Cast: Ethan Hawke,
Julie Delpy; Direction: Richard
Linklaster; Story and Screenplay: Richard Linkleater, Ethan
Hawk, Julie Delpy; Cinematography:
Christos Voudouris; Editing: Sandra Adair; Music:
Graham Reynolds; Producers: Richard
Linklater, Christos Konstantakopoulos; Genre:
Drama; Running Time: 109 minutes; Location: Greece; Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Technical assessment : 4
Moral assessment: 3
MTRCB rating: R 16
CINEMA Rating: V 18
In 1995, Celine and Jesse meet for the first time, flirt
with each other as they stroll along the streets of Vienna but go separate ways
before sunrise. In 2004, Celine and Jesse, now in their 30s meet again in
Paris, eager to find out and pick up where they left 9 years ago but unfortunately
can’t because of each other’s commitment to someone else. Again, we see them
part ways before sunset. Today, Celine
(Julie Delpy) and Jesse are (Ethan Hawke) blessed with lovely 9-year-old
twin daughters after they got back together sometime after their second meeting.
Presently, they are ending their Greek vacation and struggling not to do the
same to their relationship as issues about parenting, career, responsibilities
and commitment are brought up and argued about. Before Midnight is the third instalment of what is now a classic love story that
surprisingly works despite being a series of scenes with “talking heads”. While
Before Sunrise presented romance and
courtship and Before Sunset brought
forth the pain of love that could not be, Before
Midnight shares the story of commitment, marriage and reconciling
differences.
There has never been a movie that manages to keep its
audience interestingly glued to just two people talking about their mundane
personal life while watching through the windshield for a full 15-20 minutes.
For those who journeyed with the couple’s love story for the last 18 years,
this movie presents another phase of their story as they move from being
carefree young lovers to parents struggling with responsibilities. For those
who are watching the movie for the first time with no clue of their history,
the movie is a slice of life featuring no intellectual conversations between
spouses that need to be understood in an intellectual manner. The movie has no
real conflict or drama and makes no pretentions to come up with one but it
unfolds the melodramas of a relationship, a woman’s angst and a husband’s
frustrations and each other’s resentments of failed expectations and personal
disappointments. At one point, the conversation drifts from silly exchanges of
historical data and hypothetical questions then slowly builds up to arguments
about fears of giving up one’s life against disappointing one’s partner.
The movie works its magic with two of its strongest
munitions: a great script and a greater performance. First, the script is
conversationally emphatic. Simple and ordinary as the issues may seem, it is
impossible not to see where Celine or Jesse is coming from. The build-up and
the plateau of arguments are so cleverly directed. And best, the exchanges
allows the audience to understand the personality, background and motivations
of the characters. Second, Hawke and Delpy deliver genuine passion and bounce
off undeniable chemistry. Together, the script and the actors deliver a powerful
piece of movie everyone can understand and relate to.
Every mature couple should try to watch the film as it not
only shows how honest and loving communication keeps the marriage alive despite
all the personality differences and marital issues challenging the
relationship. The movie is very real because most of the time, what destroys
relationship are not the big problems that blow in the face but the small
complications that go unnoticed and unresolved. The movie also offers lovely
insights about life and commitment—the most valuable being the need to be
constantly working on being a source of love and happiness to one’s partner.
Love in Before Midnight goes beyond
romance and the fairy tale but dumps real issues intertwined with the desire to continue to grow
together and sort out differences as a team. It teaches couples to agree to
disagree, to respect each other’s
roles, and to remain faithful despite the challenges of raising a family.
There are scenes and ideas that may not be well taken by the
very conservative and may be misunderstood by the very young. For instance, how Celine scoffs
at the sacrament of marriage, the constant cursing, fidelity issues, and
irreverent sexual jokes. Considering that Before
Midnight focuses on a serious commitment, and presents footage of unwedded
sexual intimacy, the film would be better suited for mature adults.
