Review of Before Sunset (2004) by Clem666 — 11 Nov 2021

Linklater's second effort for this terrific trilogy. Six years later Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy) meet again in another intense endless dialogue. They both changed based on the experiences they had.

'Before Sunset' is one of these movies you watch without realizing that you are literally trapped between four eyes, two amazingly profound looks and many deep and intelligent observations and thoughts. Atmosphere is grogeous as it changes with the subjects tackled. The end is truly surprising.

Yet I can't deny user seancriswell's interesting opinion: Jesse and Céline only struggle with white and rich problems. They don't live in constant violence and are not judged for what they are not. They simply live their lives with a lot of questions as they make difficult things that are not supposed to be that way. I guess it is what makes this feature poetic and beautiful : it underlines how men and women don't accept happiness and manage to torture themselves in one the most horrible way there is. They tend to accept events only partially, in the easiest or most meaningful way they can. And Linklater managed to make us spectators of it.