Review of Before Sunrise (1995) by Luke T — 20 Jan 2011
Before Sunrise.
Romantically original, but deeply human.
Brilliant! I don't usually like romantic movies, but this is easily one of my favorites. What's brilliant is that the story is completely led by the dialogue (which is realistically full of 'uhs' and 'you know's). Instead of relying of melodrama and ridiculous situations to instigate humor, Before Sunrise simply follows a young couple and their only night together in Vienna.
Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy are both perfect, they have a funny chemistry and they're each an ideal caricature of the American guy backpacking through Europe, and the French girl away on vacation. The way they talk is extremely natural (one of the shots lasts five+ minutes), and I had countless "ha, I act like that sometimes" moments.
Why 90%?
Because it's brilliantly original in all the right ways, and simple. "A couple meet on a train and set out to spend one single night together", that's all you have to say. Also it's ultra-realistic, in that it's chocked full of awkward moments, silly jokes, and quirky memories.
Extra: The screenplay for Before Sunrise was written in just eleven days, while it took nine months to cast Ethan Hawk and Julie Delpy as the two leads. Just shows you that finding the right actors is what makes or breaks a film (makes in this case).
This review of Before Sunrise (1995) was written by Luke T on 20 Jan 2011.
Before Sunrise has generally received very positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
