Monday, June 17, 2013

Movie Reaction: Before Midnight

Formula: Before Sunrise + 18 Years
                 Before Sunset + 9 Years

Why I Saw It: Sundance reviews raved about it and I recently saw and loved the first two movies.

Cast: Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke. It's not limited to them quite as much as in the past, but it's basically a two-man show still. They are still every bit as engaging as ever with this two very lived-in characters. It's odd to be able to listen to an argument between two characters and find myself switching sides as often as I did. Really marvelous work by both of them.

Plot: If you've seen the first two movies, then you know the drill. It all takes place over a day. We follow them around as they laugh, argue, and philosophize for 90 minutes. This time is different though. In the other movies, they are virtual strangers. Now, we find Jesse and Celine have been together for nearly a decade which makes it so much more interesting. In the past, they are learning about each other. Now, we are learning about them as a couple. There isn't a lot of plot going on because it isn't needed.

Elephant in the Room: It sounds like 90 minutes of people talking. That's exactly what it is, and I'll admit, that description makes it sound like My Dinner With Andre: some experimental film for movie snobs. Maybe it is. I'd hardly call myself a snob and I am easily turned of by a lot of experimentation, but I still found this greatly enjoyable.

To Sum Things Up:
It figures that as soon as I call This Is The End my favorite movie of 2013 so far I get another solid contender for the prize. [That's not to say it is topping the list but they aren't exactly comparable either.] I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It is interesting in ways that not a lot of movie are [or pull off successfully]. It definitely helps to have seen the first two movies, but I'm not convinced that it's necessary to appreciate this one since it is sort of different from the others. Regardless, it is very good.

Verdict (?): Strongly Recommend

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