Review of Before Sunrise (1995) by Ryan K — 09 Aug 2013

This is a very beloved and nearly classic indie romantic comedy, written and directed by Richard Linklater. There are many existential questions that this film raises with its limited time period and its characters falling in love so quickly.

The characters of Jesse (Hawke) and Celine (Delpy) meet in a foreign country, which of course rings romantic for those who find Vienna both enchanting and intellectually stimulating. The couple meets on a train, which is in itself an ode to the old Hollywood glamour of the fifties and early sixties.

Then they find themselves trotting through the streets of the city without direction, and slowly starting to realize that they are falling for one another, though they began their journey with the promise of not finding themselves entangled in an emotionally charged relationship.

There's a special bond between these two people, and a great chemistry between the two leads, that drives the nothing plot forward. Really it's two people walking around the city speaking about their lives, neurosis, fears, and how they ultimately feel about each other.

Because the time is rushed for them to connect they share a lot more of themselves than they should. Celine oftentimes admits the truth to white lies that she previously told only a couple scenes before.

They speak about their pasts, and it reads as very open and personal. Besides how interesting the two characters actually are, their obvious youth and ties to Generation X make this a great commentary on the nineties themselves.

With the cynicism of the decade, this story hit a home run as it showed two people who were of that time but were living the very possible lives of those who simply wanted to love and be loved. Both are romantics in the film, but both speak about their doubts.

They're raised when extended to real world circumstances. What makes this interesting is the dialogue, which makes the film feel quick but very fluid. Watch simply to see two very well written characters in the twilight moments of dawn.