Review of Before Sunset (2004) by Joey S — 16 Feb 2013

A very special and unique movie, Before Sunset is easily the most honest and believable romance I've ever seen, and is probably the most interesting movie about two people having a conversation that you could find.

The movie consists entirely of dialogue between Ethan Hawke's Jesse and Julie Delpy's Celine, two people who spent one romantic night together in Vienna and happen to meet each other again nine years later in Paris.

The movie takes place entirely in real-time as Jesse and Celine talk to each other about their lives, the environment, and their romantic relationships while wandering through Paris. Despite the unappealing sound of listening to two people talk on film for over an hour, it's actually completely engaging, as you can see the subtle but conflicted emotions of the two through their expressions, gestures, and the way they speak.

Speaking of expressions and gestures, both Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke give absolutely incredible, jaw-droppingly believable performances. You could watch the movie without sound and still understand what the two characters are feeling through the most minute of details, like the way Jesse looks at Celine whenever she speaks and the way Celine reaches out to touch Jesse to comfort him at one point in the movie, but pulls her hand away before he notices.

The characters are the driving force of the movie, and Hawke and Delpy craft them with so much humanity that you believe that these people could absolutely exist. Before Sunset is a beautiful story of lost love, and it's very likely that there will never be another movie quite like it, save for the sequel Before Midnight.

Watch this movie and you will be amazed at just how wonderful it really is.