Director: Richard Linklater | Rated: R (language) | Review date: 16-Jan-2010

Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy star in this basic drama that does away with all the exaggerations and  pretenses of Hollywood romances. Richard Linklater instead takes us on a simple and conceivable journey through Europe where two lone travelers cross paths. Hawke and Delpy’s chemistry was incomparable and their characters were portrayed with utter realism. The film really thrives on the story and it really causes us to feel for and relate to the characters. Though simplistic, it manages to capture the emotions felt when one falls in love without being overly contrived. This film gives me much of the same feeling as when watching the more recent (500) Days of Summer, though Before Sunrise’s ability to convey those same feelings in a much more plain fashion is to be applauded. It’s a shame I’m only seeing this film 15 years later, however the story it tells will inevitably remain timeless.

I have still yet to see the sequel, Before Sunset, but rest assured you can expect that review to come in the near future.

DVD at Warner Bros. | IMDb/trailer

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