‘Before Sunrise’ is one of the best romances of all time

Richard Linklater struck gold with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy back in 1995. Before Sunrise is a magical film that belongs in the annals of cinematic history. It’s very difficult to portray organic relationships in movies, but this gem makes it look easy.

Delpy plays Claire, and Hawke plays Jesse. The two are young, unsure of themselves and a little lost in life. They meet on a trans-European train ride and decide to take a risk: Rather than continuing on to Paris, why not get off in Vienna and explore the city? What they experience may sound dull on paper, but is mesmerizing to behold on screen. Claire and Jesse enjoy a late afternoon, evening, night and early morning together. They talk. They laugh. They dig deep into each other’s souls. They fall in love. They test each other. They take in the city and ponder their future.

That’s it. Roll credits.

Before Sunrise is uncharacteristically simple, and for some that may be annoying. But for those dying for a resurrection in the romance genre, the movie is a classic. And this is because of Linklater, who directs the 105-minute piece and also co-writes with Kim Krizan, and of course the two stars. Hawke is likable and affable; Delpy is sexy and independent. The two seem to fit perfectly into each other’s folds, and yet they have reservations about what to call this one-night fling.

The writing is top-notch, and that’s because it doesn’t feel like writing. Every word that comes from these characters’ mouths is organic and real; this isn’t navel-gazing. It’s almost as if Before Sunrise was the advent reality television. Never has a film felt so genuine. I would take five minutes of this prolonged conversation over any dialogue in most Hollywood rom-coms.

Linklater uses a soft lens and never grows too close to his subjects. There is an unspoken distance between the two characters and their surroundings, almost as if everything and everyone is detached. It feels real, but it also has the aura of a dream.

I felt like Jesse and Claire were two tumbleweeds caught in a windstorm. They had no idea where their journey was taking them, and yet they didn’t seem to care. Because of this, there seems to be no guessing what the end of the film will bring. The reason is simple: There is no end. If this is life, then it just continues.

John Soltes / Publisher

• Before Sunrise

• Directed by Richard Linklater

• Written by Linklater and Kim Krizan

• Starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy

• Running time: 105 minutes

• Rated R for some strong language

• Bubble score: 4 out of 4

• Click here to purchase Before Sunrise on DVD.