Review of Before Midnight (2013) by Dana F — 04 Nov 2013

This is the final chapter of Richard Linklater's "Before..." trilogy. If you are not familiar with these, it's a great concept. All three movies follow the same two characters (Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy) at three points in their lives, and in 9 year intervals: the first when they meet, the second when they are reunited, and the last when their relationship may (or may not?) be falling apart.

This is the last and is definitely the most realistic and poignant of the three. This film stutters at the beginning, unlike the first two, which plunge right in. It's a full 45 minutes before the crux of the movie even starts.

It's wasted time and I would have rated the film much more highly if that first part had been trimmed. But once it gets going, it gets real, and real fast. The brilliance of these movies, specifically this one, is how the viewer can so easily identify with both of them - we have all been each of them at different points in our lives.

Hawke and Delpy are entirely natural together, you'd swear they were really a couple. Even though the exchanges between the two get pretty bleak, the film doesn't lose its sense of hope for the future, which is what has defined all three movies.

And the scenery is gorgeous!!! Note to the viewer: these movies are entirely focused on conversations between the two main characters, so if you're not into that kind of movie, you may not enjoy it.

But if you are interested in character pieces that delve into the ins and outs of real relationships, all three of these movies deserve a watch. (For reference, I gave Before Sunrise 90% and Before Sunset 70%).