Movie review: Before Sunset

Before Sunset: Torgo approves

I don't think of myself as being into romantic movies. I'm a poet, though, so I guess there's some of that silly romanticism in me.

A few weeks ago, we saw "Before Sunrise" and I thought it was terrific. Last night we watched its sequel, "Before Sunset."

See this movie. See the first one first, of course, but then, even if you think the first is sentimental and contrived, see the second movie.

There are many things to love about the second. First, the plot of the first was contrived, yes, but I went along with it. These two people (Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy) meet on a train outside Vienna and, on a whim, decide to spend the night walking the city, promising it will just be a one-off thing, no strings. Of course, they fall for each other. I can go along with contrivances if the film is enjoyable and the actors are engaging.

Had the second one repeated the plot of the first, it would never have been as effective. Fortunately, they take the same basic concept (9 years later, the two meet in Paris and decide to spend a little over an hour getting reacquainted), but make it something new. The film takes place almost in real time, like an episode of "24" minus Jack Bauer's brooding, angry, violent intensity, supplanting all the terrorism with intelligent conversation about romantic idealism. Ok, it's not really like "24."

In no way does "Before Sunset" just repeat "Before Sunrise." The sequel takes the characters and develops them into something they weren't in the earlier film. 9 years have passed and much has happened. Emotionally, the two are grown and then grow further, more so than seems possible in such a short film (it's barely 80 minutes long).

The idealism of the first is gone now. Yet it's not replaced by cold cynicism. Hawke is still madly in love with Delpy. Delpy equally loves Hawke, but she's far more coy and cautious. There's a frankness to their discussions that's wonderful to watch.

It would have been too easy for the film to lapse into generic romance (it's set in Paris, after all), but it doesn't. Like the first film, the conversations (and the film is pretty much just one long conversation) are intelligent, thoughtful, and genuine.

I was concerned when the film began with Hawke doing some sort of book signing. He was being asked questions by a group of very intrigued reporters. (Oddly, there didn't seem to be any fans of the book, just reporters.) Maybe at Hawke's own book signings he's hounded by reporters, but I've never seen that, especially for a first-time author. But that was the last time I questioned the film. Everything afterwards felt natural and perfect.