If esoteric awards were ever warranted, one would go to Richard Linklater’s ability to not once, but twice, create a sequel that rivals the original film in power. In both the cases of “Before Sunset” and the writer-director’s latest, “Before Midnight,” his sequels do not merely parrot the original but enhance it and add commentary.
“Before Sunrise” (1995), the first film in Linklater’s (for now) trilogy, chronicles roughly 12 hours, as Jesse (Ethan Hawke, “Gattaca”) and Celine (Julie Delpy, “2 Days in Paris”) meet on a train heading to Vienna and decide to spend a night together in the city. In 2004’s “Before Sunset,” the two, having not communicated with each other since their previous interaction, unexpectedly reconnect for an afternoon in Paris nine years later.
Like the first sequel, “Before Midnight” is set another nine years after “Before Sunset” and acts as counterpoint to the two preceding films, as Jesse and Celine now finally have what they dreamed of, living together as parents in a committed relationship. If, thematically, “Sunrise” explored young love and fantasy, and “Sunset” depicted re-discovered love, “Midnight” is an examination of what happens to fantasy when it is realized and romance when it clashes with reality.
The film finds the couple in Greece at the end of their summer vacation. As before, Linklater uses the idyllic foreign landscape as a backdrop to the conversations between the two, but since it’s set in an ocean-side town rather than the bustling cities of the two previous films, the pair consequentially feels isolated, and the film is more focused on their personal history. The lack of any real background music reinforces this singular focus on the couple.
The film starts relaxed enough, though, with the charm and witty dialogue between the Hawke and Delpy still abundant. In one of the early single-cut scenes in the film, the couple is driving along the coast when Celine complains about Jesse ogling young women. Jesse mocks her insecurity by putting on a “sexy” pseudo-European accent and, in broken English, slurs, “No … I make love to them with my eyes.” The familiar banter provides plenty of humor in the beginning of the film, but small incidents like this also serve to reveal the underlying instability in the couple’s relationship, underpinning the constraints each feel in a committed relationship.
The small squabbles between the couple eventually converge in a bigger argument about their future together. This final scene, nearly 30 minutes long, allows both characters to vocalize their emotional baggage unrestrained. This scene is a marked departure from the playful nature of the previous two films, as both characters tear into each other’s weaknesses.
Part of the appeal of these films is that Jesse and Celine exist as heightened versions of us — more gregarious and passionate than we generally are. Linklater makes a bold move by showing his characters at their lowest rather than attempting to phone in the sentimental. For viewers of the prequels, the film is especially rewarding, as Jesse and Celine’s disputes can be framed against their personal history, begging the question of what a relationship should be founded upon.
Both Hawke and Delpy deliver their roles perfectly in this film, echoing the problems faced in real relationships without ever becoming operatic. They fight like real people, bringing up uncalled-for details and never knowing when to quit. With neither an easy way out of their differences, nor moral superiority on either side, Jesse and Celine’s disputes about the real choices partners have to make turn the story into a microcosm of what most couples will face 10 years down the line.
The film’s realism is only enhanced with the natural aging of Hawke and Delpy. No CGI can duplicate the way their faces and bodies have been worn by the passing years, and Linklater never lets the camera hide this facet of their chemistry. With his unobtrusive use of camera and long single-shot sequences, it’s hard to believe the film is meticulously scripted rather than improvised.
“Before Midnight” is a harder sell for cinemagoers than its two prequels. Viewers should watch its earlier counterparts in order to better appreciate the changing dynamic of Jesse and Celine’s relationship. Like other films about couples facing relationship difficulties (“Blue Valentine” comes to mind), the viewing experience can be exacting, but for those looking for a niche film that realistically portrays the difficulties of love, there are few as well-crafted and uncompromising as “Before Midnight.” (A-)
