Before Midnight

 

I don't think there has been a more unlikely film franchise than Richard Linklater's Before... series.  What stared as a simple one-shot movie in 1995's Before Sunrise, about two young lovers who met on a train and spent a day together, has grown into an intricate and beautiful look at the different stages of relationships.  That film was all about love at first sight, and these two people being wrapped up in the excitement of the experience.  In 2004, we got the unexpected sequel, Before Sunset, where we rejoined the two nine years later, as they were reunited and attempted to rekindle the spark they once had.  Now, Before Midnight takes an honest and heartfelt look at what happens when that spark has faded, and normalcy sets into the relationship.

The one main thing that connects these films, other than following these two people at different stages in their relationship, is their love of dialogue.  The style of these movies is very casual, as we're often just watching them talk for extended periods of time.  Conversations or dialogue exchanges can go on for 20 minutes or more, with Linklater letting us savor every word with his simple but effective directing style.  If the idea of watching two people walking down the street, just talking for an extended period of time, sounds boring to you, I will tell you it's more interesting and involving than something you'd see in After Earth or Man of Steel.  The characters at the center of these films are the richest and most developed couple I've come across in a movie, and I could probably watch another three movies of them just talking about their lives, concerns, and slowly fading hopes.

It's been nine years since we last saw Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy).  They've spent that whole time together, and now have young twin daughters, as well as Jesse's teenage son, who lives with his ex-wife in Chicago.  It is actually the son who kicks off the plot.  As the film opens, he is flying back home after spending some time with Jesse while he vacations in Greece with his new family.  The time spent with his son, as well as the realization that he is going into high school, makes Jesse realize that he is missing out on his son's life.  Later, when Celine mentions some dissatisfaction at her current job, Jesse drops the harmless notion that perhaps they should move to Chicago, so she can look for other work, and he can be closer to his son.  He thinks nothing of it, and it is never mentioned again as they spend the afternoon at a friend's house, having dinner and conversation.  That night, Jesse and Celine walk the streets by themselves, having a rare night alone.  They check into a hotel room, and prepare to have a romantic night, but when the topic of conversation once again turns to possibly moving and changing their lives around, some pent up emotions are released, resulting in a positively gripping 20 minute verbal clash in a hotel room, where these two people come close to destroying the life they've built together.

The titles of these films definitely reflect the tone.  Before Sunrise was the most optimistic film about love, and was rich in the excitement of love at first sight.  Before Sunset had the characters older and little bit wiser, but still optimistic, only now with the pressures of life and family closing in on them.  Now, with Before Midnight, we get arguably the darkest film yet, as it explores the reality of what happens when these two people have spent extended time living together.  The "romantic" phase is over.  They have careers, they have kids, and they don't have as much time as they used to for each other.  There is an honesty in these films, especially the latest entry, that you just don't normally find in a movie.  Just about anyone can watch this, and be struck with the realization that they have lived through some of these experiences, or maybe had these same conversations and feelings.  This is a remarkable examination at the different stages of a relationship, and one that's almost certain to have couples talking when it is over.

Isn't it astonishing to think that movies usually only show the early stages of a relationship?  Either that, or they show a crisis in the middle of one, and have it get resolved just in time.  We seldom get to see what happens when age and familiarity steps into a relationship, and begins to change the view of the person you promised to spend your life with, and love forever.  This movie made me think of that.  As I was savoring every scene, every line of dialogue, I began to think to myself just how rare an experience this is at the movies.  There is not a single trace of contrivance or cliche to be found here.  The two stars, Hawke and Delpy, contributed to the screenplay along with Linklater.  It's obvious that all three have tremendous respect for these characters.  There is something so raw and personal about the dialogue here.  No one is holding anything back.  And when it's over (at an all-too-brief 110 minutes), I felt like I could have spent another two hours with these characters, and just listening to them talk.

 

From its gorgeous Greek locales, to the writing, to the performances so real we may as well be watching a documentary on a deteriorating relationship, Before Midnight is not only the most honest movie I've seen this year, it's also quite frankly the best.  It's a movie like this that makes me realize what I am missing from other films, and makes me want to ask for more like this.  This is a movie that simply haunts you after you see it.  If tradition holds up, we'll get at least one more movie with these characters in nine years.  I've never anticipated a sequel more.


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