State of the Franchise: Before Sunrise
By Jason Barney
June 26, 2013
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Every so often, those fun, artsy, independent films deserve a second act.
Such is the case with Richard Linklater’s Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight. They are for those looking far beyond epic battles, scary creatures, and futuristic settings. This romantic series is for those looking for an exploration of the heart.
Before Sunrise (1995) - 8/10
Talk about a nice, quiet film. What a breath of fresh air.
Before Sunrise is a simple story that chronicles a chance meeting between Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) while riding a train from Budapest to Vienna in 1994. They observe a random argument between a middle aged couple. After a polite remark from Jesse and a few bright smiles from Celine, and the two youngsters enjoy the rest of the ride.
Their mild flirtation and intellectual back and forth progress through the evening. The sun sets, darkness arrives, and the two are still balancing between the individuals they were and the bond and attraction they feel. Not wanting their time together to end, they begin to see each other as potential companions.
As the night morphs into the early gray of morning, they have hopelessly fallen for one another. They lay in the park, talking about the world, cuddling, not wanting the moment to be over. They make love.
Daylight arrives, with their schedules demanding they part ways. Wrapped in hopeful commitment, they pledge to see each other again in six months.
Richard Linklater delivers a surprisingly entertaining story here, and the performances of Hawk and and Delpy have a lot to do with it. It is almost hard to conceive that a film about two people getting to know each other over the span of a night would hold anyone’s attention, but this one easily does. It is about the time we have, the opportunities we take advantage of, and true love.
Released to a small number of theaters in January of 1995, Before Sunrise was a date opportunity for couples wanting warmth during cold winter months. It cost $2.5 million to make. It was just a small, slice of life film, but enough people noticed it, as it brought in $5.5 million. As the years ticked by, it earned a sequel...
Before Sunset (2004) - 9/10
The unlikely next chapter picks up nine years later. Jesse has become a writer and is touring Europe. Celine has read his novel, visits him at the book signing, and we learn they did not reconnect as they had intended to. The timing of their encounter is difficult, as Jesse is to catch a flight back to his wife and child in the United States later that night. They spend the late afternoon and early evening together - first walking, then in a coffee shop; eventually they find themselves on a boat ride. As the sun approaches the horizon, they end up back in her apartment.
If Before Sunrise was well done, Before Sunset was awesome. Viewers blush while reminded of attractions and crushes as Jesse and Celine become reacquainted. In the first few minutes, because of our history with these characters, everyone watching wants Jesse’s book to be about their romantic night together. Various reasons are revealed why they were unable to meet after their initial date as they initially planned, and you can’t help pulling for them to get together again. Jesse reveals he is stuck in a loveless marriage. Celine communicates her anger about the missed opportunity nine years ago. As she sings a song she wrote about him, and as he flirtatiously shrugs off his departure schedule, audiences are treated to one of film’s classic endings.
This is a heart thumping, emotionally charged film. Before Sunrise and Before Sunset are no doubt responsible for the start of a few real life relationships. Seeing these two actors together again was such a delight. The story - simple, short, and heart churning - is so direct. Critics agreed, and Before Sunset was appropriately nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. It was praised by fans and critics and embraced at the box office. Made on a razor thin budget of $2 million, it grossed about $16 million worldwide. Before Sunset was so widely embraced and universally accepted as a great romance film, it was impossible for there not to be another….
Before Midnight (2013) - 9/10
Fans are satisfied to learn that Jesse and Celine decided to get together after the events of the last movie. They have twin daughters, and Jesse’s teenage son from his first marriage has been visiting from the United States. The departure of the son, whom he hardly ever sees, is painful for the father. It evokes desires of seeing him grow into a young man. The family has been enjoying six weeks on the hot and relaxed shores of Greece. For the final night of the vacation, their hosts paid for a hotel room on the water, complete with a candlelit table, bottles of wine, and solitude from everything. While seemingly the perfect evening, the tendrils of familiarity and frustration creep into Jesse and Celine’s conversation. Soon the two are arguing. Eventually it elevates into a near relationship-ending storm.
All of their dirty laundry gets aired, and fans who fell in love with the couple wonder if this might be the last appearance of them together. The back and forth is so emotional and awkward, viewers can’t help think about their own partner. Delpy is excellent as Celine, worried about entering middle age, questioning if her love for Jesse is romantic anymore. Hawke is equally awesome, feeling guilty about the lack of time with his son, and expressing his own dissatisfaction with the relationship’s status quo.
As with the rest of this series, there is a flutter of hope in the final scene. Before Midnight explores true love just as much as the previous two entries. Maybe it succeeds so well because it is scarily honest. The point of these films has never been to attract massive box office attention; they are about real life. Before Midnight was released to select theaters on May 24th and expanded to a semi-wide opening on June 14th. It hasn’t ignited the box office world, but has continued to elevate the series to near classic status.