Writer/director Richard Linklater reunites with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy for a third time in "Before Midnight", again taking viewers along on a summer stroll with Jesse and Celine as they talk, joke, argue about the trivia of the world and of the heart.
The epic long takes, ceaseless conversations and picturesque European backdrop (this time provided by the Peloponnese peninsula in Greece) feel familiar but the protagonists' circumstances are VERY different, which is why one should be prepared for a narrative tone that's consierably removed from that of the first two films. Both lead actors gave impressive, beautifully lived-in performances; even when certain parts of their debates felt forced, it's a delight just to witness the spontaneity with which they portrayed these two characters we've come to know over the years.
Reaction to this movie will ultimately depend on how one relates to the new stage in life it depicts. But in any event, it's a rare cinematic achievement to chronicle the evolution of a relationship spanning nearly two decades. Indeed, the greatest gift of this trilogy is probably the invitation it extends to us to ruminate on time, the time lost and found, wasted and treasured, missed and dreaded.
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