Before Midnight

Let's first get two things out of the way. If you've seen BEFORE SUNRISE and/or BEFORE SUNSET and disliked them...there is no reason to give BEFORE MIDNIGHT a try. And if you haven't seen those movies at all, I HIGHLY recommend you do prior to checking out Richard Linklater's latest near classic. I should also warn that even the most cursory mention of plot points in either the 2ndor the 3rdmovie can be construed as spoilers...but it's tough to talk about the 3rdfilm without giving away some surprise. I'll balance as best I can. In BEFORE SUNRISE, young American Jesse (Ethan Hawke), age about 23 meets young Frenchwoman Celine (Julie Delpy), age about 23. They are on a train bound for Vienna. Jesse is flying back to the US from Vienna the morning after the train arrives. Celine is on her way back to Paris after visiting family in Budapest. They strike up a conversation and clearly hit it off right away. Jesse asks Celine to get off the train with him and spend the night wandering Vienna before he has to leave Europe. The movie follows their ambling through Vienna and just lets them talk. And talk. And talk. And fall in love. For the right viewer, this was a nearly magical film that beautiful captured, through long, semi-improvised takes, the joy of two people getting to know each other and come to appreciate and even love each other. We felt like we were right there with them, and the two stars gave terrific performances. At the end, they agree they will meet again in 6 months, and we're left to wonder what happened to them. BEFORE SUNSET tells us (spoilers coming up). It's nine years later, and Jesse is in Paris speaking about his new book, which is clearly a retelling of that night in Vienna. Celine seeks him out and we quickly discover they did NOT meet (I won't spoil why). Jesse has just an hour before he needs to leave for the airport, and he and Celine pick up their easy conversation and share about their lives, including the regrets and unhappinesses they've had. It's clear they are meant to be together...their affection blooms almost immediately. New to the equation are some minor quarrels (why didn't you come? If only you hadn't..., etc.). But in the end, Jesse is deciding to miss his flight so he can delight in being in Celine's apartment, drinking tea, listening to her sing. The final scene of the movie is one of heartbreaking simplicity and yet such complex emotion. Now, another 9 years later, the two are each around 41 years old. SPOILERS AHEAD. They have been together since that time in Paris. They've had a sometimes rocky road, and this movie is more talking...this time in lovely Greece. They have kids. They aren't "new" to each other anymore as they were in the first 2 films. They are now capable of getting on each other's nerves. They haven't always just made each other happy. And near the end of the film, they engage in what I can only describe as the most brutal husband and wife argument since George and Martha got into it in WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF. There's no violence, but it's a rough scene. Raw and searing. Funny. Truthful. Utterly gripping. In real life, were I to spend much time with either of these two...I think I'd seriously dislike them. They are self-centered, pretentiously "artsy" and VERY vocal. I don't think I'd want to sit and listen to them talk all day. But this is a film, and Linklater and his stars (who have co-writing credit) can take us to just the right moments. The conversations (and snatches of conversation) that tell us all we need to know about the last nine years. It's an amazing film. It's illuminating and full of so many truths. They may not always be truths I can personally relate to...but they feel true and possible and real. After the film, you talk about Jesse and Celine as though they were real people. More than just about any other movie ever, I think. Their dialogue is so specific and so revealing. Yes, these folks are more articulate than any "real" people...but we don't really want to see normal, sloppy conversation. It's enjoyable to spend some time with these folks (although, again, I wouldn't like them in "real life") because they react to each other so believably. Their words mirror their actions and their expressions. Delpy and Hawke (who I'm not normally a huge fan of) have chemistry that's astonishing...you really feel you're peeking in on something you aren't meant to see and hear. All three films include gorgeous scenery, and BEFORE MIDNIGHT is the most gorgeous of all. The Greek countryside and seaside is lovely, and Linklater just lets his camera take it in casually. Jesse & Celine comment on it sometimes, but mostly it just flows over us. And the film is mostly a series of very long takes (the scene near the opening when they are driving from the airport back to the house they're staying at is at least 15 minutes long, and seen entirely through a front windshield...but it NEVER feels static). These films are made with such deceptive simplicity. I acknowledge that these films could also be insufferable to watch. My wife and I rewatched the first two just before going to this latest release, and BEFORE SUNRISE feels a smidge pretentious now. I think that has more to do with the fact that I'm also 18 years older. I have less patience for the naiveté of "young love" than I used to. But that also brought home to me that a perfectly legitimate reaction to these films could be boredom or loathing of the characters. But I consider myself lucky to be swept away by all three films...and in my opinion, BEFORE MIDNIGHT is best of the bunch. It's gorgeous to look at. It's richer in themes and content. It features the biggest acting challenges and the most blistering dialogue. It's hopeful (as all the films are), but the hope is the hardest fought and hardest won here. I highly recommend all three films for ADULT viewers...not just because they contain some profane language, but because I can't imagine a child or teen really understanding what these two are blathering on about (or caring). But if you're adult and you've been in love (or are in love) and have any inkling of the complications of being an adult in our world...this film should resonate resoundingly.

In a film market dominated by big commercial releases and the usual formulaic approach, Linklater et al have done an excellent job in presenting an alternative to the 'romantic comedy' formula. Instead of the airbrushed depiction of romance, here we have what feels like a real relationship with its very real hurdles. Jesse and Celine are now in their 40's, navigating the hassles of dealing with a blended family and ex-spouses, conflicts between pursuing one's career and spending time with the children. It's a more mature film than the last two of the series, and definitely 'darker'. Like the previous two films before it, the main focus is on the relationship between the two leads. Most of the scenes are long, and made to seem like a natural dialogue with its many digressions and irrelevancies. You may be forgiven to think the scenes were improvised. On closer examination, all the little dialogue digressions do have a point. Without giving the plot away, I can divide the film into 4 main parts. Followed by the opening airport scene where Jesse farewells his son (from his previous marriage) who is going back to his mother's, we have Jesse, Celine, and their twin daughters in a long scene (which was taken almost in one shot) in a car - travelling on vacation in Greece to meet friends. We are dropped right into their lives, and the scene basically serves as background to allow us to catch up on what's been happening to them since we last met them 9 years ago. This was followed by a couple of scenes around a Greek house where we meet other characters - a young couple much like Jesse and Celine might have been years ago; another couple in their 40's; and an older widow and widower who were dealing with their losses in different ways. This was a departure from the previous two films in that there are interesting characters beyond the lead couple. The long lunchtable scene was particularly memorable for the spontaneous conversations, always leading back to the topic of relationships. After that a long stroll with just Jesse and Celine talking/philosophising takes the audience right back to their similar interactions in the first film Before Sunrise. As they arrived at the hotel (for a romantic night organised by their friends), this led up to the climax of the film where the tension in the relationship culminates in what I think to be the most realistic depiction of a couple's fighting. The cinematography is adequate and the scenic backdrop is gorgeous even though that's not the point of the film. An original soundtrack was used for the first time in this set of films - it's very sparingly used but effective. It is the writing and the acting, as would be expected, that matters most in this exploration of a relationship. The minor characters are all likeable and believable, but it is Delpy and Hawke's acting (without making it look like acting) that really makes this film. (The leads also share the credits for the writing with Linklater.) What's equally impressive is the matching between the chronology of the three films and real life - the actors aged fairly closely to the films. This film achieves the best intention of 'reality TV/documentary' using totally fictitious characters. Reading some online reviews, I think this film polarises audience - you either love it or hate it. There would be a few who watched this film without knowing anything about the previous two - and if you did that you will not enjoy this film to its potential. Then there are those who do not enjoy the intense conversations. Yes the film is a 'talkfest'. If you don't like this sort of thing, then steer clear from it. And then, there are reviewers who disliked the film's depiction of a relationship - finding the realism too stark - these reviewers tend to like the first two films (or at least the first one). To this I will only say that this is not your usual rom-com, and the audience needs to be prepared for possibly confronting themes (despite the idyllic setting!) I didn't fully explore the special DVD features but the commentary by Linklater, Hawke and Delpy was fascinating - a must for anyone who enjoyed the film and wants to find out about the writing process.

If the "Before" saga is viewed as a body, Before Sunrise represents the birth and the awkward transition from child to teenager. Before Sunset is the uncertain but hopeful glance the teenager takes into their future, like a freshly graduated highschooler who stands between the past and the future. Before Midnight? The adult years. And parenthood. Before Midnight is filled with lush scenery, philosophical discussion, and excellent acting. Sound familiar? Yes, this third chapter maintains the high quality of the series and even manages to kick things up a notch. Before Sunset was better than the first film. And Before Midnight tops them all. Frank, authentic and deeply romantic, this third entry in the saga proves that, like a fine wine, Jesse and Celine simply get better with age. Or at least...become much more interesting to watch. The script is flawless and the performances are fluid. These are real people. The camera is eavesdropping. Kudos to Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy for creating this illusion, as well as Richard Linklater. But, really, this is Julie Delpy's show. She is simply radiant this time around, and deserving of award recognition. To call her performance the best of the year is fair praise. If this is the final chapter, then my heart is broken. Please, Richard Linklater, Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, please don't stop. I will wait another 9 years, and then another 9 more, just to see the next chapter. These two characters are a part of my life now. Their story inspires me, along with many others. Don't listen to the negative reviews; your films are priceless and meaningful, and they shimmer in the glut of shallow cinema. I'm looking at you, Transformers 4. Fans of pure cinema, of art, and of love, take notice: the "Before" saga is waiting for you. Jump in. Before Midnight: 5 out of 5 stars. Picture quality and audio quality are nearly flawless. On blu-ray, that is. The only problem I could find was a few shots of Celine's dress look overly sharpened. The overall look of the film is made to feel realistic, with natural lighting and zero special effects. The blu-ray looks beautiful. Audio is crisp for a dialogue-driven film. Picture/Audio quality: 4.5 out of 5 stars. Rating: Rated R. Strong Language in some scenes. Sexual references in some scenes. Brief Nudity in one scene. Ages 17 and up. Although a 17 year old might not enjoy these films as much as an adult will.

It’s Linklater, and it is actually a good trilogy about the realism and irony behind finding real love.

The title of this review is a little deceptive. Really, my favorite movie is this whole trilogy. I watched Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight back-to-back-to-back at a local trilogy event this past Valentine's Day weekend. After watching Before Sunrise, I thought, "Wow, that was a good movie. I'm glad I watched it." After watching Before Sunset, I thought, "Wow, that was a great movie, and it wasn't until just now that I realized how great Before Sunrise is. It paid serious attention to detail." After watching Before Midnight, I thought, "Wow, okay, that was the best movie I've ever seen, except for Before Sunrise and Before Sunset, which are also completely flawless; I just didn't realize it until now." Each movie takes place within a span of 24 hours or less. They each take place nine years apart, and they were each made nine years apart. The lead characters' actors helped write the screenplays for all the movies. All of these things together cause some interesting things happen. 1. The characters age realistically in every way (maturity, appearance, mannerisms, etc.). 2. The characters feel real. 3. The situations feel real. Since the movies each span less than 24 hours, it just feels like a glimpse into some of the most interesting days of these characters' lives. 4. The characters can change. Since each movie occurs nine years apart, you see drastic changes in the characters, but you also get to see how they remain the same. Their attitudes change; in general and towards each other, but the way they handle problems and such doesn't seem to change that much. It's not until the third movie that you realize that all the changes are surface level, and their deepest selves haven't changed at all.

I saw Before Sunrise when it came out in 1995 and Before Sunset not long after it did. Watched those two with my sons (not born when Before Sunrise came out) recently, and then Before Midnight. In some ways it's the best of the three. The climactic fight near the end rang so true for me, married nearly 20 years. Celine complaining about how she never has time to do things she likes, Jesse saying "make the time." Many times where you think to Jesse: "Dude, don't SAY that!" And Celine being the one, it seems to be, who commits the cardinal offense: saying something you can't take back. But you relate to the struggles both of them face. This is not some sweet, commercial rom-com. You watch it for the near-constant dialogue - seemingly improvised but thoroughly rehearsed, nearly every word and action spot-on. Another (one-star) comment said it seemed to prove what they said in the first film: after a while you'll probably tire of the other. Indeed. That's what happens when young romance turns to long-term love and commitment. Now there's speculation on whether there will be a fourth film. I'm not sure where they would go after this one, but it would quite something if they could top it.

From the very first of the "Before..." movies, the "action", such as exists, takes off when The Conversation takes off, which in the first two is when they start walking about. In this installment, the movie is almost half over before they really get talking. Of course, a lot has changed: They're middle aged, divorced, and remarried (to each other) and have twin girls. They have commitments. They have baggage. Still, when the conversation finally takes off, it very quickly becomes a bicker fest. She starts it off with a simple question: Would you still ask me to get off the train with you? One could imagine he's hearing that at almost every anniversary and probably does away with it by smiling, saying "Of course", adding a bit of flattery, and perhaps a kiss. For what ever reason, this time he hesitates, and then he stammers, and now she feels old and fat. To make matters worse, he's just said good bye to the son he lost via his own divorce; now a teenager, he's just finished a summer in Greece, and wow, far from being the adorable talking pet little kids are, he's almost human. You can converse with him, most of the time. And Dad wants more. Unfortunately, he wants it all, the best of his old life, and his new French family. Needless to say, the wife isn't at all amused at his suggestion they uproot and move to Chicago, the proximity of the spurned wife hardly being the least of the attractions. So off they go on their squabble. As film arguments go, this is not a notable fight. One thinks of the nastiness of "Long Days Journey Into Night", or the epic booze filled brawl between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in "Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolfe", where two puffy actors, beyond their physical prime, go at it, round and round, until the climax where, in a white rage of hate and bitterness, not a single drop of self loathing and maliciousness is wasted. One can no more imagine this couple trying to carry off a fight on that scale any more than we can imagine Maggie Smith lofting "Un Bel Di", or any other aria. But still, if you're going to fight, fight, don't bicker. What we end up with is a couple caught on a bad day, and not a particularly notable one at that. Ah well. If you've already seen the other two you'll have to see this one. The first in the trilogy is still the best, and who knows, in fifteen years or so, perhaps they'll find each other when their ties have loosened and their baggage has fallen away, and in nascent old age, realize that there's still something there. We're not there yet, but I could sit through that one too. So, while it's not as good as the first time, what is? We wouldn't be so fat if we stopped at the first, and best, bite of chocolate.

[Rounded up from 4-1/2 Stars] Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) aren't your typical Hollywood on-screen couple, and, I feel, writer Richard Linklater wouldn't have it any other way. That would be my explanation for some of the lesser reviews for this film from the public (though not from movie critics)--that a film with such an authentic-feeling relationship, filled with a plethora of concomitant dialogue, isn't what most viewers are used to; therefore, the tendency of some viewers is to immediately write it off as substandard, as a generalization. In the Oscar-nominated "Before Midnight" (2013), the third movie is the charm for Linklater in this brilliantly written movie series (after 1995's "Before Sunrise" and 2004's "Before Sunset," similarly impressive), the most romantic movies ever made, in my opinion, possessing the cinematic novelty of watching the characters grow (at the rate of a sequel every 9 years, in approximately the main characters' 20s, 30s, and 40s in the 3 films, respectively) in some of life's most significant phases. "Midnight" effortlessly and seamlessly transitions from scene to scene as if a drone captured the footage. The viewer is supplanted to Greece (where the entire film was shot) right along with the characters and, with undivided attention, is intimately immersed in the film's strength: its filled-to-the-brim dialogue and character development favored over Hollywood's boy-meets-girl character cliches and frenetic-editing sequences (though one gesture by Celine in the chapel was borderline sacrilegious and Celine's topless scene and some of the sex talk were not integral to the plot and probably should've been cut; Hawke didn't even have a topless scene, LOL). The viewer tours Greece right alongside them, including a countryside drive, stop at the market, walks through its narrow streets, rock stairways, and a Greek chapel. And, again, being the third movie in the series, perceptive moviegoers know and care about Jesse and Celine, and Linklater successfully fulfills and confirms our ongoing affection for these soulmates so as to very much look forward to the next sequel, presumably due in 2022.

My so likes it

Thoroughly enjoyed the movie. This movie is part of a trilogy.

Dernier film de la trilogie des "Before". Le film de la maturité. Après la rencontre, les retrouvailles voilà l'amour à l'épreuve du quotidien. La magie des longues conversations. Réaliste et enchanteur.

BUENISIMA Y LA MUSICA DEL FINAL EXTRAODINARIA ES PARA VERLA DOS VECES LOS ACTORES EXTRAODINARIOS DESDE EL PRIMERO AL ULTIMO PERO EL TAGO DEL FINAL ES PARA GRABARSELO

"Before Midnight" (2013) ist der letzte Teil der Trilogie um Céline (Julie Delpy) und Jesse (Ethan Hawke). In "Before Sunrise" (1995) lernten die beiden sich kennen, in "Before Sunset" (2004) trafen sie sich 9 Jahre später wieder und "Before Midnight" (2013) spielt nun weitere 9 Jahre später. Wir erfahren, dass Céline und Jesse Eltern von Zwillingsmädchen sind und gerade ein 6-wöchiger Urlaub in Griechenland zu Ende geht, zu dem sie von einem Schriftstellerkollegen Jesses eingeladen worden waren. Es ist der letzte Urlaubstag, und Jesse bringt seinen Sohn Henry zum Flughafen, der zu seiner Mutter in die USA zurückfliegt. Danach erleben wir ein bisschen vom alltäglichen Umgangston der beiden mit und lauschen Plaudereien zwischen ihnen und dem Gastgeber über "Gott und die Welt", das Leben, die Liebe, den Tod und begleiten die zwei auf einen Spaziergang. Céline und Jesse führen eine glückliche Beziehung, ihre Grundcharaktere haben sich nicht verändert. Sie ist nach wie vor impulsiv und etwas "neurotisch", er hat noch immer den Hang, alles auflockern, mit einem Witz Probleme aus der Welt schaffen und Céline damit zum Lachen bringen zu wollen. Aber bei beiden hat sich ein wenig Unzufriedenheit eingeschlichen. Jesse fühlt sich als schlechter Vater gegenüber Henry, Céline kommt vor lauter Mutter-Sein, Alltags- und Berufsbewältigung nicht mehr zum Nachdenken oder dazu, Dinge zu tun, die sie liebt. Deswegen entstehen Reibungen, fallen schon einmal bissige, gehässige Äußerungen zwischen ihnen. Dieser Film ist thematisch komplexer als seine Vorgänger, die sich ganz auf das Einfangen der Gefühle und Gespräche der beiden Protagonisten konzentrierten, man könnte sagen genau wie diese reifer. Denn da sie sich in der Phase ihres Lebens befinden, die manche "die besten Jahre "nennen, andere die, in der die "Midlife-Crisis" droht oder zuschlägt, eröffnet sich ihnen sowohl ein Blick zurück als auch nach vorne und können sie eine Zwischenbilanz ziehen. "Before Midnight" beginnt mit einem gedämpften Erzählstil und nimmt dann immer mehr Fahrt auf. Der Film fängt die Stimmung zwischen den beiden äußerst lebensnah ein. Den Höhepunkt bildet ein Schlagabtausch, ein gegenseitiges "Vorwurfspingpong", das von entwaffnender Ehrlichkeit ist und in dem sich manche selbst erkennen werden. Die Romantik hat es dieses Mal schwerer, "tarnt" oder versteckt sich. Aber wie Céline mit Emotionalität und "Zickigkeit" letzten Endes um Jesses ungeteilte Aufmerksamkeit wirbt und wie Jesse sich daraufhin bemüht, Célines Logik nachzuvollziehen, ihr zu schmeicheln, um sie zu kämpfen, das ist einfach unglaublich berührend und sehenswert! Ich habe mich sehr gern in Célines und Jesses Welt entführen lassen. Das ist eine wunderbare Trilogie! Fortsetzung (nicht) ausgeschlossen?