Before Sunset (2004)

Genre

Drama | Romance

Director

Richard Linklater

Country

United States

Cast

Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Vernon Dobtcheff, Louise Lemoine, Rodolphe Pauly, Mariane Plasteig, Diablo, Denis Evrard, Albert Delpy, Marie Pillet

Plot

Nine years after Vienna, Jesse (Ethan Hawke) is in Paris promoting his best selling book, This Time, inspired by that night. As the media scrum at the bookstore nears its conclusion, Jesse spots Celine (Julie Delpy) in the crowd, she who only found out about the book when she earlier saw his photograph promoting this public appearance. Much like their previous encounter, Jesse and Celine, who is now an environmental activist, decide to spend time together until he is supposed to catch his flight back to New York, this time only being about an hour.

Opinion

Before Sunset is fantastic and delightful. I enjoyed every single second of it, and I liked this one even more than the original. Making a sequel to Before Sunrise was undeniably a hard thing to do, but Richard Linklater did brilliantly. This gem of him shows how to make a film about feelings, mostly love, without slipping on the soap opera drama. The dialogues, once again, are just brilliant.

Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy have grown with their characters, and their performances are wonderful once again.

Quotes

Celine: Even being alone it's better than sitting next to your lover and feeling lonely.

Jesse: I feel like if someone were to touch me, I'd dissolve into molecules.

Celine: There are so many things I want to do, but I end up doing not much.

Celine: Let me sing you a waltz / Out of nowhere, out of my thoughts / Let me sing you a waltz / About this one night stand / You were, for me, that night / Everything I always dreamt of in life / But now you're gone / You are far gone / All the way to your island of rain / It was for you just a one night thing / But you were much more to me, just so you know / I don't care what they say / I know what you meant for me that day / I just want another try, I just want another night / Even if it doesn't seem quite right / You meant for me much more than anyone I've met before / One single night with you, little Jesse, is worth a thousand with anybody / I have no bitterness, my sweet / I'll never forget this one night thing / Even tomorrow in other arms, my heart will stay yours until I die / Let me sing you a waltz / Out of nowhere, out of my blues / Let me sing you a waltz / About this lovely one night stand

Rating

9.5/10