Review: Before Midnight (2013)

Directed by Richard Linklater

Starring: Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy

The plot picks up the story nine years after the events of Before Sunset; Jesse (Hawke) and Céline (Delpy) spend a summer vacation together in Greece.

Well here it is. The end of the road. The final film in the trilogy. I have learned so much from these films and their three-dimensional characters, and I have to admit, I don't really want this film to end. But all good things, have an end, and this is Before Midnight.

The plot is the same as usual, but with some differences in presentation. The first two films were presented in an almost looking one-take style, in which Celine (Delpy) and Jesse (Hawke) share their conversations on aspects of life. The 1st act was presented differently, and instead of the usual conversations around the city, we get them at an airport, driving, and then preparing lunch, and eating at a table with their friends. It's fresh and different from what we were used to from the first two films. Then it takes a similar approach and does the walk around conversation formula, that it did in the previous films. With those conversations, I again have to comment on the fantastic writing and dialogue that went behind this film. Like it's predecessors, the dialogue and the conversations were just realistic, interesting, and well-written. The pacing again was great, and I really didn't feel the time pass by when I watched the film. I still prefer Before Sunrise over this and the second film, but that's just my opinion.

The cinematography in this one is great, and possibly the best one in the trilogy (that sunset though). The production design was fantastic showcasing the beautiful landscapes and culture of Greece. Music truly shines in this film, as the soundtrack is heard in the beginning and the ending of the film and conveys the message, that the trilogy has truly come to it's fitting end.

In conclusion, this definitely is a great film, but personally I enjoyed the other two films more than I did this one. I throughout enjoyed this trilogy, and I do feel quite empty that this trilogy is over, but who knows what can happen in the near future. This is the Before Trilogy, and I definitely recommend it to those who haven't seen it already.

My rating: 8.5/10

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