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Director Richard Linklater, with BEFORE SUNRISE,
has created a special dialogue-driven dating movie. During most
of the film, the basic story follows a cute young couple through
a long, first date. A French grad student, Celine (Julie Delpy),
and an American boy, Jesse (Ethan Hawke), meet on a Budapest-Vienna
train. It starts with a chance encounter in the afternoon on
the train, and goes throughout the night and until the early
morning, turning into a 14 hour date.
Considering that Linklater's previous films
were SLACKER and DAZED AND CONFUSED, BEFORE SUNRISE is a surprisingly
mature work. Ironically, the twenty-something audience this
film was aimed at stayed away in droves from this film during
its original theatrical run.
One of the film strengths is that it captures
the flavor and fluid structure of a first date, hooking the
audience with "intriguing conversations" and the couples'
spontaneity. You get to know the characters as they get to know
each other, just like a first date, "as the two share in
their love for the unrehearsed and their appreciation for the
unexpected as they explore in a powerful meeting of hearts and
minds." - Hong Kong Arts Center.
The well cast movie has cute romantic moments.
My favorite scene, takes place early on
in the film, on a train. Charming young passenger, Hawke, makes
an amazing pitch for Delpy to spontaneously get off the train
with him, involving time travel and her future regret about
missing an opportunity to spend time with the "right guy."
It's the kind of crazy pitch that only a young guy would try,
and only a young girl would go for. Oh to be young!
Lee Daniel did a terrific job with the cinematography,
especially with his effective lensing of the atmospheric Vienna
locations, which enhances the viewing experience.
BEFORE SUNRISE is popular with people who enjoy
romance films, that are unpretentious and grounded in realism.
Although the pacing is slow at times, it's appropriate, creating
the right overall mood of the all-night date. "Before Sunrise"
even has suspense, making the viewer guess if the couple will
end up with each other. Romantics will be well satisfied by
the ending. * Parents need to be wary. It
is rated R. - Sexual content, language. Their ideas about sex
that are expressed are not for family viewing and not for those
under 17.
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