Can you imagine? It was 1995 when the world first witnessed Jesse and Celine’s love story. It took 9 years after to get a follow-up film in 2004 then another 9 years to see them grace the screen again. This is definitely a long wait for the fans of Richard Linklater’s romantic series. With a more matured Jesse and Celine, how was my date with them?
Before I proceed to my film review, let me first take you to a walk down memory lane and reminisce the first two films. In Before Sunrise, American tourist Jesse Wallace (Ethan Hawke) and French student Celine (Julie Delpy) met by chance on a train from Budapest going to Vienna in the summer of 1994. They are both total strangers to one another but they immediately felt a special connection. Jesse asked Celine to spend the day with him in Vienna while passing the time before his scheduled flight back to the US the next morning and she agreed. They spent the night walking around the city getting to know each other more talking about . Eventually, they admitted their feelings for each other and decided to make the best of what time they have left because they knew they will not be seeing each other again. The film ended at the train station the next day where they decided not to exchange any contact information but instead agreed to meet together at the same place after six months. Unfortunately, they didn’t meet again after 6 months. This is where Before Sunset picks off. 9 years have passed. Jesse became a writer and is now married and has a son. He wrote a bestselling novel titled This Time which is inspired by his time with Celine in Vienna. While in a book tour at Paris, he met Celine at a bookshop and they spend an afternoon catching up before Jesse’s flight at the airport. Both in their thirties, Jesse is married and has a son while Celine has a boyfriend. Jesse revealed that he only stays with his wife because of their son and he doesn’t love her. Celine admitted that she doesn’t see her boyfriend very much. The film concluded ambiguously with Jesse missing his flight as he stayed with Celine at her apartment. As the story continues, did Jesse return to his wife and son or did he start a new life with Celine?
In Before Midnight, nine years have already passed. Both in their early 40s, Jesse and Celine are now living as a couple and parents spending a vacation at Greece. In the film’s opening, we see Jesse seeing off his son Hank at the Kalamata Airport who is returning to Chicago back to his ex-wife after spending the summer with them. Jesse hints at wanting to move back to America but Celine has done her US time and has no wish to return. Their long history bubbles between them. As a treat, their Greek friends have gifted Jesse and Celine with a night at a luxurious seaside hotel while they babysit the twins. With an evening that supposed to be about making love, their idyllic night tests them in unexpected ways. They face the past, present and future; family, romance and love. Before the clock strikes midnight, their story unfolds again.
Do you have those moments when you’re reuniting with a friend or special someone that you realize that you didn’t do anything exciting at all but to catch up and talk the whole day and by the end of the day, it still feels special and memorable? This is how I felt about the film. It was like reuniting with an old friend I haven’t seen for 9 years. I love every minute of the film. It’s a very warm welcome. Like its predecessors, I like how director Linklater shot the film as if we’re part of the scenes. There were also impressive long shots particularly with Jesse and Celine walking. It’s so refreshing to see these again. There is only little music in the film but it still was able to convey you a sense of nostalgia especially if you’re a fan.
If you’re not familiar with the film series, this is a talky film. The film requires only little of you – to be a good listener so stop texting and talking while watching. It may be tough for those who have a short attention span but there are enough witty, funny and charming dialogues to keep you engage all throughout. As much as I want to discuss my favorite lines and dialogues, I will not be specifying it here. I feel they’ll be nicer for you to hear it from the film itself for the first time rather than come from me.
After all these years, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy still have it! Getting more experiences from their other previous projects, they are in their best form of performance in this film as Jesse and Celine. Their chemistry is still so natural that you’ll forget they’re really acting. It was as if we’re watching a real couple and it’s so fun to watch them tease each other now they’re married. Personally, I could just listen to them talk the whole day. The film owes a lot of its charm to them.
Overall, I would like to thank Jesse and Celine for a beautiful evening! It may be bittersweet but it was a very interesting time. With the uncertainty of a fourth film, I’ll wait for their return even if it takes a decade.
Advice: Please watch the first two before heading to the cinema.
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About the movie reviewer:
Orange Magazine TV‘s newest film critic is a self-confessed movie geek. John Albert Villanueva love movies so much, he watch every movies from the big screen and collects DVDs of classic movies. Read his other review here.
