Before Sunset

poster design Joshua Hooper

directed by Richard Linklater (2004)

I found this to be a completely unnecessary sequel.  I didn't need to know what happened to the couple in the first flick. Before Sunrise was a lovely romantic story,  showing the spark and birth of a relationship, and I was happy imagining a future where they ended up happily ever after.

Instead there's this business, and remember, movies is business first and art second, mostly always.  There must have been enough people saying hey what happened to that couple anyhow? to get this funded right?  It's not terrible - it's got some pretty choice scenes and dialogue - but I just didn't care about the evolution of their relationship.  I liked seeing Paris, but thats merely the pretty backdrop for the jibberjabber where they do a show and tell of the baggage and compromises they've accumulated through the years.  Hohum.  Actually, I was surprised how much older Ethan Hawke looked, since I watched the movies back to back.  That was probably a mistake because I was satisfied with the first flick, and the sequel negated the good romantic glow that I got after watching their initial love connection.  They were poised at the beginning of a beautiful friendship, and learning what happened to them after that wasn't nearly as interesting or compelling as I thought it would be.

It reminded me of Woody Allen, except it wasn't funny.

I think I would have liked a sequel more along the lines of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf.  Give me some DRAMA baby!  This was kinda boring.

Before Sunrise

directed by Richard Linkletter (1995)

I haven't watched this since I saw it when it was first released.   It holds up really well because it's a very simple story.  Boy meets girl on a train and they spend a day together.  It's a relationship compressed down to its essentials and you get to see them gradually fall in love while having dialogues on everything from their past relationship mishaps to what love is and what gives meaning to life. And that's it, not much else happens. They wander around Vienna which makes for some beautful backdrops, in the space they've carved out for togetherness, seperate from their day to day existence, and it's magical romantical.

Julie Delpy is a beauty, and Ethan Hawke is a good looking man, but they're both a little unkempt and regular folk looking too.  They're not super made up perfect looking movie stars and that makes what happens more believable.   Just two strangers on a train taking the chance to be vulnerable enough to fall for each other. 

I love this scene near the beginning when they're at a record store in the listening booth, it's deliciously awkward.

but the movie's strength is the dialogue...actually that's the whole movie. 

I also liked this version of a Daniel Johnston song which plays over the credits.  It's a lovely cover.