Before Sunrise (1995)

Before Sunrise (1995)

6/10

Starring

Ethan Hawke

Julie Delpy

Directed by Richard Linklater

When you watch Before Sunrise what you will be expecting to see is one thrill ride of a couple running away together. Well, what you actually get is a thrill ride of a couple spending time discussing life and what it has to offer.

I really liked this movie, not because it is a drama, which is the kind of genre that I seem to like, but unlike most movies it didn’t need the fun and thrill of events happening fast or a by the side action scene just to keep the viewer watching, the screenplay was good enough and you will love the way the characters develop on the screen, from strangers on a train to friends and then lovers.

Unlike the sequels Before Sunset (2004) and Before Midnight (2013) this movie was written by Richard Linklater and Kim Krizan, while in the next sequels Linklater, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy were co-wrote the screenplay together.

The movie serves as a delicious introduction into a follow up trilogy, as two people try to discover themselves and also come to understand the other person as they discuss life, love, religion and emotions.

Everything kicked off when both decided to take a chance, I liked the fact that they didn’t make the movie a love at first sight thing, like something we get when we are watching a Disney movie. It was straight forward strangers meeting up and hooking up.

The plot is about Jesse (Ethan Hawke) meeting Céline (Julie Delpy) on a train from Budapest and striking up a conversation with her. The lead of the conversation was due to both witnessing a couple arguing in German, Jesse tried to find out what it was that they were arguing about by asking Céline who had no clue and from there both kept talking till the credits started to roll in.

Jesse was on his way to Vienna to catch a flight back to the US, asked Céline to join him for lunch (Céline is returning to university in Paris after visiting her grandmother), while having lunch, both talk some more and soon developed a fond for one another.

When they reach Vienna, Jesse convinces Céline to disembark with him, so that they could explore their new found friendship, instead of spending the rest of their lives wondering what would have happened, Céline agrees.

Jesse although has to catch a flight early in the morning so he wasn’t holding much money on him for them to lodge at a hotel for the night, so both decide to roam around in Vienna, till morning comes and they have to part.

Nice movie, go buy it.