Review of Before Sunrise (1995) by Chris M — 19 Jan 2014

You know how most romantic films out there are more concerned about the destination of the central couple's romance (whether or not they get married, ditch their ex, etc.) than the actual connection that they share? In writer-director Richard Linklater's irresistible 1995 romantic drama "Before Sunrise", a highly refreshing approach is taken with the central romance between the couple that we follow. Rather than focus on the destination of the romance, the film instead focuses on the connection that blossoms between these two characters and lets them just enjoy their time together peacefully. Now some of you might think that this method of romantic storytelling is a recipe for guaranteed boredom, and in less confident hands, it might be. But the irony here is not only is this romance just as exciting as such romantic stories as "Casablanca" (1942) and "Gone with the Wind" (1939), it also even surpasses them.

Before I explain further what this film does differently from 95% of the other romantic comedies and dramas combined, let's recap the basic plot behind it. A young American named Jesse (Ethan Hawke) meets a pretty French woman named Celine (Julie Delpy) on a train headed towards Vienna and strikes up a conversation with her. The two enjoy each other's company so much that Jesse invites Celine to join him in roaming around Vienna before his flight back to the U.S. the next day. In any other film, a scene consisting of a man asking a woman to tag along with him admittedly wouldn't warrant any special comments. This film, on the other hand, is one rare exception. I love it when Jesse asks Celine to think ahead 10-20 years to a marriage that may not be special and that she's got nothing to lose by going with him now and leaving whenever she wants. On an acting level and on a writing level, this scene is just one example of how real, natural, intimate, sweet and thoughtful this whole picture is.

The rest of the film, as far as the plot is concerned, consists of just Jesse and Celine roaming about Vienna walking and talking and having a good time while they can. But once again, what makes "Before Sunrise" such an excellent film is that it takes a risky approach with telling its love story and executes it in a believable and genuine way. By not having any forced conflicts in its narrative such as another romantic interest, a misunderstanding, a harmful secret that one of them is keeping, or any distracting plot points of the sort, it feels non-formulaic. By allowing the two characters to talk about anything they like, whether it's about their past relationships or even their views on life, we get to know more about these two and are able to relate to them more than couples in other films. And by having a handful of shots that last more than a couple minutes, one obtains a sense of reality from it as well as an appreciation of what the actors have to accomplish with their roles.

While we're talking about actors, let's further dissect the quality of the performances by Hawke and Delpy as well as the requirements of their roles. Both actors are left with the challenging task of carrying the whole picture without any major side characters or side storylines to reduce their heavy-lifting. These actors must also add enough charm and likability to their characters so that we'll be engaged in any conversations and experiences that they have no matter what. These two tasks alone are simple to describe, but significantly strenuous to execute. Very few actors have the capability to pull off such tasks due to the fact that screen romances have rarely been filmed this way. However, Hawke and Delpy prove that they're up for the challenge and most importantly they succeed.

What's perhaps even more miraculous is that Hawke and Delpy bring to life one of the very best screen couples in motion picture history, one of the top five easily. Everything you could possibly want to be able to love a couple together is present here with Jesse and Celine. Celine is playful, easygoing, adventurous and kind. Jesse is cool, confident, charming and classy. Together, they have genuine chemistry, a legitimate sense of humor, and in general are a great pleasure to watch. In addition to feeling like real people, you can tell that they are having the time of their life with each other. And I think that's the key to any great romance, sharing a strong passion for one another. It's the kind of passion that will even warm the heart of those who have already planned to be permanently single.

I really wanted to see "Before Sunrise" for a long time ever since Siskel and Ebert gave a highly enthusiastic review for it and described it in a way that I knew it was going to be up my alley. It's my absolute pleasure to inform you that my high expectations for this film were miraculously met. The location where this film was set compliments the love story very well. I'm surprised that Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy aren't a couple in real-life since they make a fantastic couple here. The acting, the writing, and the directing are all exceptionally well done. This heavily underrated gem generated two equally well-received sequels titled "Before Sunset" (2004) and "Before Midnight" (2013). And all I can say is that my expectations for these follow-ups will be just as high as for this timeless treasure.