Before Sunset (2004)

Before Sunset

When it comes to sequels, you have poor ones. You have decent ones. You have great ones. And you have absolutely phenomenal ones. This specific sequel falls into the “absolutely phenomenal” category. It’s up there with the likes of ‘The Godfather Part II’ and ‘The Empire Strikes Back’. The greatest part about the film (or one of the great many parts) is how it’s nine years after the first, both story-wise and literally. They actually waited nine years to film again, which is a genius move. It’s what Richard Linklater is known for, his passion for displaying things authentically. The film answers the question of “did Jesse and Celine meet in Vienna six months after their first meeting?” and continues that story, but not in the way you think. The writing in this was flawless in every way, from the dialogue to the movements of the characters. Much like the first film, this screenplay was locked down and kept me invested from the first second until the very last. There’s not much I want to say about the plot, just that it’s a great reconnection of two lost characters, and the best possible thing the film could've done is not have anything happen between Jesse and Celine. It builds tension and disturbs old feelings, but ultimately, I have to wait until ‘Before Midnight’ to see how it concludes. There’s just so much emotion brewing for me right now. I’m totally attached to both characters, and if they don’t end up together, I’m quitting cinema forever. We’ll see. The performances are extremely well done again, and both main stars shine. However, Julie Delpy totally crushes it, and she steals the spotlight every single time she speaks. Ethan Hawke is amazing too, but I was totally blown away by Delpy. Overall, it’s probably in my personal list of top ten greatest sequels ever made, if not top five. It’s flawless. Beautiful scenery, natural chemistry, and a great screenplay. Just perfect. I’d recommend this to all drama/romance fans, and obviously if you’ve seen ‘Before Sunrise’. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go watch it now!