Sunday, July 18, 2010

Before Sunrise

Before Sunrise is an old movie from way back in 1995. I've read of it occasionally but never watched until now. It's a love story between Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) whereby 2 strangers meet on a train bound for Vienna and then Paris. The whole movie revolves mainly around these 2 characters and their conversations. Normally I wouldn't continue watching but I persisted because I needed to know how it ends though some parts were a little boring. Definitely not something I would swear to watch again and again, worth watching but once is enough. It helped that Ethan Hawke was so hot. Something about the simple interaction between these 2 was captivating that I caught myself smiling at times. Jesse, an American visiting his girlfriend in Madrid to find out that she no longer loves him decides to travel Europe for a couple of weeks after the breakup. Then he meets Celine, a French girl heading back to Paris who broke up with her boyfriend 6 months ago. Jesse somehow manages to persuade Celine to get off at the Vienna stop to spend a day with him just sightseeing before he leaves for home. The way he persuaded her was adorable. Their relationship as 2 total strangers that struck up a conversation in a train revealed the magic of such easy conversations, no pressure, just 2 regular people talking about their lives and eventually falling for each other accompanied by the scenic backdrops of Vienna. Even their teasing fake phone calls were so mushy...yet, so sweet.
******SPOILER ALERT : Don't read any further if you don't want to know how it ends because I'm so totally revealing it ******

As they only had until the next morning to be together, growing more and more fond of each other the more they talked. There's a dilemma between trying to see each other again or take this as their final night together, they decided and made a vow that this will be their last night together so they are going to spend it enjoying each other's company. No emails, no phone calls because in their own words, it's too depressing. They know they will only write once, call once in a while and eventually lose touch because it's never going to work being so far away. When time came for Celine to take the train back to Paris and Jesse to take the first flight back to the US, parting words were so much harder to say compared to a couple of hours before. In a desperate spontaneous moment, they decided they will meet back here in 5 years (no, Jesse says it's too long), 1 year...no....6 months on this very day. So they agreed, hugged and kissed a tearful goodbye. Celine: "Goodbye". Jesse: "Bye". Celine: "Au Revoir". Jesse: "Later". THE END
Did they meet up 6 months later? I don't know but this movie has a sequel Before Sunset which is set 9 years after this event (which I will watch).

2 comments:

J said...

aiyoo....your spoiler alert is not working for me!!! I ended up reading them. ETHAN HAWKE was once the guy i liked to see in movies when i was in college... i remember he acted in one movie (can't recall the name of the movie)... it's about him a killer and the strategies of his killing mission... do you know of this movie?

mellim said...

Not too sure, but he is in Daybreakers. as a vampire!