Movies: Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, Before Midnight

A trilogy of "stream-of-consciousness" films by Richard Linklater where Ethan Hawke and Judy Delpi spend a few hours together talking about life, and love, and the world.  The first takes place in Vienna, where the two strangers meet and are drawn to each other.  They have a one night affair and then part in the morning, with a promise to meet up again in six months if they both still want to.

The second takes place nine years later, and was filmed nine years later.  Celine, the Delpi character, didn't make the rendezvous, due to the unexpected death of her grandmother.  They had no way to contact each other, so like Deborah Kerr in "An Affair to Remember," she loses her only chance to meet him again.  Nine years later she goes to meet him in a local (Paris) bookstore where he is signing copies of his new book, which is about their one night love affair.  Both are in other relationships now, but not entirely happy, and each wonders what would have happened if grandma hadn't died that week.

The third movie I just found out about, and have ordered.

In general stream-of-consciousness movies usually leave me cold.  Dinner At Andres, Sideways, Full Body Massage all struck me as idle chitchat, nothing deep or meaningful or worthy of two hours of my time.

However, the gorgeous Paris backgrounds in "The Image" (reviewed elsewhere) reminded me of Delpi's and Hawke's walk through Paris in "Before Sunset" and I wanted to hear the dialog -- co-written by Linklater, Delpi and Hawke -- again.  It is honest, believable, forthright, and while not particularly profound it is at least a thorough examination of the "what if" premise.  It did not disappoint.

Looking forward to #3.

"Before Midnight" (2013) takes place another nine years after "Before Sunset" (2004). Jessie (Ethan Hawke) has now married Celine (Julie Delpy) and they have two adorable 6-year old twin girls together. They're on vacation in the Greek Isles (more gorgeous scenery), and start re-assessing their lives -- Celine is on the brink of a career change, Jesse is conflicted over living in Paris and not getting to spend enough time with his 11-year old son from his first marriage back in Chicago.

Again the movie is nonstop dialog, all of which feels spontaneous. Celine is threatened by Jesse's need to stay connected with his first family, even though he professes his never-ending love and commitment to her (and the twins). She portrays herself and thinks of herself as the logical one in their relationship, but she is much more emotional and flighty than him. Both actors/characters are looking a little more haggard and middle-aged (Delpy's a little wider after birthing twins), and it's remarkable comparing their selves/roles from eighteen years before.

Anyway, they have a big fight, she stomps off to a riverside restaurant, and he goes after her. He uses his charm and skill as a writer to win her back.

It's a remarkable trilogy. Very fair, honest, believable, moving, and it treats life as a thing that unfolds exactly as it really does, unpredictably but with some control if you nudge it gently at the right moments.