A young woman got intrigued by a complete stranger on a train in Europe and decided to boldly step out with him and roam the streets of Vienna for one day. This was in 1995. The premise of Before Sunrise. A movie that can be called brazen, unthinkable, and difficult to ever recapture. What that small step by the young woman led to is, as many describe it, pure magic. It marked the beginning of a unique trilogy, each movie spanning about a decade after the other -- Before Sunrise, Before Sunset and the most recent Before Midnight.
What makes this series so different? Because it is beyond one's imagination to conceive a full feature length film where more than 90% of the screen time is taken away by the two lead actors talking. Yep, that's right, just talking! It was the streets of Vienna in Before Sunrise, Paris in Before Sunset and now Greece in Before Midnight. In each of the movies, the conversations between the lead pair reflect the stage of their lives they are in, the values they have been ingrained with, their rebelliousness towards certain aspects of the society and yet their acceptance towards some. The first two movies are filed with lovely to and fro jabs between the lead pair, wonderfully enacted by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, making it some kind of a match in a boxing ring, but less brutal. And from the rave reviews I am reading about Before Midnight, the same tenacity seems to continue in the verbal duels in the latest movie as well.
Before Midnight has been showcased in the Sundance Film Festival where it has been one of the highlights. The recent story about Sony Pictures Classics acquiring distribution rights for North America and UK would further help this movie reach a larger audience. For there most definitely is a cult following of this movie franchise, no matter what age group you fall in. If you have tuned in to the first, it catches onto you so quick that within minutes you would be throwing in your opinions along with Jesse and Celine, the protagonists of this series. Alfred Hitchcock could pull off such movies with limited characters and in singular places, but then he relied on the mystery to keep the audience hooked. 12 Angry Men is another remarkable movie that I can think of which was enacted entirely in one room as 12 members of the jury debated on a young man's crime. In more recent times, Phone Booth managed to create an intriguing story about a guy in a phone booth who cannot keep the phone down. But again there was much mystery and suspense to keep the story moving forward. Or else you have the horror flicks like Paranormal Activity where the script allows for minimal locations and characters. But to keep the audience riveted to the banter between the lead pair for an hour and a half, to the varied topics of discussions floated around!? It is something truly unique, and special.
I am eagerly waiting for a wide release of Before Midnight this year. The talented Richard Linklater, director of the series, has not ruled out a fourth edition as well. Though if that were to happen, would we be looking at a 2023 release? Can't wait! Wine after all becomes better in taste with age.
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