Before Sunrise (1995)
I'm finally back writing another blog! I have been wanting to write this blog for so long but unfortunately, my uni workload seemed to have other ideas. So, apart from the fact that I'm excited to be back writing another film blog, it's my first time writing a blog on a franchise overall. As you can tell by the title, I am writing today's blog on the Richard Linklater franchise of 'Before.'
To sum it up neatly, the franchise is made up of three films: 'Before Sunrise,' 'Before Sunset,' and 'Before Midnight.' Taking place over 18 years, the films start with a 'meet cute' (terminology for when individuals in a rom-com meet) in 'Before Sunrise' between two individuals played by Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke that realise they have a connection on a Eurorail train and decide to spend an evening together to see if what they have is anything special. The following films proceed to show the progress of the relationship as it develops over time.
As someone who follows numerous film accounts on Instagram, this was a franchise that kept popping up but I couldn't find it for free on any streaming platforms and having done a 92nd Street y call with Anette Insdorf for Delpy's new film 'My Zoe,' I fell in love with Julie Delpy as a person. She's just amazing and I knew I had to watch these films. In a slightly emotional evening of low self-esteem I decided that I would finally splash out a shocking £2.50 (it really wasn't a massive amount but for the purpose of effect let's just say it was a big spend) to watch the first of these three films; 'Before Sunrise.' As mentioned before, the films were shot over the course of 18 years, with a new film being released every 9 years. As the characters of the films get older, so does the cast. I love that.
I think the genius act of simply following these specific individuals over time as they grow with their characters is such an interesting approach to take and gives the characters a real authenticity to the experiences they go through. Instead of recasting them as they get older and forcing out three consecutive movies every two years for the sake of making money is clearly the easier route to build a popular money-making franchise, yet the slow and simple act of drawing out these characters stories as they get older with the cast is so unique and really asserts the beauty of good filmmaking. These types of films seem to have become the trademark of Linklater who also went on to make the film 'Boyhood,' which takes the same approach as that of the 'Before' franchise but condenses the process of the characters growing older with the production, into one beautifully succinct film which I highly recommend watching if you haven't already done so.
I fell in love with this film the moment I watched it. For a film that lacks proper action, it makes up for in dialogue. It's a talking film and one that is bursting with the intellectual chit-chatter of two individuals that just met on the train they shared. The two are at different points in their lives but their shared journey on this train brings them together and instigates a night walking around Vienna to strengthen their bond. A connection was clearly established between the two from the start and this only continues to strengthen during the course of the film. Something I liked a lot about this film was the long shots, not only did I feel it represented the long journey these two will go on over the course of the franchise as a whole, but it's such an engaging way of maintaining the focus on their conversation and subsequently the bond that is increasingly strengthening. There's no need for jumps and change of shots; the film is about the pair of them and their journey only.
Additionally, the various shots of the city in which they were traversing enhance the romantic quality of the film as a whole as it seems 'romance is in the air' as they descend cobbled steps and have coffee in quaint cafes. Something I really thought was sweet, was at the end of the first film the credits portrayed shots of the locations the pair had spent over the night. As a member of the audience, you were looking back over all the events that occurred within the night, the same way the two characters must be doing as they go their separate ways at the end of the films and reflect on the evening they shared together. Anyone who has been on a date knows that it is almost human nature to go back and wrack your thoughts over the proceedings of the date shared and this is directly portrayed within the closing credits. It's definitely a sweet touch to conclude the uncertain ending of the film as you are left unaware if they will meet again.
Obviously, knowing another film will follow asserts they will meet again in the future, but the uncertainty of how and when still lies. At the end of the film, both conclude they will meet in 6 months to the day with no contact details exchanged, just each other's trust and I thought it was the perfect way to end the film. It wasn't predictable and it didn't exaggerate the conclusion in any way to make it feel more romantic or 'fantasy like'. It was romantic in its simplicity because it was closer to the truth of what love really does feel like. It isn't a always a fairytale and sometimes love can be painful and you have to walk away from it for a bit. It felt natural and as a result more beautiful. I guess the most romantic and almost poetic part of the conclusion was not exchanging any details so I will give it at least that for having an element of a 'fairytale romance,' if we're being pedantic in any way.
The second film, much like all of the films, was also beautiful in its simplicity, but the added dynamic of these two already sharing a past added a sense of hope to the situation that this time their conclusion will be better than the last. The circumstances of the second film are completely different and it's revealed they subsequently didn't end up meeting 6 months after the last film concluded. As the popularity of the first film grew, Hawke and Delpy joined Linklater and Kim Krizan in writing the script for the following films. To me, it seemed to almost mirror the development of the characters in the story. In the first film, the characters are young and impressionable with so much to learn about love and what's to come and this transition to joining the writing team shows how much the two have progressed in terms of their professional lives outside the films too. However I must mention after researching further, that Delpy and Hawke did write some of the scripts for the first film yet they were left uncredited. Thankfully they got their credit for the following two films.
Before Sunset (2004)
An interesting twist in 'Before Sunset' was that Jesse (Ethan Hawke) was the one who actually showed up at the platform 6 months after the first film, whilst Celine (Julie Delpy) didn't and I liked the way this subverted the stereotype of the passive female waiting at the platform for a sleazy guy that never showed. THAT'S predictable. But the fact that Celine didn't show up was refreshing. Before I continue, I'm not suggesting the character of Celine is an inherently passive female, but I am saying that I appreciated the subversion of what is normally depicted in films and the media. It was refreshing to see the implication of a guy pining over a woman more than the reverse, like that portrayed within Marc Webb's '500 Days of Summer' which takes the same approach. As a woman, I like to see it. Although her circumstance didn't prove that she cares any less for him than he does for her, the struggle to actually get to Vienna in the time they suggested was an interesting twist to the story that I certainly wasn't expecting. Celine was unable to arrive because of her grandmothers passing which is also crucial because the first time they ever met was when she was on her way back from visiting her grandmother. Her grandmother's passing almost marks the moment by which their relationship can continue to blossom. It's that thing of when death occurs, it paves the way for new life and this is reflected within their growing bond over the course of the second film.
I must mention, I was also left feeling almost hurt when Jesse mentions he is married and has a child as I somewhat felt that he had betrayed the bond he has with Celine. But on the one hand that's completely ridiculous because it was just a brief moment that they were in each other's lives. As the audience you are rooting for them as the connection they seemed to have in 'Before Sunrise' is so strong. In a way, it implied that they could still continue their bond as platonic friends even though they both hold these deep feelings of admiration for each other. After discovering Jesse is unhappy in his marriage and that it's practically run its course, there is once again that optimism that they can both continue their relationship now they have met but also introduces this idea of a complex modern relationship. Sometimes those who find themselves in a relationship, don't always last, but things happen for a reason. What was a sweet touch was the nod to the argument Jesse uses at the start of the first film to get Celine off the train with him as he states :
'Jump ahead ten, twenty years. Your marriage just doesn't have that same energy anymore. You start to think about all the guys you've met and all the ones you never pursued and how things might have been different if you'd just picked up with one of them.' (Jesse)
It's ironic as it's a direct parallel to his situation now. It increases the ambiguity of their future and subsequently makes their story more complex. The city they are in within 'Before Sunset' is of equal beauty as the first, as the film takes place within Paris. A nice nod to the dynamic of their relationship is the fact that they are now in Celine's city. This is her home.
She goes looking for Jesse at his book launch - a launch for a book he wrote about the romantic evening they spent together in Vienna. Furthermore, asserting the impact that evening in Vienna left on Jesse. It is romantic that Celine actively went looking for Jesse after discovering he would be at her local bookshop that day, considering she was unable to meet him at the time they agreed upon. Curiosity never fades and the hope of having something continues to prevail in the absence of their previous youthful naivety. People have summer flings all the time but the fact the pair seem unable to have gotten over their meeting many moons later highlights the impact that night had on both of these individuals finding their feet in the world of adulthood.
I knew this would be a long blog when I sat down to write this but I now feel I do want to briefly round it off with the final film and attempt to not rant my way through it either. The first of the films is my favourite and so I therefore feel I had to delve really deep into everything that is so special about the film. After two films the gimmick of running into each other has run its course which is why the dynamic of the final film is so different yet once again still maintains the romance that they shared within the first film.
Before Midnight (2013)
What is noticeably different about the final film is the dynamic introduced of the children the pair share together. The film starts with the two dropping off Jesse's son (Hank) from his previous marriage on a plane home to America after spending the holiday in Greece with the pair and their daughters. Obviously time has passed since the last film but the development of their relationship between 'Before Sunset' and 'Before Midnight' has progressed significantly. Whilst the last two films have centered around the bond forming between the two and the bond strengthening, this introduces a new side to relationship as the two begin to argue about their differences. Jesse wants to spend more time in the US to be closer to Hank as he grows older whilst Celine wants to stay in Europe and leave things the way they are.
The film is once again primarily dialogue based but there are more supporting actors in this film than in the others. Notably, there are a few couples that are staying at the home with the family during their holiday. Each of the couples are at a new stage in their relationship with a young couple representing the start of a blossoming relationship (much like Jesse and Celine in 'Before Sunrise'), another couple at a similar stage to Jesse and Celine but with what seems a positive stage in their relationship and then you have the older couple making jokes about their relationship but proving their love is still strong. Sitting at the table together encapsulates the stages of a relationship but considering Jesse and Celine's circumstances highlights that in terms of face value, relationships aren't always as content as they seem.
The argument within the film is brilliant because it shows the true pain that can come from a relationship. Whilst things can blossom and grow, this film is proof that once again nothing is final and the conclusion of the film ends quite optimistically. The first time I watched it, I will say I was quite confused because Celine claims she is not in love with Jesse anymore when it comes to the end of their fight, but in his attempts to make her laugh it seems that the film ends on a positive yet sad note. However, going back over the ending it seems more optimistic than first percieved. Through everything, they can work through their problems. Whilst things are said out of anger and passion, nothing is final and if they can overcome their own personal challenges they can work through anything.
The first two films projecting the impulsivity of youth and the final installment presenting the consequences of those impulsive actions, I feel the films are completed perfectly. Whatever happens in the story of their relationship after these films conclude, we are left with one thing: that no matter what happens, the bond between these two is strong and love will always find a way to prevail. It is in fact almost 9 years after 'Before Midnight,' so it would be amazing to have another one yet I don't really know how they would be able to continue without dragging it out for the sake of reuniting the cast once again. As well as that I know I haven't delved into the details of the last two films as much as the first, but that's so I can leave a few details left for those who haven't yet watched these films.
Beautiful in it's simplicity, these films reflect the true nature of romance and love through all its difficulties. Whilst not the most exciting and adventure-packed series of films I've ever watched, I think it's utterly beautiful and is really worth a watch. Perfect to watch on a rainy Sunday night under a cosy blanket with a hot beverage, (that's how I'd watch it but obviously watch it however you so choose).
Before I round this off, I do want to mention a few of my favourite moments of the films overall, like the beautiful Milkshake poem that is written for the pair on the Danube Canal and the argument they both have when they reconnect in 'Before Sunset' as they debate whether they really did have sex the night they spent in Vienna or if Jesse just made it up for the sake of his book, before Celine admits she really did remember but just preteneded she forgot because she feels that each sexual experiences shouldn't have to be a 'life altering event.' I love these films and I hope that this blog has helped those that haven't yet seen these films reach a conclusion as to whether they feel they should delve into the world of Jesse and Celine the same way I did.
Quick Trivia:
The screenplay was written in eleven days. (Before Sunrise)
Numerous references to James Joyce's novel "Ulysses" can be found in 'Before Sunrise.' Both take place on June 16th, running into the early hours of June 17th. Both involve a journey around a single city (Dublin/Vienna) and include a visit to a graveyard. Jesse's real name is James (Joyce's first name) and, like Joyce, he spent a long time wandering around the cities of Europe instead of going home. (Before Sunrise)
When Ethan and Julie exit the train in Vienna, Ethan has a heavy leather jacket slung over his shoulder. Though shot at the Vienna train station near midnight, it was during one of the hottest summers in Austria 'til then and was still 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Ethan still carried that jacket for the remainder of the film. (Before Sunrise)
Julie Delpy wrote and performed three songs for the soundtrack. (Before Sunset)
Since the film takes place during the mid-late afternoon, it was the only time of day director Richard Linklater would shoot the scenes in the film. He felt it added to the hyper-reality of the film, and often relied on the actors to get perfect takes at the right time. (Before Sunset)
Though this movie was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, the screenplay is not based upon any existing text. However, the Academy rule book says that all sequels are adaptations. (Before Sunset)
Ethan Hawke described 'Before Sunrise' (1995) as a film about what might be, 'Before Sunset' (2004) as a film about what could or should be, and 'Before Midnight' (2013) as a film about what is. (Before Midnight)
In the final scene of 'Before Sunset' (2004), Celine and Jesse discuss their admiration for Nina Simone and Celine dances to 'Just in Time.' In this film, one of their daughters is named Nina. The name of the other daughter, Ella, is likely a reference to Ella Fitzgerald. (Before Midnight)
The bottle of wine the characters open in their hotel room is "1827" from Navarino Vineyards. While indeed a Peloponnesian wine, both 18 & 27 are multiples of 9, an allusion to the years between films. (Before Midnight)
Julie Delpy has revealed that she refused to make 'Before Midnight,' the third in the celebrated romantic drama “Before” trilogy, unless she received the same pay as her co-star Ethan Hawke.
Sources:
Before Sunrise: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112471/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Before Sunset: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0381681/
Before Midnight: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2209418/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Director: Richard Linklater
Writers: Richard Linklater, Kim Krizan, Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke
Certificate: 15
Genres: Romance, Drama
Stream: All can be available to rent or purchase on Amazon Prime UK