Before Sunrise Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
... When love can come as a complete surprise
Can the greatest romance of your life last only one night?
A French grad student named Celine (Julie Delpy) meets an American boy named Jesse (Ethan Hawke) on the Budapest-Vienna train. They get off the train in Vienna and hang out for a while.
| Ethan Hawke | Jesse |
| Julie Delpy | Celine |
| Andrea Eckert | Wife on Train |
| Hanno Pöschl | Husband on Train |
| Tex Rubinowitz | Guy on Bridge |
| Erni Mangold | Palm Reader |
| Dominik Castell | Street Poet |
| Haymon Maria Buttinger | Bartender |
| Harold Waiglein | Guitarist in Club |
| Bilge Jeschim | Belly Dancer |
| Kurti | Percussionist |
| Peter Ily Huemer | Cafe Patron |
| Richard Linklater |
7.90 out of 10 (22661 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Movie equivilant of hanging to death
posted on 28 Aug 2009The depressiing and boring first encounter of two blathering people with bad teeth and no interesting stories to tell. This is one of the worst movies I've ever watched 20 minutes of before realizing that life is short and this was not time well spent. Even turning off the sound can't save you from the terrible pain that comes with this movie. They clearly can't get enough of themselves. If it was possible to talk, walk aimlessly, kiss and bore people to death they would do it. Mind you, they came very close.
If you're hoping to become depressed, or looking for an alternative to a sleeping pill, by all means, watch this movie. Otherwise, stay far away from this total abomination of a movie.
I loved this one
posted on 21 Aug 2009What a wonderful film. Watching it I started thinking, why aren't more of these films produced? It's so dazzlingly true to life that I feel everyone will be able to get something out of it and make a connection to his/her own life. Although not very well known, this film is bound to become a romantic classic of the 90s, a film young people of now will put on again in ten or twenty years time to remember their youth by and to contemplate about what their life turned out to be. Nowhere is this, although very romantic, tale sugar-sweet or overdone. Nowhere is it boring, even though there isnt a big story-line. Vienna as a city didnt really appeal to me, but seeing the way they portrayed it in this film sure makes me want to go there now. An absolute jewel.
Must see with Before Sunset
posted on 29 Jul 2009I watched 'Before Sunset' a year ago then I tried to find out the 'root' of the story as well as the characters. You don't regret to watch both of them.
The dialogues are very lovely. It make you feel you are friends of them and sharing their feelings of love on that day.
One of the best films of the 1990s
posted on 28 Jul 2009I had never heard of this film before a couple of weeks ago, but its concept interested me when I heard it: an American man meets a European woman on his last night in Europe and they spend the night together talking. It sparked my interest, but I never expected it to be this great. Before Sunrise is a masterpiece, and it's also one of the most romantic films on record. To my surprise, it completely lacked the cynicism of the 1990s. It's impossible to really talk too much about it, since there is no real plot, so to speak (although there are plenty of thoroughly interesting things you could talk about; it is sort of like My Dinner With Andre, where there is a conversation, but it's not JUST the conversation that matters), but let me just say, see it. SEE IT!
One of the best romantic movies ever ...
posted on 25 Jul 2009There is not much that can be said about this movie that was not said before. Linklater has accomplished the impossible and has landed 2 of his movies (Dazed and Confused and Before Sunrise) in my Top 10 list of favorite movies.This movie is quite frankly one of the most overlooked gems of modern cinema. I am a guy, 32, and have seen this movie at least over a dozen times and has always left me with a teary eye. Julie Delpy is like and angel from heaven that has unsuspectedly landed in Ethan Hawke's life and ours. All the key scenes have been mentioned before, the record shop listening booth (this one had to be improvised, as I don't think this is possible to be pulled of by the most talented of actors), the imaginary phone calls, the kiss on top of the Prater, the talk about having/not having sex. The sadness of the empty spaces without them at the end ...Maybe it has more meaning for me than for others as my ex-girlfriend looked like Delpy somewhat and out last encounter was in an airport under similar circumstances and promises as the ending of the movie, but this is a definite recommendation for anyone that thrives on that great feeling when you have with someone that just invades your soul and you want to spend every waking moment with them. Kudos for Linklater for being able to capture this so faithfully and unpretentiously. A once in a lifetime achievement! One of the best films ever!
Beautiful Film
posted on 22 Jul 2009In this film two people (Ethan Hawke and the great Julie Delpy) meet on a train, they start to talk, then they walk around Vienna all night and fall in love. That's the movie.Absolute praise goes to the director and writers for delivering a monumental achevement in cinema. Incredible characters, superb writing and two awesome performances. My personal favourite was of course Julie Delpy who is great (I'm a fella, it's a coincidence!) who portrays a smart and independent woman, perfectly capable of running her own life - not a meandering chick, acting ever so ditzy!Ethan Hawke was very good as a greasy dude like guy wandering around Europe getting over being dumped.Hell, this movie makes me want to visit Vienna! Everything in this film is clearly the work of independent film-making and it's all the better for it. Before Sunrise is simply one of the most beautiful films ever made - 5/5Can't wait to see the follow-up!
A luminous Sunrise
posted on 07 Jul 2009Richard Linklater's beautifully directed mixture of youthful romance and
Paris travelogue is one of the 90's best thinking person's romantic movies.
Julie Delpy turns in one of the decade's most engaging performances as the
Parisian lass who spends a day with stranger-on-a-train Ethan Hawke. The
dialogue (and there is oodles of it) is sometimes meandering and overly
precious, but this portrait of two young wannabe-lovers making a romantic,
intellectual, and spiritual connection to one another is full of
wonderfully amusing, touching and insightful moments.
Universal love
posted on 07 Jul 2009Love story of a French girl and an American guy whose love increases as times goes off, in the silent mood of Vienna. Phylosofical dialogs of particular for the universal, uniting the reality based thoghts of Jesse with the magical and somewhat exoterical thoghts of Celine proving that two opposit minds can think together. The 24 most important moments of their lives where the rational knowledge that everything on the world will someday be over shows what life really is: made of few moments where you live and love. Warm, unforgetable love story.
A romantic movie for the thinking man and woman
posted on 01 Jul 2009I hadn't heard of "Before Sunrise", until the sequel "Before Sunset" was released. Because there was quite some hype around the sequel and the first one was broad-casted a few days later, I gave it a try. At first I wasn't too convinced about this movie's quality, but I kept watching it anyway and gradually I started to like it more and more. I guess this is the kind of movie that you have to see a couple of times before you can like it at its fullest."Before Sunrise" tells the story of a French graduate student named Celine (Julie Delpy) who meets a young American named Jesse (Ethan Hawke) on the Budapest-Vienna train. She is returning to Paris and he's making a trip through Europe. But instead of continuing their trip on their own, they decide to get of the train in Vienna, where they will spend the entire day and night together. During their stay of 14 hours, they get to know the city and each other, but when the night ends and another day begins, they have to say goodbye to each other, not knowing if they will ever meet again...This isn't yet another romantic movie based on the all too known concept of boy meets girl, boy and girl have a fight, boy and girl realize they love each other too much and live happily ever after. I guess you could call this a romantic movie for the thinking man and woman. This isn't just a corny flick, but a very intelligent and beautiful movie that will offer you the chance to really get to know its characters in a profound way.Overall this is a romantic movie with a well written story, interesting characters and of course a beautiful city as a setting. What more could you possibly expect? Not much, and that's why I give this movie at least a 7.5/10.
the most precious moments of two people can have
posted on 16 Jun 2009I've used this site IMDB for a long time but didn't even try to register. but this movie just made me to do because I did want to vote for 10points for it. I just saw this movie on TV by chance. it showed me the most precious moments of two people can have which we call true and beautiful love. great work.
Young love.
posted on 29 May 2009After seeing Richard Linklater's "Before Sunset", and loving every minute of it, I resolved to find the film that "Sunset" was a followup to: 1995's "Before Sunset". Both films star Ethan Hawke ("Dead Poets Society") and Julie Delpy ("White") as Jesse and Celine, two star-crossed lovers who have a penchant for engaging in long conversations on a wide variety of topics. In "Sunrise", Jesse and Celine meet while on a train to Vienna. Jesse is sightseeing in Europe, having been dumped by his girlfriend who he had originally intended to spend his vacation with. Celine is on her way back from a visit to her grandmother. Jesse is going to catch a plane in Vienna back to the United States, and convinces Celine to get off with him. The two wander around Vienna, talking, encountering the locals, and, of course, falling in love. The plot of "Before Sunrise" is minimalist; the film depends on the strength of the two lead actors, and the dialogue they are given. Fortunately, both are very strong. I prefer "Sunset" to "Sunrise", but both are excellent productions. I give "Sunrise" an 8, compared to the 10 I gave "Sunset".
The Dialogue is Perfect
posted on 26 May 2009Before Sunsrise is a film of dialogue. Nothing much else to say about it. Well maybe that it is very romantic. It has very little real plot. The little plot it has revolves around two people who meet on a train going through Europe. They are Jesse and Celine. Jesse is an American who is not completely sure why he is traveling through Austria and plans to get of in Venice. Celine is a french woman who is on her way back to Paris for her college term. They talk for maybe an hour before they get to the stop at Venice and Jesse has to get off. He of course convinces her to come with them and because neither have very much money they just wander around talking until sunrise when they must part for ever. They of course fall in love, have sex, and plan to meet again but deep down know they won't. It is the usual cliché of a romance but somehow it works well. Mostly because of the wonderful dialogue and the performance by Ethan Hawke. The direction is also better than usual. Somehow it works very well, much better than it probably sounds. It is also very funny.
very attractive, emotional, sensitive
posted on 24 May 2009I watched the later half of this film on TNT and was instantly attracted as soon as I switched to the channel. Both actor/actress played really well especially Delpy - personally I think she is very attractive, sensational although not the most beautiful. I am going to rush for this movie for my video achive. Hollywood produces few films more romantic and (less sexually explicit) than this one.
Mr Linklater, consider yourself redeemed!
posted on 11 May 2009I must first admit that one star is for the pleasant surprise this delight of a film produced after viewing it a month after surviving director Linklater's awful Waking Life, which was nail bitingly close to being the worst film I have ever witnessed. That said you must be warned, Before Sunrise is what I label a 'hit or miss' movie (no, not in the rhyming slang sense, tsk), in that the impact of the film will depend largely on the viewer, you will either love it or hate it. Also in the film not a lot happens, there is no real drama, conflict or action just 2 people who meet share a day together in Vienna and fall in love. It is a 'talky' film, it almost all dialogue, the dialogue will not always be easy to digest for everyone, I found the film to drag at points, but there are at least some things in here that I think everyone can relate to. What makes the film a success (to some, not all) is the way that this relationship unfolds, with sublime realism and tenderness. A very simple film on the surface it has intricacies that are open for the viewer to interpret in relation to their own lives and feelings.This story put me instantly in mind of Lost in Translation, except for the age gap, the other difference is we have no prior knowledge of the main characters when they meet. We have two young folk travelling home through Europe by train, Jesse, a typically sceptical American guy who has just split with his long distance girlfriend who he left behind in Madrid to go on a whirlwind tour of Europe and Celine, a young idealistic French student, a quiet daydreamer. After sitting opposite each other they get talking, initially about how relationships ware thin with time, which relates to the central theme of the film, and after some nervous stutters a chemistry begins to grow between them. This is pretty much how the film develops, the pair share each others views on the world around them, the after life and the little idiosyncrasies in American and European cultures as the train hurtles on. Not everyone will be able to cope with such a duologue based story, I took time adjusting but unlike Waking Life I managed to do so because the words were delivered by characters as conversation, not monologue by random folk, and it had a context which made the experience easier to relate to. Some of the discussions connected with me, others made me recoil. Some of the philosophising and conversation was elegant in a manner, such as the talk of visions of the dead other times it was grating like Jesse's awful TV idea, made me cringe. This is only to be expected when you are watching 2 characters talk for extended periods about a wide range of issues. Sure these are conversations you would rather engage in than watch but it is the context that really matters, this does not really take hold until later in the film. The characters were not the sort of people I would spend time with personally, they were sorta whiny youths who seem slightly rebellious and perhaps overly sure of the validity of their own views, however although I did not really relate to them (usually not a good thing) I began to enjoy the situation. This is the sort of situation you always hope will occur, you start a conversation with stranger and you get to know each other and find you have an instant connection. Watching these two connect just by talking, the most simple thing, was strangely captivating. I think because it is so believable a situation because the 2 actors who just play it like normal everyday folk having a chat, it made it easy to relate to.On the spur of the moment Jesse, who has to get off the train in Vienna, asks Celine to spend the day with him instead of continuing her journey. She accepts and off they go to talk some more against the backdrop of one of the world's most beautiful cities (after Edinburgh of course), the shots of Vienna really show it off accurately in all it's wonderfully intricate grandeur contrasting with that almost desolate, sleepy continental atmosphere. You start to see slight signs of conflict between the pair's views on life, Jesse dismisses the palm reader who pesters them and has a generally sceptical view on life while Celine (being European) has a very open mind about such things. These subtle differences seem to draw them closer together rather than push them apart, they gradually and visibly become more and more comfortable and relaxed with each other.The film does drag at times, especially in the section where they first get off the train, and it took it's time to work it's magic on me. As their evening wore on though I did finally begin to get absorbed, as I knew the two would soon have to part. That is the beauty of the film, in the fact that for the couple's time is very limited however this means that their relationship will not have the chance to be stretched and eroded by time. Time won't allow for them to grow tired of each others company as it is time itself that will simply dissipate, not their connection. They are able to let go before that bond grows old and fizzles out. That is what makes the film a success, you feel you have had an insight into something most people can only dream of occurring, yet one that is entirely possible if we have the will and desire to act on our instincts. As I said not a film for everyone but one that contains a rare hidden beauty for those that can connect and persevere with it.
Loved it...
posted on 06 May 2009Yea, like a lot of other people, I caught this movie on T.V. on accident, and I love how it shows the akward silences and pureness of new love...I like how it sounded like they were just talking, and as if there wasn't a director, and they were acting like if they were really meeting for the first time.
I suggest you see this movie, it'll change your aspect on life and love forever.
the most wonderful film
posted on 05 May 2009i almost didn't bother watching this film. while i like richard linklater, i certainly did not like "the newton boys", and i was sure that this was another studio produced clunker. but i gave it a shot for the heck of it. i am so glad i did. this is the most perfect movie i have ever seen. by far my favourite. it holds up even after about fifty viewings. it hits every single not exactly right. a few of my favourite scenes are the scene in the listening booth with the kath bloom song, the poet scene and his poem, and scene where they pretend to talk to their friends on the telephone. the ending is so wonderful and anti hollywood that i cannot believe they let rick get away with it. depending on your point of view, check out "waking life" to find out what happens to the couple after the movie. it could be real, or it could be a dream though, you'll never know... i wish more people knew about this flick!
One of the top romantic films
posted on 23 Apr 2009"Before Sunrise" is a totally likable film. It really is a very simple story of Jesse and Celine meeting on a train --- him proposing that they should get off the train at Vienna and spend time together.Ethan Hawke as Jessie and Julie Delpy as Celine engage from the first scene to the last and the pressure is on them because they are in every shot.Linklater is not afraid to let us be irritated by them either -- when they almost have an argument about the fortune teller is beautifully perceptive.It is a movie that resonates with strong feeling as they start to fall in love so does the audience with the characters.Ethan Hawke really came into his own with this film and Julie Delpy was the new french star actress.A moment of utter inspiration is when we return to the landmarks of Vienna where their romance was blossoming without the two of them being there the following day -- poignant.
A great film
posted on 21 Apr 2009Before Sunrise is one of those films that really is set apart from most of the "romantic" films that have come out of Hollywood. The movie examines the process of falling in love rather than the typical fall in love - deal with the consequences format that most movies have. It is a film that highlights the excitement of the beginning of love between two people. I would highly recommend it as well as the sequel "Before Sunset".
Rare Honesty and Hypnotizing Conversations
posted on 31 Aug 2009In a world where characters seem to cautiously approach a tentative friendship before diving into an impulsive romantic relationship, it is almost refreshing to see both happening at once. From the moment American Jesse meets the luminous French Celine there is a soul connection that defies definition.
At first, Celine seems to overwhelm Jesse with her intellectual wanderings and yet she playfully allows him to tease her. The chemistry is phenomenal and the sheer beauty of various scenes made me realize how the simplicity of the settings actually enhanced the emotional aspects.
Throughout the entire movie you never feel that you are on the outside looking in, although I think that is the underlying attraction. I was so mesmerized by the script I felt I became each character as they were speaking. This is bliss for anyone who loves the sheer honesty of life itself. Jesse and Celine delve into philosophy, creatively describe their first romantic feelings and enjoy a spontaneous merging of the minds.
When they meet on a train heading to Vienna, neither imagine they will encounter a reality that is better than any fantasy. There is a sweet innocence pervading this entire movie with an underlying erotic tension that never seems to find complete fulfillment on screen. While the ending of this movie is more melancholy, the ending of Before Sunset is more than delicious.
~The Rebecca Review