Before Sunrise (1995)
In many ways this felt like an American Wong Kar-Wai movie. Meant in the most positive sense.
I have a soft spot for train movies and while this only starts and end on one, it has the absolute best train station goodbye scene. Like a movie like Chungking Express this explores the fleeting experience of young love. Though in a very different way.
At first I was very smitten by Julie Delpy and found Ethan Hawkes character a tad annoying. He was best when he didn’t talk which showed his vulnerability and insecurities while Julie played a more honest and open woman. Of course that is part of the point of these two characters and why they are drawn to eachother. it is very convincing unlike most movie romances. I don’t personally believe that total opposites attract but people should be too much alike either. Julie and Ethan is the perfect casting for this movie. Ethan Hawke captures the almost cynical world wide I think many young men can relate to or recognize they have been like that at some point. Julie Delpy plays the sweet and independent woman who believes more in romantic love than Ethans character but also knows how to lure it out of him.
I really appreciated how the movie subverts many of the usual movie romance tropes. Even outright talk about it straight a few times like goodbye scenes and acknowledging that one night of romantic connection is okay - it doesn’t have to be “happily ever after”. Even though they want to.
I am surprised this apparently have well regarded sequels, but I will withhold judgement on those for now of course, even though this seems perfect as a standalone story. We know this night have impacted both their life greatly, like they have stopped time just for themselves. But as the ending shots of the various places in Vienna they have been show - the rest of the world moves on as normal.
Rating: 5