Before SunriseThe best romances are founded on the idea that two people are so right for each other that they appear inseparable, even though they didn't start this way. This is the case with Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy), a couple of young adults who meet by chance on a train travelling across Europe. After having an intriguing conversation prior to Jesse disembarking at Vienna, he proposes an idea to her: get of the train with him and walk around the city at night with him as her companion, an offer which leads to a fun adventure, a chance to get to know one another, and what they both secretly want, the chance to fall in love.
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Before Sunrise is unquestionably a romance, but as opposed to some of the saccharine fare out there, Jesse and Celine's blossoming relationship is so convincing, not only because they themselves are believable, but because we learn so much about them in this dialogue driven story, as the two gradually open up to one another, revealing intimate details about themselves to one another, making themselves vulnerable in the process. No, the vulnerability comes with time, this is true; at first, it's pretty obvious that the awkward romantic posing as the cynical rebel (that's Jesse) is smitten by the lovely "Botticelli angel", Celine, and might have made his proposition because, well, she is very pretty and is great to talk to. But it's also clear--although I can speak here and say it's never really easy for guys to pick up on this--that Celine is taken by the sweet boy who musters up all his courage to make that advance to romantically invite her out on the town, even if he is broke, just to enjoy her company. After some fumbling flirting and even some small talk, the two start peeling back their respective shells after listening to some nice music at a record store, and going up the Riesenrad (ferris wheel) at sunset, sharing their first kiss. What's really great about what follows is that their sojourn through Vienna is not simply an "arms race" of sexual engagement. No, Jesse and Celine reveal more about themselves to one another and to us by the topics they discuss, and their reactions to the city around them, and to one another. There are times when Jesse responds with a kind of forced cynicism which belies his true nature; he uses this cynicism as a mask to avoid being hurt. And Celine is more self-conscious than she lets on, giving the impression of confidence and assurance in her manner, but we can tell that she feels unsure whether she's saying the right things or not. Those insecurities are essential for the story, which make these characters real, and their romance real, since they accept these quirks and faults, and fall in love in spite of them.
Before Sunrise is also fascinating as a travelogue; sure, you'll see places you might want to visit if you go to Vienna, but Richard Linklater's romance also takes Jesse and Celine to various parts of the city, through cobblestone alleys, The Cemetery of the Nameless, and even a candlelit dinner aboard a boat on the Danube. So in a way, Jesse and Celine's vacation is ours, and gives us a bit of pleasant escapism, too. Jesse and Celine are both travelers themselves--neither of them native to Austria--but find they can get by on their English, which is doubly humorous in the case of Celine, as her native tongue is French, and she pokes fun at Jesse for not speaking another language. Although not envisioned as a trilogy, Before Sunrise spawned sequels many years later, which gives ironic poignancy to some of the lines Jesse and Celine give, and gives repeat viewings a kind of knowing foresight for things to come. While satisfying in that same kind of way as of what to expect later, Jesse and Celine's behaviors and reactions indicate so much about their personality, and clue us in to their unspoken needs and preferences, letting us formulate an idea of what their lives might be like outside of the confines of this slice of their lives. Some details might seem inconsequential--like Celine commenting on how close she is with her grandmother, or Jesse taking a kind of interest in poetry, even though he appears to secretly deride the poem using the keyword "milkshake" earlier--but those details hint at deeper, unspoken needs in the two of them. The story goes that Richard Linklater came up with the idea for Before Sunrise when he and a woman became engaged in a long conversation, which took them on a long walk across a city; certainly, the similarities are present in this film. There is a sense of time in Before Sunrise, as the day becomes progressively darker, turning to night, and finally giving way to light once again near the end of the film. The relationship between Jesse and Celine reminds me of long, deep conversations I've had with friends, and even going on lengthy walks with a girl I cared about, learning a little more about one another, forging a stronger relationship in the process. I would like to hope that everyone has had a kind of relationship, a meeting and bonding, like Jesse and Celine have; that's what makes this film so heartfelt.
Recommended for: Fans of an intellectual romance, one where the characters truly bond at an emotional and psychological level, more than simply physical attraction. One of the few, great convincing love stories in film.
Before Sunrise is also fascinating as a travelogue; sure, you'll see places you might want to visit if you go to Vienna, but Richard Linklater's romance also takes Jesse and Celine to various parts of the city, through cobblestone alleys, The Cemetery of the Nameless, and even a candlelit dinner aboard a boat on the Danube. So in a way, Jesse and Celine's vacation is ours, and gives us a bit of pleasant escapism, too. Jesse and Celine are both travelers themselves--neither of them native to Austria--but find they can get by on their English, which is doubly humorous in the case of Celine, as her native tongue is French, and she pokes fun at Jesse for not speaking another language. Although not envisioned as a trilogy, Before Sunrise spawned sequels many years later, which gives ironic poignancy to some of the lines Jesse and Celine give, and gives repeat viewings a kind of knowing foresight for things to come. While satisfying in that same kind of way as of what to expect later, Jesse and Celine's behaviors and reactions indicate so much about their personality, and clue us in to their unspoken needs and preferences, letting us formulate an idea of what their lives might be like outside of the confines of this slice of their lives. Some details might seem inconsequential--like Celine commenting on how close she is with her grandmother, or Jesse taking a kind of interest in poetry, even though he appears to secretly deride the poem using the keyword "milkshake" earlier--but those details hint at deeper, unspoken needs in the two of them. The story goes that Richard Linklater came up with the idea for Before Sunrise when he and a woman became engaged in a long conversation, which took them on a long walk across a city; certainly, the similarities are present in this film. There is a sense of time in Before Sunrise, as the day becomes progressively darker, turning to night, and finally giving way to light once again near the end of the film. The relationship between Jesse and Celine reminds me of long, deep conversations I've had with friends, and even going on lengthy walks with a girl I cared about, learning a little more about one another, forging a stronger relationship in the process. I would like to hope that everyone has had a kind of relationship, a meeting and bonding, like Jesse and Celine have; that's what makes this film so heartfelt.
Recommended for: Fans of an intellectual romance, one where the characters truly bond at an emotional and psychological level, more than simply physical attraction. One of the few, great convincing love stories in film.