Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight

I can't remember the first time I saw Before Sunrise, but I remember loving it. I remember being carried away by the story of two individuals whose paths cross unexpectedly. I remember traveling through Europe on trains around that same time and so that made the whole movie more exciting. The movie introduces us to Jesse, an American, and Celine, a French girl. Both are in their early 20s and they meet randomly on a train headed to Vienna. They spend less than 24 hours walking around the city and talking. Sounds simple enough but there is something magical about their chemistry and dialogue.

Years later I saw Before Sunset when it came out. It’s nine years later in the characters’ lives and nine years later in real time as well. The two characters are now grownups dealing with the realities of life and yet they could still lose themselves in a single day together. I won’t give anything about the plot away, but it’s about as perfect as a sequel could possibly be.

Now another nine years has passed and we’ve received another segment in their story. Before Midnight is a completely different beast. Jesse and Celine are no longer wandering around with romantic versions of themselves. In the past two movies they spent less than a day together and so they could afford to share only glimpses of themselves. Now they’re together and have been for years. They’re raising children together, dealing with the realities of jobs and stress and fidelity. The mystery is gone and that makes for a very different movie.

There's more fighting but there is also more depth to their relationship. There are more conversation with other adults instead of just between the two main characters. There’s one scene I particularly loved. A group of eight adults is having dinner together and one thing they discuss is how romantic relationships have changed over the years. They discuss the shift in relationships that has happened with the progression of technology and shifts in gender roles. We see everything from a young couple newly in love to a widow grieving decades of life with her husband. It's beautifully done and the dialogue is fascinating. It is a conversation I wish I could have been part of.

For me that is the reason these movies have been so memorable. They give us opinions from different points of view. They cover a wide range of topics and Jesse and Celine wander about in a city and just talk. They show us what happens when people meet who don't necessarily share all the same beliefs. They are films that offer up a continuous and intelligent conversation. I can’t tell you how happy it makes me that there have been three movies made in this series even though they make almost no money. They are gems in a sea of action flicks with little to no plot.

Rent Before Sunrise and Before Sunset and see Before Midnight while you can!