Before Midnight Review
After hearing the critical buzz surrounding this film I decided to go and see it, and having not seen either of the previous two films I didn't know what to expect. Before Midnight blew me away, and I left the cinema feeling positive about the future of cinema, which is a rare thing.
The film is the third entry in the 'Before' trilogy directed by Richard Linklater, a series which has been going since 1995's Before Sunrise. The films follow Jesse and Celine, played by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, and their relationship from their first encounter to their middle aged and married lives. Each film is set 9 years apart from the previous, both in release date and narrative, making both the characters as well as the actors 9 years older than the previous film, providing a beautiful cohesive narrative that has aged with the actors. The third entry revolves around Jesse and Celine's married life, as they reach their middle aged years, it is a dialogue driven narrative, which provides commentaries on gender, religion, relationships and life. The thing that excites me most about these films, is the simple beauty of two people talking for 2 hours, with nothing really happening in between, managing to capture the audience completely for the entirety. Its cinema in its purest form, and gives me hope for the future of the genre. Plot wise, the film is a series of deep conversations taking place in a few different settings, the first scene is set in a car, and is a 20 minute shot with no cuts. Ethan Hawke and Julie Deply manage to realistically and engagingly have a conversation for 20 whole minutes without the need for cuts or a strict script, it is elements such as these that prove that this series is one of the greatest film trilogies of all time. As the film goes on, it becomes apparent that their relationship has problems, with the film climaxing with a 30 minute full scale argument between the two characters, captured in a small hotel room. The argument addresses notions of gender identity, feminism, and the role of gender in a relationship fantastically, and provides a mentally stimulating feast for the brain. The film ends on a touching note, and even gives a glimmer of hope for another sequel.
Performance wise, both characters are equally amazing, pouring their heart and soul into the characters. The fact that both actors have played these characters for almost 20 years really shows, with the two coming across as a genuine couple, and providing banter and conversation that you would expect from a real life middle aged couple. Technically, Before Midnight is astounding, with long takes that last for up to 20 minutes coupled with gorgeous Grecian settings. Its a feast for the eyes and ears, so much so that I can't find any faults with it whatsoever.
Its rare that a film is so perfect, and captures what cinema is about so well as Before Midnight does. Its a film that should be seen by anyone remotely interested in cinema or relationships, and proves that films do not need to have dramatic events or heavily scripted dialogue to be effective and powerful. Before Midnight is cinema perfection, and for that reason it gets a perfect score.
10/10
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