BEFORE WE GO

US, 2013, 90 minutes, Colour.
Chris Evans, Alice Eve.
Directed by Chris Evans.

Before We Go is a romantic comedy with quite some differences. The setting is New York City, and the focus on to people who meet by chance.

Chris Evans, who also directed the film, plays a trumpeter in search of a gig. By chance, he encounters a young woman who is in financial need. The film is basically a two-hander, showing the interactions between the two, her initial suspicions, his being agreeable, the background music, his playing the trumpet, going for an audition, her singing, yet her concern about meeting her unfaithful husband.

Alice Eve portrays the young woman, explaining her journey from England through Europe to America, her relationship. It also shows the mutual attraction between the couple but also highlights the nature of friendship and support.

1. A variation on a romantic comedy? Not going in anticipated directions?

2. New York story, the various locations, the streets, clubs, subway stations, hotels, wedding celebrations, train rides…? The musical score – and Nick playing the trumpet, the performance at the social, Brooke singing, My Valentine?

3. The introduction to Nick, Chris Evans’ performance, his directing the film? Playing the trumpet in the station, people busy, the donations, Brooke hurrying by, dropping her phone, Nick pursuing her, her missing the train and her being upset, Nick giving her the phone back, the conversation, her being curt, is being considerate?

4. The film as a two-hander? The hours in New York City? The evening, activities, decisions, the night, the next morning and the parting?

5. The personalities of each of the characters, Chris Evans and Alice Eve, sympathetic to the audience? The gradual revelation of each of their story?

6. Nick, his age, experience, studying medicine, wanting to make a difference, his relationship, the bitter breakup, his wanting his ex-girlfriend to try again? Love for music, taking the trumpet, going for auditions? Jobs? His being considerate to Brooke, trying to help, the ticket, her money, her bag, the contacts, phone calls, trying to recover the bag? Walking around the city? Gradually revealing himself and his story? Going to the reception, getting the money, playing, Brooke singing, the actual band arriving, their going to the green room, trying to get the hire car to take Brooke to Boston, failure? Nick and his ideas, going to the hotel, the attraction, talking, Brooke’s revelations? His taking her to the station, the affection, the device of the phone calls from the future to give them advice in the present? The farewell?

7. Brooke, upset, in the city, trying to get to Boston, the train leaving, the phone call from her husband, her planning to be there when he came back, trying to delay him? The tension in the marriage, his infidelity? Her love for him? The gradually revealing his story to Nick, England, Paris, coming to America, meeting her husband, in love? The tension, her promising to meet him, the saving of the marriage? Her abruptness, her later apologies to Nick, liking him, accompanying him, for the bag, to the gig, her singing, the attempt to get the hire car, going to the hotel, the affectionate talking, the attraction – yet a love for her husband, Nick taking her to the station, her going on the train?

8. A film about friendship, attraction, the possibility of loving more than one person – and the open end?