Release Date:
Friday, July 2, 2004
It's the ultimate chick-flick setup: reunited lovers (played by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy) meet up in Paris for the first time in nine years after spending one romantic evening together (covered in the original, Before Sunrise). Before Sunset has all the trappings of an eye-gouging good time for men, and, despite director and cowriter Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused, School of Rock), it pretty much delivers exactly what you'd expect. The one-night lovers meet moments after the opening, so the the film's remaining 80 minutes unfold in real time as they catch up. That's it. The two talk about suffering, beliefs, desires, and romance while visiting Paris' coffee shops, parks, and rivers. There are a few snorts of laughter here and there, but for the most part, you're watching an awkward conversation posing as a date movie. If you're looking for a forced dialogue, we suggest you save yourself $8.50 and sit at home with the old lady instead.