before sunrise/sunset

So i have just finished watching the movie Before Sunrise. It was a brilliant movie about a couple (Ethan Hawke plays Jesse and Julie Delpy plays Celine) of youths who meet on a train in Europe, feel close immediately, and decide to spend just one night together in Vienna (to see what happens). The movie takes you into the lives of these two interesting, exuberant people; their dialogue is real and convincing. The topics they discuss range from trivial to personnal to existential and outreaching. A highly relatable film that you should be sure to take something away from. Their romance is a highly realistic persuasion. I give it a 9/10.

Now i am about to watch its sequel, Before Sunset. The plot seems to be that years later this same couple (who parted ways in the first movie unsure as to whether or not they would ever see each other again at all) are reunited, their feelings revisited.

I have never done this before, but I loved the dialogue in the first movie so much that I want to watch this next movie with my computer in front of me so that I can comment on the things I love or hate, jot down quotes that excite me, and generally just write as I watch. It seems like a worthwhile venture, but we'll see whether or not I am just wasting my time in a moment, I suppose...

Before Sunset:

"What he wants is to fight for meaning."

He was there, waiting for her, and she never showed. Her grandmother had died. She was buried that same day.

her hand is up, palm towards her face, fingers flickers. he is startled.
"say stop," she says. "stop," he says.
her fingers stop flickering, and now she is giving him the bird.

9 years have passed.

"The true work of improving things is in the little achievements of the day."

"I feel like I am designed to be dissatisfied, always searching for improvement."

"Liberate yourself from desire and you will find you have everything you need."

putting passion into action...

"Memory is a wonderful thing if you don't have to deal with the past."
"Can I put that on a bumper sticker?"

"The memory is never finished as long as you're alive."

"If you don't believe in any kind of magic or mystery you are basically as good as dead." -Einstein

they both have partners, both have kids. the tension is palpable, highly sexualized, and sad.

"I am obsessed with the little things about things, people. I see the little details so specific to each of them that I will always miss. You can never replace anyone because everyone has such specific details."

on marriage:
"It's like I have this idea of my best self and I wanted to pursue that even if it might have been overriding my honest self. You know what I means? It's funny. In the moment I remember thinking that it didn't matter, the who of it all, that nobody is going to be everything to you and that ultimately it's just this simple action of committing yourself, of meeting your responsibilities that matters. What is love if not respect, trust, admiration? And I felt all those things. So cut to the present tense and I feel like I'm running a small nursery with someone I used to date."

"Being alone is better than sitting next to a lover and being lonely."

"I don't want to be one of those people, getting divorced at 52, falling into tears and admitting that they never really loved their spouse and that their life has been sucked up into a vacuum cleaner."

she goes to touch him, she hesitates. she doesn't touch him. he is not looking at her. he did not notice her hand.

"I want to see if you stay together or if you dissolve into molecules."

let me sing you a waltz
out of nowhere
out of my thoughts

let me sing you a waltz
about this one-night stand

you were, for me, that night
everything i always dreamt of in life
but now you're gone
you are far-gone
all the way to your island of rain

it was, for you, just a one night thing
but you were much more to me
just so you know
i don't care what they say
i know what you meant for me that day

i just want another try
i just want another night
even if it doesn't seem quite right

you meant, for me, much more
than anyone i've met before
one single night with you, little jesse
is worth a thousand with anybody

i have no bitterness, my sweet
i'll never forget this one night thing
even tomorrow, in other arms
my heart will stay yours until i die

let me sing you a waltz
out of nowhere
out of my blues

let me sing you a waltz
about this lovely one night stand

the sounds of Nina Simone kick in.

"Baby, you are gonna miss that plane."

:Fin



The movie was brilliant. You are allowed to see and hear literally every moment of their reunion, all 80 minutes of it. It was so real, like being a voyeur on two peoples' lives, yet you never feel like you are intruding. They are charming and honest, and you love them. Before Sunset is even more beautiful than Before Sunrise because you see their love as well as their disillussionment, can taste their jaded thoughts, can feel their hearts swelling. And the ending is perfect. Absolutely a 10/10.