IMDB rating: 8.4
My rating: 9.0
Celebrity highlights: two main characters played by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy.
Before Sunset” is one of those amazing films that feature only a couple of actors having a dialogue across the whole film. There is nothing more to it. Just two people talking. But the film feels complete and fullfilling. Both Ethan and Julie performed excellently.
In case you are wondering about the storyline – it is interesting. Two young people meet and fall in love. Than they have to be separated for six month, so they agree to meet at some place at certain time. When the time comes, she didn’t manage to come due to family business. So they went apart with their lives. All of these happens before the events in the movie (actually, it happens in the other film with the same actors – “Before Sunrise“). The movie shows that even after many years they still can’t forget each other and that they still love each other, although both of them are married and stuff. The guy wrote a book, a love story actually, about their affair and it became a bestseller. While on the tour he was passing by Paris, where he mets his love. It’s the same woman. She came to the library when she heard that he will be there giving an interview. So they meet and start talking. They go for a cup of coffee, and then walk around Paris. Just talking.
Firstly, their talk is interesting. They didn’t have enough time to get to know each other when they were youngsters, so they kind of try to do it now. Their looks and ideas are interesting. They talk about everything two people can talk about while walking around paris – family, politics, religion, music, relationships, sex, etc. They have a really rich conversation, kind of you can find with some good bloggers. They also look and feel very natural. On one hand they are very close and can be intimate, but on the other hand many years has passed since they talked to each other last time. It is interesting to see how they rediscover their connection.
Secondly, the film is very well done technically. Excellent photography and camera work with some beautiful scenery of Paris (I haven’t been there, so I can’t say if its really Paris, but looks very good). Interesting how the scenery was different from the traditional perspective on Paris – no Eiffel Tower, but rather small streets and caffeterias, and a small boat trip. Also I found it interesting how the amount of people in the frame was tightly controlled. When the dialogue enters some intimate area, both characters are left naturally alone. There is noone disturbing them. They are either on a lonely part of the boat, or on the bench in the park. But when they are talking on a general subject, there’s always someone in the background of the shot. Like there is the guy drinking coffee and smoking in the background of the caffeteria, or people jogging in the park. Very nice!
Anyway, the film is really really pleasant to watch. It provides good entertainment while gives one something to think about. There are questions and situations described that I’ll be playing and thinking over in my mind for some time now. Great movie!