for both the director and the actors themselves. Imagine having to deliver numerous lines for 7 minutes straight without interruption and mistakes while walking through the streets of Paris. But of course, it probably helped since Hawke and Delphy helped in writing the screenplay this time so they know what to say and how to say it.
If the first film did not have character development, Before Sunset offers a lot of it. The movie aims to take place on real time. Nine years have passed since Before Sunrise was released so it seems proper that nine years passed as well in the world of Jesse and Celine. Each of their character's development is very well-crafted and well-written. Their conversations are more mature and the way they see ideas and philosophies are more profound compared to their younger selves.
With nine years of difference between the two of them, the conversation and screenplay would be difficult I imagine but the product from this movie was a success. The way they talk to one another first is that of a friend meeting another friend after not seeing each other after a long time. They catch up on small and trivial things such as their jobs, hobbies, and whatever easy things they can talk about. As the movie goes on, the conversation gets deeper and more revealing. The emotion that was bottled up for nine years are slowly revealed and they start to say what they really feel after that encounter in the train nine years ago.
Aside from love and reunion, the film talks about the irony of life. In the nine years that the two of them were apart, they managed to get the things that they needed. They were able to build a name for themselves, they have a stable job, so on and so forth, yet they did not have each other. Having those things were always never enough, none of them mattered when the other one was not with them.
The film ends in a very hopeful note. That much I can tell you.
Rating: 5/5
