I am a relative newcomer to the world of Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. Even though the first film, released in 1995, has built up a large cult following since it's release, I had to admit that until fairly recently, I was rather oblivious to it all. However, a number of people kept advising ... Read review
In 1994, director Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused,Waking Life) madeBefore Sunrise, a ... more
gorgeous poem of a movie about two strangers (played by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy) wandering around Vienna, talking, and falling in love. Ten years later, Link...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
In 1994, director Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused,Waking Life) madeBefore Sunrise, a ... more
gorgeous poem of a movie about two strangers (played by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy) wandering around Vienna, talking, and falling in love. Ten years later, Link...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Is there someone who lingers in your memory - someone who makes you wonder what might have ... more
been?Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy make magic again, reprising their Before Sunrise roles of Jesse and Celine and reuniting with director Richard Linklater (School...
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
Advantages: Masterful performances, pacing, visually stunning, touching story. Disadvantages: May lack something without knowlege of the first film.
...newcomer to the world of Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. Even though the first film, released in 1995, has built up a large cult following since it's release, I had to admit that until fairly recently, I was rather oblivious to it all. However, a number of people kept advising that I see it, and eventually I did, and was completely blown away. The simple tale of characters falling in love over the course of one night had so much more depth than ... ...here is the quality of Before Sunset, not how it holds out. I don't think any viewer will have needed to see the first film to appreciate Before Sunset, but I think it will help one to understand the more subtle nuances of the second film. It is these elements that push Before Sunset toward being one of the greatest film romances put to screen.
Before Sunrise ended with Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) promising to meet ... more
I am a relative newcomer to the world of Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. Even though the first film, released in 1995, has built up a large cult following since it's release, I had to admit that until fairly recently, I was rather oblivious to it all. However, a number of people kept advising that I see it, and eventually I did, and was completely blown away. The simple tale of characters falling in love over the course of one night had so much more depth than I possibly could have imagined. Once I had seen the first, I was going to have to see the second, even though I have never encountered a sequel that managed to live up to the first film. However, one thirty mile trip into London to see it later, and I'm happy to say that this is the first sequel I've ever seen that manages to be equal the first film in every way, and in some regards, becomes the better film.
These comparisons are rather unecessary though. The key point here is the quality of Before Sunset, not how it holds out. I don't think any viewer will have needed to see the first film to appreciate Before Sunset, but I think it will help one to understand the more subtle nuances of the second film. It is these elements that push Before Sunset toward being one of the greatest film romances put to screen.
Before Sunrise ended with Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) promising to meet each other again in Vienna six months after their encounter. This has led to speculation for years by fans as to whether or not this did happen. Before Sunset will answer all of these questions, but not before teasing you a little first. This film opens at a book signing, where Jesse has now become a minor novelist after writing a novel that is essentially an account of his encounter with Celine nine years ago. The book also leaves the reader guessing, and the audience at the signing desperately want to know whether or not they did meet afterwards. Jesse is inevitably cagey on the subject, simply replying with "that depends on whether you're a romantic or a cynic". This attitude will be a recurring theme through the rest of the film.
All of this though is just the prologue for what is to come. At the end of the signing, Jesse notices Celine in the book store, and they start talking, beginning awkwardly, but gradually becoming more and more comfortable as the film progresses. Jesse has just over an hour before he needs to catch a flight, but suggests they wander around Paris and talk in the intervening period. What follows is an almost heartbreaking conversation in real-time, where we see the two characters race through as much conversation as possible about themselves and the past nine years, both trying to decide whether they did belong together, even though neither of them would admit that this is what they are doing.
Jesse and Celine have changed a lot in the intervening period. Jesse is more confident and direct, Celine has been wounded by that encounter nine years ago and has never fully recovered. She appears to have stumbled through life, desperately wanting that second chance with Jesse. Jesse, despite being married with a child, has apparently done the same. The cynical viewer will look at this and possibly deem both characters as fools. The romantic will be desperately wanting them to admit that they want each other and to take that chance.
As the film progresses, it slowly becomes more and more emotionally charged, leading to one of the most beautifully awkward scenes that I have seen since the record store glances in Before Sunrise. Jesse and Celine are in a car, travelling back to her apartment before Jesse goes on to catch his flight. Both characters know that their time is running out to act, yet both seem afraid to do anything. There is a moment where Celine goes to stroke Jesse's head while he is looking away, but backs off at the last minute. Why she does this is difficult to explain, as it's clear that it's what both characters would want, but Celine seems afraid to commit to anyone, even the person she seems to accept as being the one. A few moments later and everything as changed, Celine launching into an angry rant against Jesse and what he has done to her life. That moment carries an incredible amount of intensity, and we feel that she is finally just releasing emotion that has been built up since that first night in Vienna.
It is interesting to note that Hawke and Delpy have also grown, becoming much more confident in their acting. That they co-wrote the screenplay with director Richard Linklater can be seen. Both characters have elements from the lives of themselves, and this makes it easier for them to both put across a natural performance. Both of them are seemingly so natural and so spontaneous in their dialog that some may argue that they are hardly acting. Conversely, I'd argue that for a character to come across so real and naturally is the testament of truly great acting.
Richard Linklater's direction is also superb, and it should be acknowleged that he has quickly grown into one of the greatest living directors the world has to offer. His direction here is simple, but that is what works in it's favor. You won't find flashy camera angles or visual tricks, but a camera that isn't afraid to just watch it's characters, and that is what is required in a film of this nature.
I honestly cannot fault Before Sunset in any way. I'm not a huge fan of watching films repeatedly in a short amount of time, but already, only days after seeing it, I'm desperate to watch it again. There are just so many little things that can be picked up from this film that it may take dozens of viewings to notice them all. Despite criminally not playing on any kind of wide release, try and seek out Before Sunset if you can, watch Celine and Jesse fall in love for the second time, and find yourself falling in love with the film itself.
...I was like that with before sunrise and recently I actually got round to watching it and it was great. As I had waited years to watch it they had bought out a sequel to the film 'before sunset' and it is this that I sat down to watch with my sister and cousin on Saturday afternoon. I have to say I loved it more than the first one and I thought as a sequel and a film it was so perfect and hopefully I will get over to why I thought this in this review.
... ...years after the first film before sunrise where Jesse and Celine meet on a train and spend one romantic and truly memorable night in Vienna. They leave each other saying that they will meet in 6 months time and then the film ends leaving you wondering what happened to the two of them and did they actually turn up? Well this film gives you all the answers and picks up nine years later.
Jesse has just published a book based on his meeting with Celine ...
katygriff 30.10.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Before Sunset (DVD)
Advantages: Superbly written, romantic, great acting, feels real, long waited sequel Disadvantages: none whatsoever!
...when the morning comes, just before sunrise, Jesse takes Celine back to the train station to see her off, they make a last minute arrangement of meeting in the same place six months later! Exchanging letters and phone numbers is out of question as they feel that this is something that would make their relation cool off… ====== 10 years later…Before Sunset ======
So, someone didn't show up and the supposedly six months ended in a 10 year separation. ... ...night with Celine 10 years before has enjoyed some success and he is now on the last stop of his book promotion tour in Europe. In his book, just like in "real life" the mystery remains as to whether they'd meet again. This Jesse won't reveal! As he answers the journalists' questions he is surprised by someone standing smiling at him. Celine has come to see him and he sees her for the first time since they parted in Vienna. They quickly pick where ...
lazuli77 18.12.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Before Sunset (DVD)
Advantages: Original in many ways, Moving, Thought-provoking Disadvantages: Takes some of the prequel's magic away
...in real time; every minute before sunset is important and the movie appears even more life-like as a result. Even camera changes are relatively far between and it is pretty impressive to see the protagonists expertly deliver many long exchanges without a single cut.
Lastly, it is always very satisfying to have such a meticulous sequel to a successful film, as it is pretty easy to rest on your laurels, try to cash in, produce something that is too ... ...is expectedly harder for romantic movies which, after all, rarely get second parts. Still, “Before Sunset” welcomes the challenge and rises through to completely live up to the legend of its predecessor.
***The Prequel***
Jesse’s book depicts the events of “Before Sunrise” the 1995 critically acclaimed film that captured the hearts of romantics around the world. It’s a really smart move, allowing you to appreciate the sequel even if you haven’t ...
Magrippinho 09.06.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Before Sunset (DVD)
...a small independent film called Before Sunrise came out and did quite well, winning the Silver Bear award at the Berlin film festival and acquiring something of a cult following, not least due to its open ended will they or won't they ending. Now, nine years later, director Richard Linklater and stars Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy have come back together to make a sequel. As a fan of the first film it was always a risk that a sequel would take away ... ...is a misplaced fear. Before Sunset not only recaptures the magic but retrospectively adds depth and poignancy to its predecessor. In Before Sunrise two young people, the American Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and French Celine (Julie Delpy), met on a train and spent an evening and a night exploring Vienna and talking and maybe, for a moment at least, falling in love. The next day they went their different ways, agreeing to meet on the same train platform in ...
JonathanS2 23.08.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Before Sunset (DVD)
Advantages: Story.Characters.Realistic feel Disadvantages: Wanted it to be longer in duration!
...sequel to the romantic film before sunrise took almost a decade to come out. Before sunrise ended with the lovers(strangers is a better word actually) going apart in the railway station. For years, different viewers must have thought of a different end to the story.We kept wondering how the story really ended. I don't think that the sequel was on the cards initially, but probably the makers felt there was a possibility of a sequel here. Who's complaining? ... ...modern terms and the idea of marriage and life.I won't give out the ending but its very appropriate, and keeps the audience begging for more! Don't miss this film for anything.And if you still haven't seen Before sunrise, then watch that too! ---Also on ciao under the same name--- ...
aadnan613 08.07.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Before Sunset (DVD)
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Advantages: beautiful filmed, well acted, romantic without being cliched Disadvantages: Before Sunrise is slightly better than Before Sunset
Before Sunrise is the ultimate summer romance to watch. It is terribly romantic without ever being soppy or cliched. I watched this film with my boyfriend who dislikes most romances, and he really enjoyed this one.
However the films appeal is not only due to the romantic storyline and the stunning Julie Delpy or Ethan Hawke, but to the beautiful shots of Vienna and the way the director captures the city. There are wonderful shots of people sitting in cafes, or performing on the street, which really draw you into the film and make you feel you are there with the characters seeing what they are seeing.
A similar method is used for the sequel, BeforeSunset, in Paris with some wonderful shots of the city. However compared to Before Sunrise, which has a wonderfully young and innocent glow to it, this is a much more serious and slightly ...
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.
on the big screen, it slowly gained popularity on its release to video, and then the 2004 release of a sequal, BeforeSunset ensured that the DVD has become a must have in any film buffs collection.
Jesse (Ethan Hawke), a young American student who has just been ditched by his girfriend is on a train travelling through Europe when he gets chatting to Celine (Julie Delpy), a French girl of about the same age. She is on her way to Paris, he is heading out from Vienna to catch a plane home, but he convinces her to get of the train with him in Vienna so they can hang out and explore the city together before they have to go their seperate ways in the morning.
The film then follows them through the evening and the night to the next morning as they wander around Vienna together. The film is beautifully shot - I particularly love the scene in ...
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)
Nine years ago, director Richard Linklater's BEFORE SUNRISE introduced American twentysomething Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and French twentysomething Celine (Julie Delpy). The two met on a train to Vienna, and spent the night together wandering around the city, talking, and falling for each other. They parted ways, vowing to meet in Vienna in six months. Linklater's latest film, BEFORE SUNSET, picks up where the 1994 film left off. In Paris promoting a novel he has written about their one perfect night together (the two were never reunited), Jesse is dumbfounded when Celine shows up at his last bookstore interview. With just a few hours remaining before his flight back to the States, Jesse and Celine meander through Paris, returning in no time at all to their playful banter, flirtation, and intense conversations about life, love, and the state of the world. Although the sexual tension is palpable, Jesse is married--albeit unhappily--and has a young son, and Celine has a boyfriend. Are these thirtysomethings really soul mates, or ships destined to keep passing in the night?
Nine years ago, director Richard Linklater's BEFORE SUNRISE introduced American twentysomething Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and French twentysomething Celine (Julie Delpy). The two met on a train to Vienna, and spent the night together wandering around the city, talking, and falling for each other. They parted ways, vowing to meet in Vienna in six months. Linklater's latest film, BEFORE SUNSET, picks up where the 1994 film left off. In Paris promoting a novel he has written about their one perfect night together (the two were never reunited), Jesse is dumbfounded when Celine shows up at his last bookstore interview. With just a few hours remaining before his flight back to the States, Jesse and Celine meander through Paris, returning in no time at all to their playful banter, flirtation, and intense conversations about life, love, and the state of the world. Although the sexual tension is palpable, Jesse is married--albeit unhappily--and has a young son, and Celine has a boyfriend. Are these thirtysomethings really soul mates, or ships destined to keep passing in the night?
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