BEFORE SUNSET
US, 2004, 81 minutes, Colour.
Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Vernon Dobtcheff, Albert Delpy.
Directed by Richard Linklater.
In 1995, audiences were divided concerning Richard Linklater’s Before Sunrise. Some thought it a tedious talk-fest, a young man and a young woman meet by chance and spend several hours in a train journey and a walk through Vienna, discussing a range of experiences that interested them both (but not, apparently, some of the audiences). Others thought it an absorbing and thoughtful, intelligent and relevant reflection on contemporary life and values by the young. It won the prize for Best Director at the 1995 Berlin Film Festival and a commendation from the Ecumenical Jury.
Nine years later, the director, Richard Linklater, has teamed up with his two stars, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, and brought them together for more talking and sharing. Nine years on, he is a successful novelist on a tour of France, she is a worker for an environmental group who comes to his interview to meet him again. This time the film works with screen time as real time. The conversation goes for about 80 minutes before he is to go to the airport for his plane.
Hawke and Delpy have matured physically and in dramatic stature. He is more laid-back, ironic but earnest in asking questions and talking about his failures. She is even more vivacious, a little hardened by her experiences, more emotional and sometimes volatile, with a great yearning for (and fear of) being loved.
Their conversations are stimulating even if they do run through them at a rapid rate, alighting on all kinds of issues, often making astute observations that can strike a chord in the audience. For those who liked Before Sunrise, Before Sunset is a must. For those who did not, this sequel should be avoided. But, it is still good to see younger film-makers working on an intelligent adult drama.
1. The impact of the original film, the nine-year gap between the film and its sequel? Audience response to the original characters, their lives, issues, age and experience? Their ability to talk, the quality of conversation? Relationship? Intimacy? The original and its taking place during the night? This film during the day? the titles?
2. The nine years difference, audience continued interest in what happened to the two characters, the nine years of age, experience, good and bad, their physical appearances, their lives, maturity? The different between the perspective of the early 20s and the early 30s?
3. Paris, the background, the glimpse of locations and their use during the film, the unobtrusive use of Paris, not a touristic perspective? The shop, the streets along which they walked, the café, the boat, the taxi, the apartment? The musical score – especially Nina Simone’s final song?
4. The film taking place in real time, its effect? The minimal plot? The talk, filling in background, characters and events, relationships? The plan to go to the airport?
5. The quality of the talk and the conversation, the blend of spontaneous screenplay and scripted? The self-revelation of each of the characters? Their caution, gradual revelation, the range of topics, actual events, factual material, world issues? The tensions between the two?
6. The original plan to meet six months later, the consequences, Celine not turning up, the death of her grandmother, no way to communicate with Jesse? Jesse and his saying he didn't turn up, in fact his going?
7. Jesse and his novel, This Time? The book launch, the interviews, the questions from the journalists, personal, trivial? The discussion about the novel which took place within the length of a song? Jesse’s skills, writing, art, memory?
8. Celine’s arrival, Jesse seeing her, being disconcerted? His comments, her explanation of seeing the advertisement?
9. Their clearing of the six months issue, the explanation of the grandmother’s illness, death and funeral? The fact that Jesse went? The consequences? The importance to each of them for the resolution of this issue?
10. Each of them explaining their work, Celine and her working for the environment, better world, travel and experience, studies, working for the government, moving to work for causes? Jesse’s admiration, her life, relationships, her being dropped, the photograph, absence of people in her life? Memories, the importance of deep love, the response to Jesse from the past, the romantic idea of not having any contact and its practical consequences?
11. Jesse and his novel, his travel, success, marriage, his thinking that he saw Celine in New York, the fact that she was there at the time? The nature of his marriage, love or not? His love for his son? His expectations for their future, the effect of meeting Celine again?
12. The attitude towards the world, Celine serious but not religious? The discussions about God, about Buddhism, about principles?
13. Jesse’s attitude, a seeker? American perceptions? Wanting meaning in life? His visit to the Trappist monastery, his discovering how extroverted the monks were, how joyful, finding a place for meaning and joy in the world? His own touches of cynicism?
14. The United States, Celine and her friendship, perspective, the strong critique of the United States and its ethos? Her having lived there for a time? Jesse accepting this criticism?
15. The discussions of love, commitment? The discussion about whether there was a sexual relationship or not in the past, remembering it or not?
16. The taxi ride, the time building up, the phone calls, the apartment, the music, the Nina Simone song, Celine miming it?
17. Celine and her own song, the lyrics and the memories? Communicating the depth of their relationship? Jesse’s decision to stay? The question of their future?
