"If there's any kind of magic in this world, it must be in the attempt of understanding someone, sharing something. I know, it's almost impossible to succeed, but... who cares, really? The answer must be in the attempt." - Celine, Before Sunrise.
Before Sunrise is one of the closest things to cinematic perfection that I ever seen. This may seem like a slightly strange way to open a review, but in this case it seems apt. I find everything about this film to be perfect, and although I can usually find flaws in the films that I adore the most, I have yet to find anything within Before Sunrise that doesn't work for me. The performances are spot on. The story simple yet beautfiul. The conversations amongst the most intelligent I have heard within American film. So why didn't anybody seem to see the film when it first appeared? Why is it only now that it is has gained it's richly deserved cult status?
Of course, as I previously stated in my Before Sunset review, I am no better in this than those I seem to be complaining about. I only discovered the film this year despite it being released in 1995, and I tend to see everything. Admittedly this isn't helped by the utter disgrace that is a lack of a UK DVD of the film, but it does go to show how easily such a gem can be missed.
Before Sunrise's tale is a simple one. Jesse (Ethan Hawke), an American slacker on his last day of touring Europe meets Celine (Julie Delpy), a French student as they share the same train on route to their destinations. She's returning to university in Paris, he has a
flight to catch in Vienna. When they reach Vienna though, he suggests to her that she get off the train with him, and spend the night touring the city before his flight the following morning. She of course does, and the rest of the film simply chronicles that night as they gradually fall in love, knowing that their time is limited.
Now this all may sound rather simplistic, and like something that has been done repeatedly before, but director Richard Linklater presents us with a film that is entirely original in almost everyway, mostly in it's handling of the relationship between the two characters. This isn't your usual shallow physical attraction and eventual conquest seen in most American teen films. Before Sunrise goes considerably deeper. What we see is something almost entirely unheard of; a film where the characters fall in love with each other through words, not sexual lust. From the start, both have fantastic chemistry and watching them is akin to watching some form of verbal tennis, each of them rapidly batting words back and forth, each slightly more appealing than the last. While of course there is a physical aspect to their relationship, for once it isn't the primary focus, and the film is all the better for it. We're seeing two people intelligently fall in love with each other in a way that is much more appealing both to them and to the viewer.
As one moves through the film, there are so many wonderful discoveries to be made. This is one of the few films where I've gone back and watched individual scenes repeatedly and still managed to pick up on new nuances each time. Each viewing of the film presents a whole new set of moments to discover, and it's this that makes the film never get old. Watching the film for the third time is still like watching it for the first. Throughout the film it becomes difficult to know where to look. You end up wanting to watch both characters at all times, whether they are speaking or not as there are so many little glances and reactions that just add so much depth to the film.
The first moment that alerted me to the boldness of the film comes a short way in where Jesse and Celine take a tram to move across the city. As the sit inside, they begin a game where each asks the other questions where they have to answer truthfully. This is the kind of game that may often be played by children, but works so wonderfully here as not only do we get deep insight into the characters (and they get to fall in love a little more with each other), we also get to feel like we are part of the scene. Filming the scene as one continuous take that lasts over five minutes, we can feel like we are also in the tram, looking back at where they are sitting, listening in on their conversation. This sustained shot also means that we can focus solely on the characters with no distraction, meaning we get to pick up on every flick of the hair, every glance, and every little moment. It's pure romanticism at its best.
However, all of this, at least to me, is just building for what is by far the most beautfiul scene that I have ever seen in a film, yet alone in this one. Despite this, it's a much shorter, and much simpler scene than even the tram one, but it works wonderfully. Jesse and Celine are in a record store with a listening booth. Celine picks out a record by Kath Bloom, and they both go into the booth to listen. With the backing of the incredibly romantic 'Come Here', we get to watch the characters as they both try and steal glances of each other, quickly moving their heads away and acting as if it's nothing everytime the other turns to do the same. It's a powerful scene, and one that makes the audience really root for the characters to have their happy ending.
The film is littered with moments like this and I could continue for several more pages if I detailed them all, but I won't. The majority of these scenes need to be discovered by the viewer, whether it be the scenes talked about above, the great street poet begger, the palm reader, the big wheel, the dancing, the phone calls, the ambiguous ending, or anything else. Pretty much every scene in Before Sunrise offers the viewer with an overwhealming sense of beauty sadly lacking from the majority of most films. This film contains more of these moments than most of the other films of the nineties combined.
Of course all of this would not be possible without the cast to support it, and thankfully Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy are more than up to the task. Both manage to make the characters entirely their own, acting in such a naturalistic way that it's difficult to tell where the actor ends and the character begins. Hawke is the real revealation here, as he is often let down by roles that just do not suit him, yet Jesse is the perfect match for him, and Julie Delpy as Celine is the perfect foil for the dialog to click in an incredible manner.
Richard Linkalter is a director that I just cannot praise enough. I already thought highly of him from just Slacker and Dazed & Confused, but this goes above and beyond both of these films. That any director can hit such a level in film so early in their career is an incredible thing. That he could repeat it again nine years later for Before Sunset is nothing short of miraculous.
I try to make each of my reviews as critical as possible, but it just simply isn't possible for me to pick out problems within Before Sunrise. Quite how this film went unnoticed for so long is something that will forever baffle me. It is there though, simply waiting to be discovered, and few who find it will regret it.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Drama - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Shelagh Fraser, Barbara Flynn, Keith Drinkel, Felicity Kendal, Pam Ferris, Colin Douglas
I really wanted to see this until I saw Before Sunset and was kind of disappointed. Great acting (at least by Hawke - Delpy's character just didn't seem at all realistic) but the whole thing was a little lacking in substance. Maybe because it was so short. xxx
hellyphant 02.09.2004 12:41
I can't believe how few people have seen this film. It's in a totally different league to all the samey super hero blockbuster movies that are constantly churned out.
I was at uni when it first came out on video and I must have got it out of the video shop at least 10 times. I love the way it is all so natural. It feels as though you are watching 2 real people fall in love as opposed to 2 actors reading stilted scripts. Great review btw - I totally share your passion for the film!
Yesterday strangers, today inseparable soulmates. But separate they must in just a few ... more
hours. Jesse and Celine are making every moment count, pouring as much living as they can into the time Before Sunrise.From Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused) co...
Advantages: Enchanting, Romantic, beautifully shot, Excellent dialogue Disadvantages: You won't like it if you don't like films with a lot of talking in! Otherwise, none.
templeria 05.09.2006 (06.09.2006)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Before Sunrise (DVD)
![Before Sunrise [DVD] [1995]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78509840.jpg "Before Sunrise [DVD] [1995]")
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