Before Sunrise

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  September 15, 2009

  SirPant

  Not many film makers get away with dialogue only films but with Hawke and Delpy's brilliant performances and electric chemistry, Linklater has produced his master piece. With some beautiful backdrops and excellent photography, Before Sunrise captures the very essence of love at f...( read more)irst sight. A beautiful film.

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  July 21, 2009

  franktowers

  nice set piece

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  April 8, 2009

  FangsFirst

  My previous experience with Richard Linklater is primarily through Slacker, which I first saw a mere clip of in a class as someone's favourite piece of film. I've also seen Dazed and Confused--two or three times, actually--and The Newton Boys but I feel someh...( read more)ow that this must be mor representative in some fashion of Linklater's tendencies.
  Much like Slacker, music does not show up throughout the film except where it exists as a literal part of the scene. This makes the film feel much more naturalistic and real; of course this effect is also enhanced by the fact that much of the dialogue, though written, comes off as ad-libbed, with plenty of placeholders--"y'know"s and "uh"s and "um"s. If it were typical of film, it would be nothing special and would probably be irritating, but here it comes off, at worst, like a play ad-libbed by talented but unrefined actors. Perhaps that's how it should seem--talent being the equivalent of natural thought processes, and ad-libbing from an outline because all interactions are based on the outline of previous experience, even when diverging from them.
  It's a shocking style to wander into in some ways, and does take a little while to get used to when the majority of film does not bear this approach. It slides in naturally through, because Ethan Hawke (Jesse) and Julie Delpy (Celine) are very natural in their very natural character roles. Before long the rhythm is easily established and the awkward nature of the relationship of two people who've never met suddenly makes perfect sense, and the flaws and foibles of normal people--earnest and good, but occasionally judgmental, naïve, irritable or short-tempered--come to light. We see why they like each other, even as we see the negative aspects of their characters.
  
  Their discussions are, like in Slacker, occasionally fairly obscure, often philosophical or sociological and might, to some, seem ridiculous and unrealistic, but having had those conversations and thoughts myself, it felt absolutely real, even as it bore a surreal sense to it as well. They discuss the differences in character and interaction between men and women, and find it a frustrating and neverending conversation, Jesse talks about his tangential internal explorations and approach to life, Celine about her insecurities with the way she feels she is and the way she feels she is supposed to be, and her security in what she wants, but her unsure response to being faced with the chance of actually gaining it. We see the places they're both coming from, though it is a fair bit of time before we learn the details and exact nature of those places.
  
  Romance is not clear, simple, straightfoward or bombastic between these two. It is real, and perhaps that reality is enhanced by the absence of music--and most importantly by Linklater's affection for long edits. Most conversations take place in single shots. Probably the reason for the many verbal placeholders, as the two actors do their best to maintain a natural conversation through five plus minutes of uncut time, in massive blocks of text that must seem off-the-cuff to be able to work completely. Sometimes the conversation even continues until the actors have made their way off, or at least nearly off, camera.
  
  One of the most interesting sets of scenes are the two creative panhandlers Jesse and Celine deal with over the course of their one night together. The first is a palm-reader, who Jesse decries, but Celine makes eye contact with and so they are forced to deal with her. Celine accepts her attention and even revels in it, enjoying the positive nature of her claims and the attention itself, thinking positively of the woman, even if she bears no real belief in what she says. Jesse sneers after she leaves, even if not cruelly, suggesting she is completely full of crap and has robbed Celine blind. Celine is slightly offended by this and they get into an argument only to be stopped by a man sitting next to a river who says that instead of simply asking for money, he will ask them for a word and write a poem from it, and if it adds something to their lives, they can pay him.
  Here is where the interest occurs to me; I found myself somewhere between the two points of view with the palm-reader. I don't find offense in that sort of thing, but would not give money to such a person either more than likely. But here, here I was skeptical, until I heard the poem. I'm not one for poetry, as most know, but I was actually fairly well impressed by this one--especially one that began so scattershot, which, as a very pragmatic person does not work for me most of the time.
  Then, Jesse, after they thank the man and do pay him, suggets that he merely inserted the suggested word into a pre-existing poem (though making the allowance for it being a poem of the man's all the same). At first, I thought I had become a little more bitter, as I've some notoriety for more positive, optimistic interpretations, even in the face of writing that suggests I shouldn't be. Yet, here, I was still thinking positively of someone for no reason, and finding myself vaguely annoyed at Jesse's ruination of the poem.
  
  All the same, both of them maintain complete likeability, and we stay with them for the entirety. A very satisfying film, and closer to the "independent" Linklater than I had been led to believe.

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  March 19, 2009

  MovieGeek13

  The best independent film ever!

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  January 3, 2009

  QueenCityFilms

  One of the most romantic movies ever created...guys, if you want to get laid, sit down with a girl and a bottle of wine and halfway through the movie, just start unbuckling your pants. Done deal - just trust me.

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  November 7, 2009

  sukhoyash

  incredible!! master piece of work without any complications, special effects, locations fukk them all, only two excellent actors and superb script are enough to rock!!

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  November 5, 2009

  steakncheese

  Great dialogue, acting, cinematography and most of all, sense of reality. It's easy to fall in love with this movie because it's almost breathing. Touching in a genuine way, that I don't think anyone can deny.
  
  Before Sunrise is very natural and relaxed, so it's a deligh...( read more)t to watch and I highly recommend it.

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  November 2, 2009

  clau0dia

  I think this is the best romance movie i ever seen. Speechless.

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  October 27, 2009

  neowerewolf

  Pretty interesting, i thought never could see this one, but is much better than it seems...

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  October 24, 2009

  TheExistential

  I really really want to see this

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• 
  July 10, 2007

  murdocmihir

  the conversation in this movie between the two characters is just amazing. the way they connect & are so comfortable with each other is the core of the movie. the vienna backdrop just adds to the charm. ethan hawkes acting is really good. i'm so eager to see 'beore sunset' now. i hope its just as good!!
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  July 4, 2007

  thelovecats

  Natural is the word. Everything goes easy because they were so relaxed with each other, i created a new respect for Ethan Hawk from it and got to know Julie Delpy that is not only a great actress but also a great musician! I listened to her cd and the lyrics are fucking great, i think everyone who like this film should check it out..
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  June 18, 2007

  kalel81999

  I've recommended this to almost every film-buff-friend I know. Engaging movie. It's amazing how much better a simple film with a great script and a couple of very, very good actors with on-screen chemistry can be compared to those multi-million $$ blockbuster movies. Personally, I could relate to the film's plot, and that's one more reason why I liked it even more. Another thing that's great about this small film? The sequel is just as good!

• Ethan Hawke
• Julie Delpy
• Andrea Eckert
• Hanno Pöschl
• Karl Bruckschwaiger
• Tex Rubinowitz

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• Name the 2004 sequel to the 1995 movie "Before Sunrise"?  Answer »
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• Which of these movies did Winona Ryder NOT appeared in?  Answer »
• In the movie Before Sunrise, where do the two lead characters meet?  Answer »

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