Editing Before Sunset

{{short description|2004 American romantic drama film directed by Richard Linklater}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Before Sunset
| image          = Before Sunset poster.jpg
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = [[Richard Linklater]]
| screenplay     = {{ubl|Richard Linklater|[[Julie Delpy]]|[[Ethan Hawke]]}}
| story          = {{ubl|Richard Linklater|[[Kim Krizan]]}}
| based_on       = {{Based on|[[Before trilogy|Characters]]|Richard Linklater|Kim Krizan}}
| producer       = Anne Walker-McBay
| starring       = {{ubl|Ethan Hawke|Julie Delpy}}
| music          = 
| cinematography = [[Lee Daniel]]
| editing        = [[Sandra Adair]]
| studio         = [[Castle Rock Entertainment]]<br />Detour Filmproduction
| distributor    = [[Warner Independent Pictures]]
| released       = {{Film date|2004|02|10|[[54th Berlin International Film Festival|BIFF]]|2004|07|02|United States}}
| runtime        = 80 minutes<!--Theatrical runtime: 80:15--><ref name="BBFC">{{cite web|title=''BEFORE SUNSET'' (15)|url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/sunset-0|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505003927/http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/sunset-0|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 5, 2013|work=[[British Board of Film Classification]]|date=May 27, 2004|access-date=January 23, 2020}}</ref>
| country        = France<br />United States
| language       = <!--Only MAIN language included-->English<ref name="BBFC"/>
| budget         = $2–2.7 million<ref name="numbers">{{cite web |title=Before Sunrise Franchise Box Office History - The Numbers |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movies/franchise/Before-Sunrise#tab=summary |website=[[The Numbers (website)|The Numbers]]}}</ref><ref name="BOM" />
| gross          = $15.8 million<ref name="BOM" />
}}
'''''Before Sunset''''' is a 2004 American [[Romance film|romantic]] [[Drama (film and television)|drama film]] directed by [[Richard Linklater]], who co-wrote the screenplay with [[Ethan Hawke]] and [[Julie Delpy]], from a story by Linklater and [[Kim Krizan]]. It is the first film by [[Warner Independent Pictures]]. The sequel to ''[[Before Sunrise]]'' (1995) and the second installment in the [[Before trilogy|''Before'' trilogy]], ''Before Sunset'' follows Jesse (Hawke) and Céline (Delpy) as they reunite nine years later in [[Paris]].

Linklater, Krizan, Hawke, and Delpy began developing a larger budget sequel in the 1990s,<ref name="youtube">{{cite web|author=Popcorn Talk|title=BEFORE SUNSET Writer Kim Krizan & The Life of Anaïs Nin – The Film Scene with Illeana Douglas|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvOSiSIQ4XM|date=October 10, 2019|access-date=October 4, 2021|via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> but failed to secure funding to begin production. After writing the film independently, with portions inspired by Hawke's divorce from [[Uma Thurman]], the writers came together in 2003 and incorporated elements of their individual screenplays, as well as other scenes written during development of ''Before Sunrise'', to create the final screenplay. [[Principal photography]] took place entirely in Paris, and the film is considered to take place in [[Real time (media)|real time]]. Delpy also contributed original music to the film's soundtrack.

''Before Sunset'' premiered at the [[54th Berlin International Film Festival|Berlin International Film Festival]] on February 10, 2004; it was theatrically released in the United States on July 2, 2004. It grossed $15 million worldwide and received widespread critical acclaim, particularly for Linklater's direction, the performances and chemistry of its leads, and its screenplay. It received numerous accolades, being nominated for the [[Academy Award]] for [[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Adapted Screenplay]], and appeared on many publications' lists of the best films of the year, with some calling it one of the best of the decade. It was followed by a third film, ''[[Before Midnight]]'', in 2013.

==Plot==
<!-- Per WP:FILMPLOT, plot summaries for featured films should be set between 400-700 words. -->

Nine years after meeting Céline in Vienna,{{efn|As depicted in ''[[Before Sunrise]]'' (1995)}} Jesse has written a bestselling novel; ''This Time'', based on their time together. During a book tour in Europe, he does a reading at [[Shakespeare and Company (bookstore)|Shakespeare and Company]], where three journalists interview him: one is convinced the novel's characters meet again, another that they do not, and a third who wants them to, but is doubtful that will occur. Céline also attends the reading.

Required to leave for the airport in an hour, Jesse and Céline use the time to roam Paris. Their conversations soon become deeply personal, and they passionately discuss work, politics and lament their failure to meet again in Vienna or exchange contact details. Céline says she did not return, as her grandmother had died, and Jesse claims that he also did not come back. After Céline asks him why he didn't, he confesses that he actually did.

They reveal how their lives have changed in the nine years apart: Jesse is married and has a son named Hank, while Céline works for an environmental organization, and is in a relationship with a photojournalist. Their old romantic feelings slowly rekindle while walking around Paris. Jesse says his novel was inspired by the hope of seeing Céline again, and she says that reading it caused painful memories. They both admit that their previous night together had profoundly affected their perceptions of love, leading to dissatisfaction in both of their lives as Céline has had difficulty maintaining relationships while Jesse’s marriage is deeply strained.

Céline and Jesse arrive at her apartment, even after continuous insistence that Jesse should not miss his flight. Jesse persuades her to play a waltz on her guitar, which she wrote about their encounter in Vienna. Jesse plays [[Nina Simone]]'s "[[Just in Time (song)|Just in Time]]" on her stereo, which Céline dances to as he watches, the pair acknowledging he will miss his flight.

==Cast==
{{Cast listing|
* [[Ethan Hawke]] as Jesse
* [[Julie Delpy]] as Céline
* [[Vernon Dobtcheff]] as bookstore manager
* Louise Lemoine Torres as journalist #1
* Rodolphe Pauly as journalist #2
* Mariane Plasteig as waitress
* Diabolo as Philippe
* Denis Evrard as boat attendant
* [[Albert Delpy]] (Julie Delpy's father) as man at grill
* Marie Pillet (Julie Delpy's mother) as woman in courtyard
}}

==Production==
After the filming of ''Before Sunrise'', Linklater, Krizan,<ref name="youtube"/> Hawke, and Delpy discussed making a sequel. Linklater considered a version to be filmed in four locations and with a much larger budget. When his proposal did not secure funding, he scaled back the concept of the movie.<ref name="Filmmaker">{{cite news |url=http://www.filmmakermagazine.com/issues/spring2004/features/paris_day.php |title=Paris by Day |newspaper=[[Filmmaker (magazine)|FilmMaker]] |issue=Spring 2004 |first=Matthew |last=Ross |access-date=July 5, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120818122156/http://www.filmmakermagazine.com/issues/spring2004/features/paris_day.php |archive-date=August 18, 2012}}</ref> In a 2010 interview, Hawke said that the four had worked on several potential scripts over the years. As time passed and they did not secure funding, they adapted elements of the earlier scripts for ''Before Sunrise'' in their final draft of ''Before Sunset.''<ref name="Weintraub 2010">{{cite web |url=https://collider.com/ethan-hawke-on-a-3rd-before-sunrise-before-sunset-movie/13503 |title=Ethan Hawke on a 3rd BEFORE SUNRISE/BEFORE SUNSET Movie |website=[[Collider (website)|Collider]] |first=Steve "Frosty" |last=Weintraub |date=January 4, 2010 |access-date=July 1, 2012 |archive-date=June 16, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120616062509/http://collider.com/ethan-hawke-on-a-3rd-before-sunrise-before-sunset-movie/13503 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Linklater described the process of completing the final version of the film as:

{{blockquote|We sat in a room and worked together in about a two- or three-day period, worked out a very detailed outline of the whole film in this sort of real-time environment. And then, over the next year or so, we just started e-mailing each other and faxing. I was sort of a conduit – they would send me monologues and dialogues and scenes and ideas, and I was editing, compiling and writing. And that's how we came up with a script.<ref name="Filmmaker" />}}

Hawke said, "It's not like anybody was begging us to make a second film. We obviously did it because we wanted to."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,,1241288,00.html|title=Forget me not|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|first=Geoffrey|last=Macnab|date=October 8, 2005|access-date=August 10, 2007|location=London}}</ref>

The movie was filmed entirely on location in Paris. It opens inside the [[Shakespeare and Company (bookstore)|Shakespeare and Company]] bookstore on the [[Rive Gauche (Paris)|Left Bank]]. Other locations include their walking through the [[Le Marais|Marais]] district of the [[4th arrondissement of Paris|4th arrondissement]], Le Pure Café in the [[11th arrondissement of Paris|11th arrondissement]], the [[Promenade Plantée]] park in the [[12th arrondissement of Paris|12th arrondissement]], on board a ''[[bateau mouche]]'' from Quai de la Tournelle to Quai Henri IV, the interior of a taxi, and finally "Céline's apartment." Described in the film as located at 10 rue des Petites-Écuries, it was filmed in Cour de l'Étoile d'Or off rue du Faubourg St-Antoine.

The movie was filmed in 15 days, on a budget of about US$2–2.7 million.<ref name="Filmmaker" /><ref name="Marshall">{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/3620967/Love-that-goes-with-the-flow.html |title=Love that goes with the flow |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |last=Marshall |first=Lee |date=July 19, 2004 |access-date=August 11, 2007 |location=London}}</ref> The film is noted for its use of the [[Steadicam]] for tracking shots and its use of [[long take]]s; the longest of the Steadicam takes lasts about 11 minutes.<ref name="Marshall"/> As [[2003 European heat wave|the summer was one of the hottest on record]], the cast and crew suffered along with the city residents, as temperatures exceeded 100 degrees F (38&nbsp;°C) for most of the production.

The film is notable for essentially taking place in real time, i.e. the time elapsed in the story is the run time of the film. In the fast-changing temperate Paris climate, this created challenges for the cinematographer [[Lee Daniel]] to match the color and intensity of the skies and ambient light from scene to scene. The scenes were mostly shot in sequence, as they were still developing the screenplay. Producer Anne Walker-McBay worked with less time and less money than she had on ''Before Sunrise'', but still brought the film in on time and on budget. The sequel was released nine years after ''Before Sunrise'', the same amount of time that has lapsed in the plot since the events of the first film.

The film was released in the wake of Hawke's divorce from [[Uma Thurman]]. Some commentators drew parallels between Hawke's personal life and the character of Jesse in the film.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2005/oct/08/features.fiction|title=Another sunrise|newspaper=The Guardian|first=Dan|last=Halpern|date=October 8, 2005|access-date=December 28, 2009|location=London}}</ref> Additional comment has noted that both Hawke and Delpy incorporated elements of their own lives into the screenplay.<ref name="Marshall" /><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/3620385/Keeping-the-dream-alive.html|title=Keeping the dream alive|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|first=S.F.|last=Said|date=July 9, 2004|access-date=August 11, 2007|location=London}}</ref> Delpy wrote two of the songs featured in the film, and a third by her was included in the closing credits and movie [[soundtrack]].

==Release==
''Before Sunset'' [[Film premiere|premiered]] at the [[Berlin International Film Festival]] in February 2004, and received a [[limited release]] in the United States on July 2, 2004.

===Box office===
In its opening weekend, the film grossed $219,425 in 20 theaters in the United States, averaging $10,971 per theater. During its entire theatrical run, the film grossed $5.8 million in the United States and nearly $16 million worldwide.<ref name="BOM">{{cite web |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=beforesunset.htm |title=Before Sunset (2004) |work=[[Box Office Mojo]] |access-date=December 28, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091126152733/http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=beforesunset.htm |archive-date=November 26, 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Critical reception===
On [[Rotten Tomatoes]], ''Before Sunset'' holds an approval rating of 94% based on 177 reviews, with an average rating of 8.30/10. The site's critics consensus reads, "Filled with engaging dialogue, ''Before Sunset'' is a witty, poignant romance, with natural chemistry between Hawke and Delpy."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/before_sunset |title=Before Sunset (2004) |work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |access-date=March 1, 2021}}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the film has a [[weighted arithmetic mean|weighted average]] score of 91 out of 100 based on 39 reviews from mainstream publications, indicating "universal acclaim".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/before-sunset |title=Before Sunset Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=July 21, 2019}}</ref> The film appeared on 28 critics' top 10 lists of the best films of 2004,<ref name="Top10">{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/film/awards/2004/toptens.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080527234801/http://www.metacritic.com/film/awards/2004/toptens.shtml|archive-date=May 27, 2008|title=Metacritic: 2004 Film Critic Top Ten Lists|access-date=February 13, 2011|website=Metacritic}}</ref> and took the 27th spot on Metacritic's list of The Best-Reviewed Movies of the Decade (2000–09).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://features.metacritic.com/features/2009/the-best-movies-of-the-decade|title=The Best Movies of the Decade|website=Metacritic|access-date=April 5, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110503200024/http://features.metacritic.com/features/2009/the-best-movies-of-the-decade|archive-date=May 3, 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In comparing this film to its predecessor, American film critic [[Roger Ebert]] wrote, "''Before Sunrise'' was a remarkable celebration of the fascination of good dialogue. But ''Before Sunset'' is better, perhaps because the characters are older and wiser, perhaps because they have more to lose (or win), and perhaps because Hawke and Delpy wrote the dialogue themselves."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040702/REVIEWS/407020312/1023 |title=Before Sunset Review |last=Ebert |first=Roger |date=July 2, 2004 |access-date=December 28, 2009 |work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] |archive-date=January 27, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127105544/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20040702%2FREVIEWS%2F407020312%2F1023 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In her review for the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', [[Manohla Dargis]] lauded the film as a "deeper, truer work of art than the first," and praised director Linklater for making a film that "keeps faith with American cinema at its finest."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-et-dargis2jul02-04,2,1313132.story|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080523190447/http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-et-dargis2jul02-04%2C2%2C1313132.story|archive-date=May 23, 2008|title='Before Sunset' – Movie Review|date=July 2, 2004|access-date=February 13, 2011|last=Dargis|first=Manohla|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

Reviewing the acting, [[Peter Travers]] of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' observed, "Hawke and Delpy find nuance, art and eroticism in words, spoken and unspoken. The actors shine."<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/reviews/before-sunset-20040616 |title=Before Sunset : Review : Rolling Stone|date=June 16, 2004|access-date=April 30, 2011|last=Travers|first=Peter|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]}}</ref> [[Philip French]] of ''[[The Observer]]'' wrote,

{{blockquote|Both Hawke and Delpy are excellent and their performances have real depth. This time, too, they're doing more than appearing as fictional creations in a ''Richard Linklater'' film. They now share the writing credit with him and are clearly putting much of their experiences of the past decade into characters they have possessed and been possessed by.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2004/jul/25/features.review37|title=Brief re-encounter|access-date=December 28, 2009|work=[[The Observer]]|location=London|first=Philip|last=French|date=July 25, 2004}}</ref>}}

On the merits of the script, [[A. O. Scott]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' noted, it was "sometimes maddening," but "also enthralling, precisely because of its casual disregard for the usual imperatives of screenwriting." He elaborated,

{{blockquote|Can't they just say what they mean? Can you? Language, after all, is not just about points and meanings. It is a medium of communication, yes, but also of avoidance, misdirection, self-protection and plain confusion, all of which are among the themes of this movie, which captures a deep truth seldom acknowledged on screen or in books.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/02/movies/film-review-reunited-still-talking-still-uneasy.html |title=FILM REVIEW: Reunited, Still Talking, Still Uneasy |access-date=December 28, 2009 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |first=A. O. |last=Scott |date=July 2, 2004}}</ref>}}

In the United Kingdom, the film was ranked the 110th-greatest movie of all time by a 2008 ''[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]]'' poll.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.empireonline.com/500/77.asp|title=Empire Features – 500 Greatest Movies of All Time|access-date=January 25, 2010|work=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]]}}</ref> In 2010, the critics at ''[[The Guardian]]'' placed ''Before Sunrise/Before Sunset'' at number 3 in their list of the best romantic films of all time, and called the ending of ''Before Sunset'' "one of the most tantalising and ingenious endings in all cinema."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/oct/16/before-sunrise-sunset-romance |title=Before Sunrise/Before Sunset: No 3 best romantic film of all time |last=Gilbey |first=Ryan |date=October 16, 2010 |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |access-date=January 12, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110201120532/http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/oct/16/before-sunrise-sunset-romance |archive-date=February 1, 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>

;Top 10 lists
As noted by [[Metacritic]], the film appeared on the following critics' top 10 lists of 2004.<ref name="Top10" />

{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-2}}
* 1st – [[Village Voice Film Poll]] (94 film critics surveyed)
* 1st – Stephanie Zacharek, ''[[Salon.com]]''
* 1st – Marc Savlov, ''[[Austin Chronicle]]''
* 2nd – [[David Ansen]], ''[[Newsweek]]''
* 2nd – [[Mick LaSalle]], ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]''
* 2nd – Carla Meyer, ''San Francisco Chronicle''
* 3rd – [[Ty Burr]], ''[[The Boston Globe]]''
* 3rd – Kimberley Jones, ''Austin Chronicle''
* 3rd – [[James Berardinelli]], ''[[ReelViews]]''
* 3rd – Charles Taylor, Salon.com
* 3rd – Dennis Lim, ''[[Village Voice]]''
* 4th – [[Manohla Dargis]], ''[[The New York Times]]''
* 4th – [[Michael Atkinson (writer)|Michael Atkinson]], ''Village Voice''
* 4th – [[Michael Sragow]], ''[[The Baltimore Sun]]''
{{Col-2}}
* 5th – Ruthe Stein, ''San Francisco Chronicle''
* 6th – Michael Wilmington, ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''
* 6th – [[Owen Gleiberman]], ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''
* 6th – Jack Mathews, ''[[New York Daily News]]''
* 6th – [[J. Hoberman]], ''Village Voice''
* 7th – [[Jonathan Rosenbaum]], ''[[Chicago Reader]]''
* 7th – Lawrence Toppman, ''[[The Charlotte Observer]]''
* 8th – Scott Foundas, ''[[LA Weekly]]''
* 9th – Claudia Puig, ''[[USA Today]]''
* 9th – Marjorie Baumgarten, ''Austin Chronicle''
* No order specified – [[Ella Taylor]], ''LA Weekly''
* No order specified – Carina Chocano, ''Los Angeles Times''
* No order specified – [[Steven Rea]], ''[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]''
* No order specified – [[Shawn Anthony Levy]], ''[[Portland Oregonian]]''
{{Col-end}}

===Accolades===
;Awards
* 2004 [[2004 Boston Society of Film Critics Awards|Boston Society of Film Critics Award]] – Best Film (2nd Place)

;Nominations
* 2004 [[77th Academy Awards]] – [[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)]] for Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke and Kim Krizan
* 2004 [[Independent Spirit Award]] – [[Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay]] for Richard Linklater, July Delpy and Ethan Hawke
* 2005 [[Writers Guild of America Award]] – [[Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Adapted Screenplay]] for Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke and Kim Krizan
* 2004 [[Berlin International Film Festival]] – [[Golden Bear]]
* 2004 [[Gotham Awards]] – Best Film

In a 2016 [[BBC]] poll of 177 critics worldwide, ''Before Sunset'' was voted the [[BBC's 100 Greatest Films of the 21st Century|73rd best film since 2000]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20160819-the-21st-centurys-100-greatest-films |title=The 21st century's 100 greatest films |publisher=BBC |date=August 23, 2016 |access-date=January 11, 2017}}</ref> In 2019, ''[[The Guardian]]'' ranked the film 50th in its 100 best films of the 21st century list.<ref>{{cite news |title=The 100 best films of the 21st century |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/sep/13/100-best-films-movies-of-the-21st-century |website=The Guardian |date=September 13, 2019 |access-date=17 September 2019}}</ref>

==Sequel==
{{Main|Before Midnight|Before trilogy}}
Linklater, Hawke, and Delpy all discussed the possibility of a sequel to ''Before Sunset.''<ref name="Weintraub 2010" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://collider.com/exclusive-richard-linklater-on-before-sunrise-before-sunset-and-would-they-ever-make-a-third-film/11588 |title=Exclusive: Richard Linklater on BEFORE SUNRISE, BEFORE SUNSET, and Would They Ever Make a Third Film |website=Collider |first=Steve "Frosty" |last=Weintraub |date=November 24, 2009 |access-date=July 1, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/ethan-hawke-joins-the-nypd-and-leaves-criminals-starstruck-1996786.html |title=Ethan Hawke joins the NYPD and leaves criminals star-struck |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |location=London |first=Stephen |last=Applebaum |date=June 11, 2010 |access-date=July 1, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://insidemovies.ew.com/2012/01/25/sundance-chris-rock-julie-delpy-2-days-in-new-york |title=Sundance: Chris Rock and Julie Delpy on '2 Days in New York', a 'Before Sunset' sequel, and Spike Lee's infamous tirade |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |first=Adam B. |last=Vary |date=January 25, 2012 |access-date=July 1, 2012}}</ref> Hawke said he wanted to develop the relationship between Jesse and Céline, and said, "I'll be shocked if we never make another one".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2007/07/05/ethan-hawke-laments-lost-before-sunset-threequel |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070708234754/http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2007/07/05/ethan-hawke-laments-lost-before-sunset-threequel/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 8, 2007 |title=Ethan Hawke Laments Lost 'Before Sunset' Threequel |last=Adler |first=Shawn |date=July 5, 2007 |publisher=[[MTV News]] |access-date=July 1, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2005/jun/11/featuresreviews.guardianreview26 |title=The last word |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |first=James |last=Wood |date=June 11, 2005 |access-date=July 1, 2012}}</ref>

In a video interview in November 2011, Hawke said that he, Delpy and Linklater "have been talking a lot in the last six months... all three of us have been having similar feelings that we're kind of ready to revisit those characters... there's nine years between the first two movies... if we made the film next summer, it would be nine years again, so we started thinking that would be a good thing to do. So we're going to try and write it this year."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allocine.fr/article/fichearticle_gen_carticle=18608764.html |title=Ethan Hawke, l'interview blind-test (filmed November 2, 2011)|website=[[AlloCiné]] |first=Brigitte |last=Baronnet |date=November 18, 2011 |access-date=July 1, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/nov/23/hawke-delpy-before-sunrise-sequel |title=Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy wake up to possibility of Before Sunrise sequel |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |first=Catherine |last=Shoard |date=November 23, 2011 |access-date=July 1, 2012}}</ref> In June 2012, Hawke confirmed that the sequel to ''Before Sunset'' would be filmed in summer 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.indiewire.com/article/the-woman-in-the-fifth-star-ethan-hawke-on-blurring-the-lines-between-life-and-fiction |title='The Woman in the Fifth' Star Ethan Hawke Gets Personal and Talks 'Before Sunset' Follow-Up |website=[[IndieWire]] |first=Nigel M. |last=Smith |date=June 13, 2012 |access-date=July 1, 2012}}</ref> In September 2012, it was announced the sequel, titled ''[[Before Midnight]]'', had completed filming and would premiere at the [[2013 Sundance Film Festival|Sundance Film Festival]] in January 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.indiewire.com/article/richard-linklater-julie-delpy-and-ethan-hawke-complete-before-midnight-set-2013-release |title=Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke Complete 'Before Midnight'; Set 2013 Release |website=IndieWire |first=Peter |last=Knegt |date=September 5, 2012 |access-date=September 6, 2012}}</ref> The film was released in May to widespread acclaim,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/before_midnight_2013/|title=Before Midnight (2013)|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|access-date=January 20, 2014}}</ref> and received an [[Academy Award]] nomination for [[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Adapted Screenplay]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2014/film/news/86th-academy-awards-nominations-complete-list-and-scorecard-1201060676/|title=86th Academy Awards Nominations: Complete List and Scorecard|date=January 16, 2014|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|access-date=January 20, 2014}}</ref>

== Influence ==

=== Real-time Storytelling and Cinematic Style ===
''Before Sunset'' has significantly influenced filmmaking through its distinctive use of real-time storytelling. The film's narrative unfolds over approximately eighty minutes, matching the real time experienced by its characters, Jesse and Céline. This narrative technique has been praised for heightening the sense of realism and immediacy, making audiences feel as if they are experiencing events simultaneously with the characters.<ref name=":0">{{cite journal |last=Wartenberg |first=Thomas |year=2004 |title=Before Sunset |url=https://philosophynow.org/issues/48/Before_Sunset |journal=Philosophy Now |issue=48 |access-date=2024-03-09}}</ref> Film critic Dennis Lim notes that the long takes and continuous, flowing dialogue create an illusion of spontaneity, making interactions feel natural and unscripted.<ref name=":1">{{cite web |last=Lim |first=Dennis |year=2016 |title=The Before Trilogy: Time Regained |url=https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/4366-the-before-trilogy-time-regained |access-date=March 9, 2025 |website=The Criterion Collection}}</ref> This technique has inspired other filmmakers seeking authenticity and realism, particularly in independent cinema.

=== Philosophical and Cultural Influence ===
The film’s dialogue-driven narrative engages deeply with existential themes, exploring concepts such as choice, regret, and the fleeting nature of happiness. Jesse and Céline openly discuss their life's missed opportunities, and scholars suggest that their conversations illustrate existential themes reminiscent of Søren Kierkegaard's philosophy, particularly regarding the struggle between idealistic desires and practical responsibilities.<ref name=":2">{{cite journal |last=Xavier |first=Zachary |year=2021 |title=The Kierkegaardian Existentialism of Richard Linklater's ''Before'' Trilogy |url=https://doi.org/10.3366/film.2021.0164 |journal=Film-Philosophy |volume=25 |issue=2 |pages=110–129 |doi=10.3366/film.2021.0164 |access-date=March 9, 2025|doi-access=free }}</ref> The film's open-ended conclusion further reinforces its existential themes, inviting viewers to reflect on choices, fate, and life's unpredictability.

The dialogues between Jesse and Céline often delve into existential questions, blending ordinary conversation with philosophical reflection. Scholars have highlighted how the trilogy, particularly ''Before Sunset'', explores melancholy, regret, and the passage of time in a subtle yet profound way, inviting viewers to engage personally with its philosophical themes.<ref name=":3">{{cite journal |last=Tőke |first=Lilla |date=May 24, 2024 |title=Review: ''Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, Before Midnight: A Philosophical Exploration'' |url=https://www.jprstudies.org/2024/05/review-before-sunrise-before-sunset-before-midnight-a-philosophical-exploration-ed-by-hans-maes-and-katrien-schaubroeck/ |journal=Journal of Popular Romance Studies |volume=13 |access-date=March 9, 2025}}</ref>

=== Realism in Acting and Dialogue ===
The naturalistic performances by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, who co-wrote the screenplay with director Richard Linklater, have been praised for their authenticity and spontaneous quality. The actors’ collaborative approach to developing dialogue has influenced how performances can blur the line between fiction and reality, making conversations feel organic and genuine.<ref name=":4">{{cite web |last=Smith |first=Ryan Alexander |year=2022 |title=Realism in Richard Linklater's 'Before' Trilogy |url=https://film-cred.com/before-trilogy-ethan-hawke-julie-delpy-richard-linklater/ |access-date=March 9, 2025 |website=Film Cred}}</ref>

This naturalism and authenticity extend to performance style, characterized by subtle gestures, realistic interruptions, and emotional nuances. Film critics and academics have often linked Linklater's approach to that of European filmmakers, notably Éric Rohmer, whose films similarly prioritize natural dialogue and everyday realism.<ref name=":5">{{cite web |last=Romney |first=Jonathan |year=2013 |title=Eric Rohmer's influence on 2013 film, from ''Before Midnight'' to ''Frances Ha'' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/aug/11/eric-rohmer-influence-before-midnight |access-date=March 9, 2025 |website=The Guardian}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{IMDb title|0381681}}
* {{Mojo title|beforesunset}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|before_sunset}}
* {{Metacritic film}}
* [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-jun-20-ca-verini20-story.html An interview with Richard Linklater, Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy] by ''Los Angeles Times''
* [https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/4445-the-before-trilogy-time-regained ''The Before Trilogy: Time Regained''] an essay by Dennis Lim at the [[Criterion Collection]]

{{Richard Linklater}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Before Sunset}}
[[Category:Before trilogy]]
[[Category:2004 films]]
[[Category:2004 independent films]]
[[Category:2004 romantic drama films]]
[[Category:2000s English-language films]]
[[Category:2000s French-language films]]
[[Category:American independent films]]
[[Category:American romantic drama films]]
[[Category:American sequel films]]
[[Category:Castle Rock Entertainment films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Richard Linklater]]
[[Category:Films set in 2003]]
[[Category:Films set in Paris]]
[[Category:Films shot in Paris]]
[[Category:Films about conversations]]
[[Category:Films about writers]]
[[Category:2000s American films]]
[[Category:Warner Independent Pictures films]]
[[Category:Two-handers]]
[[Category:Semi-autobiographical films]]
[[Category:English-language romantic drama films]]