This is a mind-blowing romantic film from
director Richard Linklater, a sequel to his
1995 film Before Sunrise. When
the first film ended, two characters who
shared an amazing night vowed to meet
again six months later. This movie
answers the question on whether they
followed through. Nine years after their
meeting in Vienna, Jesse (Ethan Hawke)
and Celine (Julie Delpy) meet in Paris
and go for long walks where they pour out
their feelings. Hawke and Delpy actually
wrote their dialogue for this film, which
feels remarkably natural and
unrehearsed. Their conversations really
hit home for me. This is a movie where I
felt the creators tapped into my heart and
brain. The characters have matured, and
so have the performers. Ten years after
the awful Reality Bites, Hawke has
now established himself as one of the
better actors of his generation, and Delpy
is one of the more enchanting, intelligent
actresses working today. Heres to
hoping we see where Jesse and Celine
stand 10 years from now, because this is
beautiful moviemaking.