A friend of mine recommended me to watch Before Sunrise, not knowing how thought-provoking it would be. I thought it was going to be similar to one of Nicholas Sparks’ romantic comedies that I watched in middle school but oh boy, was I wrong. I have never seen anything like it before.
After watching all three movies (Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight), I was thinking about them for weeks. Firstly, the films are set about nine years apart from each other. The first movie was released in 1995, the second in 2004, and the third in 2013. The entire trilogy follows two young lovers named Jesse and Celine in their twenty years of knowing each other. Jesse, an American, and Celine, a French woman, meet each other while on a train to Austria and embark on a special relationship. I will not retell the entire story, because I do not want to ruin it for you.
The first one (Before Sunrise) felt the most superficial out of the three because meeting people on the train and randomly spending the day with them is pretty dangerous. Most likely, it might not turn out that great but making spontaneous choices can also be healthy. They are young, careless adults who don’t have commitments career-wise, so why the hell not? Honestly, I would not mind spending an unpredictable day with a French young man that I met on a European train. Unfortunately, it will be rare for me to randomly find a French man who speaks perfect English. The two lovers kick it off right away because Celine speaks English and she asks philosophical questions that make the conversations enjoyable to have. Jesse is shy and a bit reserved, while Celine is stubborn but confident, which evens out the energy between each other.
The second movie Before Sunset has to be the most heart-breaking out of the three. Throughout the movie, the two want to confess their love to one another, but eventually do at the very last second. It is painful to know that they could have been together ten years ago, but the time spent apart was well needed. They needed time to go through young adulthood full of failed relationships, shi*ty jobs and personal development to realize what they need in life. However, they were lucky to find each other again. There are many relationships where one will be the “one that got away” and people will live the rest of their lives questioning what life would have been like if they were with a specific person. You only live once! Go shoot your shot with your crush this year!
In the final movie Before Midnight, Jesse and Celine are ten years into their married life and experience difficulties. They question cultural differences, respecting each other’s boundaries and whether or not they should get a divorce. I love how realistic this one is out of the three. The movie does not portray any beautiful things about their life, except their children and the care they have for each other. I enjoy seeing the more personal side of both characters. Celine showcases her independent personality and tells her husband that she will not allow her husband to control her in any way. Celine has such depth in her personality that she is one of the most relatable female characters I’ve seen in a romantic film.
On the other hand, Jesse confesses to Celine that she is the only person he has and will ever love. He represents healthy masculinity and is a great listener. There are so many intense scenes in the film that it will keep you on the edge of your seat. The highs and lows of the scene help to de-stigmatize the idea that every relationship has its own struggles. I enjoyed watching the two talk through their issues.
My favorite part about the filmmaking process was that many scenes were taken in one shot, meaning there were no cuts. Some scenes went on for more than five to ten minutes, and the actors completed a smooth and successful take. The actors, Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke, were amazing in the emotionally intense and extreme parts of the whole process. Lastly, the locations where the movies were filmed are beautiful. There were moments where the two characters were on a bus and a boat. It was calming to see the background pass by while listening to a delightful conversation.
I really hope the director releases another movie in 2022 (nine years apart from each movie) because I want to know the state of the characters’ marriage twenty years in. I want to know how their daughters and Jesse’s son turn out and where the family ends up living.
I can go on and on about the trilogy, but all I can say now is go watch them with your boo or girlfriends this Valentine’s Day!