Review of Before Midnight (2013) by Nader O — 25 Oct 2013

I think Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise/Sunset/Midnight trilogy is one of the most significant projects ever put on film. The concept alone is genius and the commitment of all the parties involved is remarkable. Imagine, the third part was made 18 years after the first movie. The first two movies are among the best romantic films ever produced in my book, but the third installment is apparently where things start to go wrong, and it is excruciating to watch. This is an uncompromisingly raw look at life and relationships and, in my experience, a pretty fucking accurate one.

The authentic performances are the selling point as always. Delpy and Hawke have unquestionable chemistry and the characters feel extremely real. There are some amazingly long, uncut scenes that are just a marvel to watch, as the actors are so comfortable in their roles by now that you never think you are watching a movie.

That is also what makes it hurt so much to watch. If you have been on this amazing journey with these imaginary people as I have, you can't help but feel their pain when you see where they have ended up. It also makes you think about your own stupid shit if you are at all a thoughtful person and have ever toyed with the idea of trying to be a better person. For these reasons, this is my least favorite of the three, because it has none of the hope and promise of the first two. This one is simply quite a downer.

I can't think that there will ever be a third movie in the series, but I certainly hope there will. I would eagerly watch a film about these characters every ten years. If Linklater would somehow manage to make movies until the characters are in their seventies, it would be the greatest cinematic accomplishment of maybe ever, simply because of the actual real-life time it would take and the scope of life it would portray. Even now, at three films, I would claim this series as one of the defining motion picture experiences of modern era.

If you have never seen any of these movies, do yourself a gigantic favor and watch them all in a row. I wish I could have that experience, but I had to wait ten years for every sequel. And they are still amazing.