Goose Egg Marathon Film #40Before Sunset(2004, Richard Linklater)
"But we're not real anyway, right? We're just, uh, characters in that old lady's dream. She's on her deathbed, fantasizing about her youth. So of course we had to meet again. "Non-Spoiler ReviewWhen you go into a sequel like this - one for a film (Before Sunrise) so universally admired, it would seem you'd have everything to lose and perhaps nothing to gain. But it become obvious pretty early on that Linklater and his two leads had handled this project with such dignity and care that not only did the result turn out to be worthy of its predecessor, but very likely its superior. Early on I analyzed every decision, but I soon got swept up in the story. Now when I think back - every decision they made was perfect. There were a lot of unknowns going out of the first film - those who have seen the first one know these well. Like the characters in the story, the audience has been waiting 9 years to see how things turn out. They turn out....well....I can't tell you that. You're going to have to see to find out.
Spoiler ReviewI didn't really have a review to write per se, but I wanted to highlight a few things that were really kinda cool
1) I love the way they revealed how the "6 month" thing turned out: First with him saying he hadn't made it, later sheepishly admitting he had with all forgiveness - but later revealing how angry he actually was how it turned out. So real.. So non-Hollywood.
2) She also had her moment of emotion. I love the way the regret and anger came out - in particular how she was portrayed in the book. Again it is the opposite of how a normal movie script might have conveniently hadn't it.
3) I love the way they revealed the marriage - some 30 minutes in and after he had sorta-kinda made a pass at her. It was her trump card and she played it at that moment of her own self-vulnerability.
4)I love the fact that the conversation was at a much higher level of maturity than in the first film - and they acknowledged it. The characters were in different places in their lives. The concerns are different, heavier but no more rational, or less hypocritical in nature. Doesn't this make you just want to see them again in about 10 years to meet again? .
5) It's cool how they addressed the sex thing from the first movie - taking something that might have been ambiguous and adding ambiguity to it before answering it head-on. What fun.
6) The final scene - so much to like. You HAD to end it that way. There is no other way to do. But here 's a few other comments about that scene:
- her song?....was actually good. I was kinda expecting "smelly cat". Nice attention to detail there.
- He's laying back in that futon listening. His pose is so relaxed and his look so longing. All the while fiddling with his wedding ring. Loved that.
7) Last note: the scene on the boat - the wind and the blouse. Ok - so there's this hoax women have played on men since the dawn of time that they are blissfully unaware of wardrobe physics. She chose that shirt: the character and the actress - they both new what they were doing - and BOTH of them knew that his character was married. Think about that!
And what about this moment: So awesome.
Loved this film. I could go on and on. Wish I saw this when it first came out so I could chew someone's ear off about it for an hour. Gonna have to buy this.
Verdict:
Practically perfect. Brilliant script. Figures to have a long life on my top 100 for years to come.
Grade: A+