Welcome Back Readers - Today's about one of my favourite films of all Romance Films.
...Synopsis...
"Before Sunrise" is the first and one of the trilogy of their films,
Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, Before Midnight. This iconic film has become the classics in the theater of cinemas because of the unique way the director,
Richard Linklater, chose to portray the age of old story of 'a boy meets a girl'.
...Opening Sequence...
The exposition in the trilogy, Before Sunrise, begins with a scene in a train that has departed from Budapest. Jesse (
Ethan Hawke) and Celine (
Julie Deply) are in their early twenties, reveling their youthful idealism. Jesse is an American boy on holiday while the same with Celine is a French student. A chance conversation on the same train makes both characters develop a strange fondness for each other. Thr rest of the film follows these two charismatic people roam the streets of Vienna, discovering each other, the night city themselves and love.
...Before Sunrise Reexamines Romantic Relationships...
Before Sunrise has the central characters that remains focus throughout the film. Every frame of the film has Jesse and Celine in it, talking continuously as they slowly find themselves drawn to each other. Their relationship, over time of one night, grows from strength to strength solely based on the conversations between them, naturally lighting up their chemistry deeply. The film has no supporting characters or the distracting elements of a conventional plot that even for a second steal our attention away from the principal characters.
Romance films have an age-old formula. A boy meets a girl and then there are obstacles they overcome to eventually end up together. However, with this two characters in this film had come in to terms with philosophy of questions about life and love. Despite the limited time the characters spend in the film, there's a huge amount of progress in their relationship. Their conversations are heartfelt and intimate and a reflections of the kind of people they are and who they want to become.
The film also re-evaluate the ideas of falling in love. Do two people need to know each other for an extended period of time before they fall in love? Or is it simply enough to have an electric connection on your first meeting, fuelled by deep, meaningful conversation? The director,
Richard Linklater, evidently privileged the second. Love does, after all depends as much on an intellectual connection as it does on a physical level.
...How Travel Acts as a Catalyst for Romance in Before Sunrise...
The city of Vienna, forms a stunning background as Jesse and Celine explore their relationship. They wonder through narrow alleyways, stop at small cafés, and have brief encounters with locals, each interaction with the city somehow deepening their understanding of each other. philosophical questions of about our society, about the strain of growing up and the need to negotiate who you are with what you want to be are all evocatively discussed in the film.
The actors
Ethan Hawke and
Julie Deply are exquisite in their portrayals of these two characters. Their chemistry is palpable from their very first encounter. They beautifully add depth to their romance just in the way they share stolen glances and longingly look at each other. The director's affection for his own characters is visible in the way he shoots them. There's almost a dream-like quality to everything Jesse and Celine go through together. You find yourself rooting for this unlike couple right from the very beginning.
Watch Before Sunrise if you're looking for an unconventional take on romance and love. All the hype that surrounds the film is absolutely deserved. Overall the film gives a natural atmosphere of the characters in their words, looks, feelings and minds. Perfectly distributed.
...Ratings...
Cinematrography: 4.7/5
Editing: 4.5/5
Music/Sound: 4.5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 4/5
Script: 5/5
Directing: 4.5/5
Acting: 4.5/5
Total Average: 4.6 / 5
I love the deep and clear analysis. This is also one of my favourite Romance films to watch any time and any day. It's timeless, Thank you!
ReplyDeleteSame here, perfect simple analysis on this beautiful produced film! 100% recommend for you guys to watch! Gives a different perspective of what film is suppose to be and feel. Director distribute an amazing work and it’s evident!
DeleteYou really like this movie the ratings are very high. I have to watch it. Also you mention these conversations are deep and transcend daily mundane convo despite it being the first time they meet. do you think the director/ writer did this to signify that as the passing of time. You know the whole “you don’t really know someone till you’ve had deep convos” could that in itself be a passing of time. And also an almsot mockery of the concept time breeds familiarity because in just one moment these characters have gone above and beyond and some couples don’t do this for years. I love love this keep it up 🫶🏿
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment <3 Yes, I love how you interpret Before Sunrise in a way "you don't really know someone till you've had a deep conversation". A perfect description of the 2 characters relationship atmosphere. This modern romance is nothing like classical old romance - swifness of love.
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