Before Sunset, sequel to Before Sunrise... (1 Viewer)

[Edwin Pereyra]

I can't wait for this one to open in my neck of the woods. I liked the original, as well.

~Edwin

 

[Ocean Phoenix]

If there is a another one, how long does everyone think the wait should be for it to come out? I think 5 years would be appropriate.

 

[Steve Y]

I saw the trailer for this last night. It merges out-of-context scenes and dialogue in an attempt to present the experience as a "preciously cute romantic comedy"... meanwhile, a movie-guy voice narrates cloyingly, "what would YOU do if had a second chance... with the one that got away?" I'm sure there are some people who went to see it based on this trailer and were sorely disappointed by the better movie they were forced to watch in its place.



~s

 

[Andrew Bunk]

Agreed. Trailers can keep you away from a movie you might really like. Perfect example: Fight Club. I saw that trailer so many times in the summer of '99 (due to multiple Phantom Menace viewings), and every time I thought it looked trite.

I gave it a chance as rental. It's now in my top 25 films. Nothing like what the trailer sells.

 

[Gregory Vaughan]

I always think those decisions are made by marketing people that don't really like the film in question. They think "Ug, who's going want to see that. We better make it look like something different." And then they're surprised when the film gets bad word of mouth, because the people who would like it never showed up. I always imagine them thinking, "well, I tried my best, but this just shows my instincts were correct that people won't like this."

Of course in this case, all the people who liked the first film knew what to expect from the second one anyway (and weren't disappointed).

 

[Mikel_Cooperman]

I felt the same way about Fight Club. I didnt want to go see a macho crap movie about fighting but it wasn't just about fighting and loved the movie.

 

[Jerry R Colvin]

I loved Before Sunset. Saw it last Friday, and the next day watched Before Sunrise for the first time in nine years on the DVD I've had for a while now.

Anybody notice that in the first movie, they interacted with several interesting characters, but in Before Sunset (as far as I can remember), they interacted with hardly anyone but each other? Not a complaint, just an observation.

 

[Brian-W]

Finally saw it yesterday, fantastic movie. But I think the movie happening in real time made it seem significantly shorter. Just when you think Act 3 is going to start, the movie ends.

However, I like the parallels between the first movie and this movie, and what seems to be a sure thing for a third movie.

I didn't realize it until the later that day, but I love how Ethan Hawke's character foreshadows the ending in the beginning of the movie:

When Ethan is talking at the beginning to the critics:

"Now you think they end up together, and you think that they don't, while you leave it up to the reader to decide" and that's EXACTLY how this movie ends...it could be any of those choices...


F'ing great movie...

 

[Rich Malloy]

Yes, but for that one night, at the least, he's not going anywhere!

 

[Brian-W]

True Rich, true...and that made the ending all the more satisfying...

 

[Rich Malloy]

I thought so, too!

 

[Nick C.]

Finally watched the film, and enjoyed it immensely, but at the same time, found it frustatingly contradictory, but I suppose that's where the ambiguity and "to each his own" idea emerges to make that great ending... By frustrating I suppose it was that dichotomy of romanticism versus reality/cynicism, with each character's lives/relationships (marriage compromising "honesty" for responsibility), memories (keeping a journal, writing books, etc. to recall the past, only to shudder at the botched relationships and experiences), jobs (romantics: enviornmental activist and author), happiness (desire being obligatory to it, while contentment really implying depression) and so on and so forth.

In regards to the ending, along with what Celine said in the minivan about finding herself getting into relationships even though they don't satisfy her (to such a degree that she blames it all on her noncommittal and insatiable self), it really reminded me of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" with the circuitous attempts at relationships, despite the "predestined" roadbumps or grief that may follow

 

[Edwin Pereyra]

What a very personal and emotionally resonant film Richard Linklater has created here. I think I like this better than the first one as the topics of conversation are more mature and have a feeling of importance. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy give so much honesty to their characters as they also share co-writing credits with Linklater and Kim Krizan.

Much like its predecessor, Before Sunrise, and another chatty film, My Dinner With Andre, we become so engrossed with these two characters as they share their life experiences and stories since seeing each other again nine years later.

With Jesse and Celine, their conversation pieces include personal relationships, love, work, regrets, responsibilities, and family, among others. These are topics that are so universal that we relate to them in one form or another. But along with these pieces of conversations, it is the delivery of Hawke and Delpy that radiates and makes the time that we spend with them all the more special, memorable and heartfelt.

~Edwin

 

[Mikel_Cooperman]

It appears the DVD is already coming out and I believe the date of release is 11/9.
That was quick.

 

[SarahG]

Wow -- that soon for the DVD release! I'm looking forward to this one after reading all these reviews.

 

[ZacharyTait]

I saw this last Thursday by myself in the theater. I wasn't surprised since it was the last day it was in town.

Great movie. Hawke and Delpy are in top form here. I love how the movie was nothing but them talking for 1 hour and 20 minutes, and yet it was entertaining as hell.

I'll have to go watch the 1st one again, but I think I like this one more since the characters are more cynical about life which is what I am today compared to 9 years ago.

****

 

[Ted Todorov]

Best American film of 2004 (and I seriously doubt something will top it). Linklater now replaces Whit Stillman as the American filmmaker whose future work I anticipate the most.

I don't know where to start -in praising Before Sunset, and many of the posters in this thread have already done a fine job.

I will add: The best use of real time in a film that I have ever seen. Lately real time films have been all the rage: Time Code, A Single Girl and the ridiculously overpraised Russian Ark. With Before Sunset the real time timeframe not only adds tremendously to the drama, but is executed in spectacular fashion. It also drives home how totally natural Hawke's and Delpy's acting was -- there wasn't a single instant where you though you were watching anything but real life.

The second thing that stood out for me was the effective use of autobiography: the question was explicitly addressed in the beginning, and I think that having the leads co-write the script is what made it all so real and so great.

And of course this is the most intelligent AND romantic film we are likely to see for a long time (at least until part 3 comes out in another decade or so).

If you haven't seen Before Sunset yet, RUN don't walk to the nearest theater.

Ted

P.S. I saw Before Sunrise when it came out, 9 years ago and my memory of it was quite hazy which I think only added to my enjoyment.

 

[ThomasC]

Ditto.

 

[Seth Paxton]

(copy from 2004 film thread)

Before Sunset
10 of 10
While short and simplistic in that it is merely a film about 2 people talking, Linklater has recaptured what made Before Sunrise such a terrific film. First, the dialog is outstanding. The interaction between the characters in both films exhibits an openess and honesty that is refreshingly interesting in modern films, even independent films.

Second, in both films Linklater identifies the problem with a talking head film and aggressively solves it by keeping their discussion on the move in beautiful surroundings. As they walk into new areas the sense of changing acts and tones comes through visually. At the same time there are often backdrops of interesting motion that keep the viewer from tiring of some static conversation.

Even how their conversation and relationship escalate is paralled in how their physical position changes, going from sitting, to walking, to riding a boat, then a car and finally climbing the stairs to her apartment.

It's less than 80 minutes screen time but its an extremely satifying tale of star-crossed lovers with perhaps my favorite last lines of the year.



And for the record, I've never seen 2 people that more needed to be with each other or were more wrecked by not being apart. I think they both recognized these facts and will remain together. The #1 problem in both of their lives was that they didn't get together in the first place. IMO, you don't tempt fate twice and I don't think they will.

I think the urgancy of that feeling is exactly why Hawke is staying rather than just getting some contact info for the future. They know this is critical and always was.


BTW, when the film faded to black my split-second reaction was "no, your fucking it up, this cut by fade just ruins the momentum and those lines" followed quickly by my realization that Linklater was making the very correct choice to actually end it that soon rather than fading into some worthless "and then" crap scenes.

Brillant last 2 lines to end on.

 

[ThomasC]

I just watched Before Sunrise for the first time. Wonderful.