Film Review: Richard Linklater’s Trilogy “Before Sunrise”, “Before Sunset” and “Before Midnight” (USA 1995-2013)

Content:  In this podcast, we talk about Richard Linklater’s “Before” trilogy. We describe the three films “Before Sunrise” (1995), “Before Sunset” (2004) and “Before Midnight” (2013) in detail, summarizing their plot and tracing the development of the relationship between the main characters Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy) over a period of 18 years.  We pay particular attention to the realistic dialog and the long, uncut scenes. We praise the films as absolute classics of the romantic genre and emphasize the quality of the sequels.  Plot:  Before Sunrise (USA/AUT 1995)  American tourist Jesse and French student Céline meet by chance on a train. Jesse senses a connection developing between them and asks Céline to spend the day with him in Vienna, which she agrees to do.  They explore Vienna mostly on foot, engaging in profound conversations. How can two complete strangers build such an intimate connection in just one day? What is the special thing that binds two people so strongly? What will happen to them when Jesse flies back home the next morning?  Before Sunset (USA/FRA 2004)  Jesse, now a writer, and Céline, who works for an environmental protection organization after her studies, met nine years earlier on a train from Budapest to Vienna.  They meet again when Jesse arrives in Paris for a reading of his book. Jesse has very little time because he has to catch his flight back to the USA. However, Céline and Jesse want to make the most of their time together and stroll through Paris. They reminisce about Vienna, talk about their experiences, their views, and what has become of their great love for each other.  Before Midnight (USA/GRE 2013)  Jesse and Céline met 18 years earlier on a train to Vienna. Nine years ago, they reunited in Paris. In the third part of the trilogy, the two have been together for many years.  They spend a summer in Greece at the invitation of one of Jesse's writer colleagues. As the vacation nears its end, Jesse begins to question his life choices. This puts his relationship with Céline at risk, who might have imagined their time together differently.