Before Sunset

My mom and her friends rented this last weekend thinking it would be a romcom. They hated it. Plus, they had no idea about the first film.

I actually saw it last summer at a screening and really enjoyed it, though it's nowhere near my favorite film of the year.

I actually like the first one better, but if more sequels were like this they wouldn't have such a bad rep.

I know some people don't like Julie Delpy, but I think she's very pretty. She also does a really good job in these movies. Not rom-coms, but good date movies. Probably not in my top 10 for the year either, but a good movie none-the-less.

Love this one when I reviewed it for CHUD. A smartly written and directed feature.

Sunset was exactly what it needed to be, and I think I might prefer it to the first one.

As it stands right now, I would definitely add this in my top ten of the year, though I'm not done viewing all that came out yet. Bumpage happens.

Like Kevin, I tried to view them back to back, but Before Sunrise wasn't available and wouldn't be back in the store for another week. The guy at the counter assured me that I could watch the latter alone, so I didn't wait. After reading Sammy's comments, now I'm thinking maybe I should have waited. I loved the way it ends. I guess I'll have to go reverse order now.

As Linklater is not one of my favorite directors (I have no love for Slacker or Waking Life), I was wary of this film for quite some time, but after the overwhelming praise from just about everyone, I decided to give it a shot. While it is typical Linklater (walking and talking and talking some more), it's a much more mature, emotional story that feels real rather than forced ideas that feel like nothing more than 3 AM undergrad conversation. While it's not in my personal Top 10 of the year, I certainly don't begrudge it being in anyone else's.

Actually, you did the right thing. As some critic (maybe Ebert?) rightly pointed out, there is some mystery in Before Sunset because the couple doesn't remember exactly what happened ten years ago, and neither do viewers who saw the first film back in '95. But if you watch Before Sunrise immediately before the sequel then you are sort of cheating, and won't have the same faded recollection of past events that the characters do.

You're sure to still enjoy the first film, which I think is slightly better.

BIG thumbs up. I really like the revisiting of the characters ten years down the road, almost the PERFECT sequal for Before Sunrise, which I liked but didn't love.

That scene in the car is just amazing. And the way they tease us at the end with another "did they or didn't they?" (though something in Hawke's last line leads me to lean quite heavily towards "oh yeah they did").

I was quite amazed at how enjoyable this film was to watch. The performances are so natural and there's this 'realtime' quality to the whole picture that helps bring even more reality. The dialogue is thought provoking at times and the concept of running into an old flame is always interesting territory in my book.

I think they did. Just a guess but both characters seemed to love each other. Even that song at the end that she sings to him about him sums it up.

That's true, Desslar. They don't recall too clearly. I now have Before Sunrise in hand. I'll be viewing it tomorrow evening. I'm anxious to do a comparison.

Good to see more people enjoying this.

Is it possible to love them both? Definitely. After careful consideration, I'd have to say that I liked the first one just a little more as well. This doesn't interefere with the latter remaining in my top ten list for 2004 (so far), it's just that I enjoyed the experience more with the first one. Getting to know the character's and what they were about. I love them both. They both had great endings, too.

I find it hard to like one over the other because to me they're more like two parts of a miniseries or something. Like two halves of a movie, rather than two separate ones.

That said, I love them.

Kueller, I had to go to your profile and click on your recent posts just to read what you typed in this thread to determine if it was worth the 20 minute effort to respond. Heh. I've been logged on since about 7:30 a.m. and managed maybe 4 or 5 posts today. People must think I'm a lunatic that's just sitting here, but hey.....damn it....you can't say I'm not dedicated.

I wanted to respond to you because you brought up a very good point. With a regular, say, television miniseries, I would readily agree.

My response will probably not make the least bit of sense, but here goes...

I think the reasons why I view them as separate films is not only because of the time lapse between films; but there is some slight tension between the two characters in *spoilers* because of *spoilers* ( I don't want to give anything away for those that haven't seen it/them.) Plus the fact that the viewer is left somewhat in the dark about what actually occurred regarding *more spoilers*. I mean, we hear them talk about it, but we don't actually get to see each of their reactions to the situation on film. Those very spoilers are what caused the separation for me. But I also thought it was pretty cool that there was that lapse that we as viewers are not privy to. Actually, two instances, if you count what Chavez and Actionjunkie are referring to.

Please tell me you understood all that. Morse code isn't easy.

you know. I haven't even seen the first one yet. I need to go rent it. You don't really need to see it but now I'm interested. What would have been best was to see the original 9 years ago and then see Before Sunset this year. That way 9 years has passed for you and the characters. You would have fuzzy recolections of the events that transpired in Before Sunrise just like the characters sort of did in Before Sunset.

Its always hard to pick your favorite. I guess I'll find out when I pick up Before Sunrise.

I rented both of these within the last week, in order, and have to say that I love the idea and would gladly see a third or fourth film that takes the characters further. My only problem with Sunset is that the ending feels more manipulated than the ending to Sunrise. What's great about both movies is how absolutely natural they feel. It's hard to believe even that they weren't improvised, but they weren't--they were very written and rehearsed. So you have this very natural style of acting and directing and with the first film, it ends in a logical if ambiguous place. With the second film, it ends in a similar ambiguity but for no good reason. When the screen went black, I honestly said to myself 'that's not going to be the end, is it?' but of course it was. To me, the whole point of the second film was a search for some resolution, and I like the idea that there's never a firm resolution in life, but I felt like the movie needed to go about 15 minutes further into that story.

Dunno, that ending hit the right spot for me. I thought it had just the right amount of ambiguity, but enough resolution for two characters that you've come to feel for and hope for throughout the course of the two films. It's easily one of my favorite film endings out there. In between the time I first saw it and the second, I went through something really similar to these movies, with a similar (non-)ending, and this movie just couldn't feel more real and reflective.

I found the ending for Sunset to be quite unambiguous. Indeed, I thought it was full of certainty.

Additionally, I have to echo the love going on for these films.

I dunno - I feel certain....SPOILERS AHEAD (even though I'm pretty confident everyone here has seen at least the 2nd flick)...that Jesse stayed; just the way the whole thing works - his constantly pushing back of getting to the airport, the whole scene between the two of them in the van, the song Celine sings, and that great final bit ("You're gonna miss that plane"; and an, I daresay, Han Solo-esque "I know" response) would indicate to me that he at least misses the plane and stays with her for the night. But the fact Linklater is smart enough to leave you room to paint in whatever ending you'd like really tops the film for me.

If you checked out the special features, Linklater mentioned that making another film 9-10 years down the road about the two characters is DEFINITELY in the mind of the 3 primary people (Linklater, Hawke, and Delpy); it would certainly make for an interesting little tryptich of films. Plus if you wait another decade, you can find out whether or not he made the plane.

I agree.

I know I'm a little late in posting this, but I hope that those of you who were interested in seeing Before Sunrise got in on the deal at Circuit City a week or so ago. I paid $4.99! Who said you can't get the good stuff in a bargain bin?

So I bought Avatar today on blu-ray and started watching a bit of it. Fell asleep.

Then I suddenly had the urge to pop in Before Sunset for no reason. Just wanted to watch a bit of it. Ended up not being able to tear myself away and here I am typing this at nearly 4 in the morning.

Movies like this always remind me that as much as I may love the flashy stuff, I love the elegant simplicity of films like Before Sunset even more. I just have to be reminded of it every once in a while. For me, it's definitely a film that I appreciate more after each viewing. I'm also fairly certain I prefer this to Sunrise. Fantastic performances. A fucking lovely film in every way.

Also, it's been 6 years since the film. At least 3 more years till... AFTER THE SUNSET! Aw yea!

Oh...

I like the first one because it's so good natured and idealistic but the second is definitely the better film. There's an urgency and tension to it that the first one doesn't have at all. The best scenes are just magic. And yeah the ending pretty clearly suggests that he stays, but the big question is what he does after that.

Better performances, lovelier photography and emotionally its the opposite of the first - a lot of pain leading to a (somewhat) happy ending, whereas Sunrise was the pleasure of falling in love leading to that painful ending.

What the film pulls off best, and why its arguably the greater film, is that it is a sequel to a film that never should have had a sequel - and it pulls it off magnificently. It improves the first film by existing. How often does that happen?

I've said it before, but that ending is arguably my favourite of all time.

Well said. Now, because of you sons of bitches, I have to find time in my hectic schedule to go watch them. I have to.

Weirdly I saw this one in 2004 without having seen the first. It was an unusual way to dive into this duology but and I'm not sure if I'd recommend it but it gave the first film a special kind of poignancy.

PS BS and BS are two of my favorite movies of all time. I've seen Before Sunset maybe 25 times. It's so heart breaking!

PPS Has anyone here heard Julie Delpy's album? It's not half bad. I got it for Christmas 2004

I could talk at length about the growth as actors Delpy and Hawke experienced in between films, and how Sunset far and away is the technically better picture, but this is the real reason why I prefer Sunset to Sunrise. Few sequels can make the same claim.

I bought this two days ago for five bucks at the Hollywood Video going out of business in my town. I've seen it twice before so when I put it in last night (around midnight) I certainly didn't expect to watch the entire thing. Not only did I watch it but I'm so drawn into it and invested every time I watch it. It's the type of movie that makes you wonder why the vapid romcoms exist. What person in their right mind would rather watch He's Just Not That Into You or How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days than this?

This movie hits me in a way that few other movies do. The only one that springs to mind that draws me in so completely and leaves me so satisfied and yet so anxious is The 400 Blows.

Some movies rock you when you see them the first time and fade, this one never has that problem. It grows and means more with each viewing. Perhaps, inspired by this thread, I'll make my girlfriend watch it tonight.

If she hates it we're done.

good plan

Bestest movie /thread

During this most recent viewing of the film, I found myself really scrutinizing Hawke's performance. I was watching them both really closely, as they're both fantastic in the film. But being a guy and obviously relating more to Hawke's character, I found myself reading into every tic and movement constantly throughout the entire film. It's kinda hypnotic, actually. As specific and well-drawn as these characters are, I feel that Hawke's performance still made it very easy to project myself onto his character.

I really got to see this. I remember just seeing one scene on a boat with Ethan Hawke when I was working in a theater it played in and being engrossed by the scene and wondering why I never heard of the movie before.

You should just buy them Stunt Poop, once you've seen them once you'll probably want to see them at least once a year forever after. Probably.


Heh heh ... I hear you Nooj. If by "relating to" you mean "madly crushing on and mentally undressing". I think it'd be very easy for me to "project myself" onto his character too.

Oh shit ... did I just type this out loud?

This goes really well with your Rockwellvatar.

Such a fantastic, achingly romantic movie, which always feels emotionally honest when I see it. I love how invested I get in this, and how wonderfully underplayed it is, and it's my favourite work from Linklater, who manages to make it so intimate and engrossing. Everyone should own this.

My mom asked me if I had Before Sunset.  Some article in a Korean newspaper (or blog?) recommended it.  I told her that the film was going to be 2 people talking for over an hour. 

 

She ended up being highly impressed with it.  The kind of film that shows how much more engrossing a film with a low budget can be. 

 

Anyway, I looked up the budget.  IMDB lists it as 10 million.  That didn't sound right.  Boxofficemojo lists it as 2.7 million.  That fits better with its 15 day shoot.

 

The film only gets better and better.

I've said this elsewhere, but that hard cut from Delpy 'then' to Delpy 'now' is every bit as stunning as the bone/satellite transition in 2001.

One of my favorite movies.  Perfection in everyway and never steers wrong.  This and "Once" I never tire of.  

It's not even about the budget.  Perfect marriage of acting and writing.