I didn’t think they made films like this anymore. A movie that tells a story strictly through dialogue. A cinematic canvas that is painted through the art of conversation and stripped away of everything else. No soaring movie scores, no special effects or clever camera shots. We are merely voyeurs in the lives of two people as they discuss things that are universal to all people.
I’m a big fan of director Richard Linklater’s ‘Before’ series that has spanned more than 20 years in the life of Jesse and Celine. In 1994 (hard to believe that was almost 20 years ago) the indie film ‘Before Sunrise’ was an unlikely hit (it cost $35,000 to make). It was the story of an American named Jesse (a 22 yr old Ethan Hawke) who has a chance meeting with a young French grad student (the enchanting Julie Delphi) on a train bound for Vienna. Jessie’s plane is scheduled to take off at sunrise the next day and he convinces Celine to spend the evening exploring Vienna with him. What follows was probably one of the most thoughtful and romantic films of the the 90’s. A film head and shoulders above the teen age romance genre it was marketed as.
Almost 10 years later in 2003, Richard Linklater revisits Jesse and Celine running into each other in Paris in ‘Before Sunset’. The characters are not as innocent and naive as they were in the first film, but the spark and memory is still there. What follows is a rekindling of a more mature romance that is every bit as captivating as the original.
And now, in 2013, we visit the lives of Jesse and Celine on vacation in southern Greece. Together 10 years with the beginnings of a family, we explore a much more world weary couple, but no less connected. The dialogue is straightforward and honest and delves in topics that movies rarely discuss. Despite what blockbusters would have us believe, there is drama in everyday life and intrigue in feelings of the mundane. Once the ‘honeymoon’ is over in our relationships, the conversations become unobstructed from the filter of star struck endorphins. Where ‘Before Sunrise’ was all about connection and falling in love, ‘Before Midnight’ explores what happens after you fall in love. Love is powerful, but not always as shiny once the realities of day to day life set in.
Hopefully you have seen ‘Before Sunset’ before reading this and you know that Jesse has decided to move to France to be with Celine. Ten years later they have settled down and are vacationing in the south of Greece with their twins. Jesse feels guilt that he is missing the life of his son from his first marriage as he sends him back home to Chicago after staying with him over the summer. Celine adores Jesse’s son and senses Jesse’s unhappiness over missing major parts of his life. She begins to fear they are moving in different directions as, additionally, her professional career begins to take her on a path that Jesse doesn’t like.
The opening conversation around the open air table at the house of a writer friend they are staying at is everything a pretentious New Yorker dreams of. It’s nothing but good food and good conversation and the director does an incredible job making you feel you are right there and part of the meal time interaction. Four couples sit around the table, each with their own perspective on life. The conversation flows and is extremely warm and gratifying. As the film progresses, we gain a deeper understanding into both Jesse and Celine’s feelings and how, despite their love, forces might pull them apart.
All three ‘Before’ films feature exotic european backdrops that aren’t necessarily breathtaking, but enhance the story. We don’t see much of Greece until Celine and Jesse take a long walk into town to spend their last night of vacation in a luxury hotel in the local village. The last act of the movie in the hotel room is also the showcase conversation. The conversation is brutally raw between the two despite their love for each other. The dIrector does a great job at capturing the ebb and flow of arguments between couples. We live the conversation with them and all the while there is a sense of deja-vu as I would venture to say that everyone has been a part of such conflicts at some point in their lives.
The dialogue is continuous, in some cases for up to a half an hour. It flows naturally and organically. So much so, that I wonder how much of it is scripted and how much is improv. The conversations wander from topic to topic much as a normal conversation would. It’s often difficult to tell where the conversation started considering where it ends up. If it was scripted, I’m amazed that the actors were able to memorize such a continuous block of dialogue. And so naturally at that.
Much like life, director Richard Linklater does an incredible job at capturing people at different points in their lives. From the young idealism of youth to the more world weary realism of middle age. It is fascinating to see this journey in real time over the course of twenty years. Both the actors and director say they plan to do one and maybe even two more films, both at 10 year intervals.
If you couldn’t tell, I loved this film. It is definitely one of the best I’ve seen this year. Be prepared that this film is entirely dialogue and derives it’s purpose from the art of conversation. It’s candidness and honesty is something rarely seen in today’s films. I recommend this film whole heartedly and I thank Richard Linklater for making a film that most studios wouldn’t consider bankrolling. This is a work of art.
I give this film **** stars.
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