Before Midnight (2013)

Before Midnight

I felt so emotionally drained after watching this. By the time it was finished, I had felt like I had run a marathon. Just tired and worn out, and solely because of how good the film was. Reason being, it’s so powerful and emotional, that you get so invested and it takes a toll on your soul. In a good way. The emotional rollercoaster that this film is……unbelievable. You get so into Jesse and Celine’s story in the first two films, and this one is a wonderful and…interesting conclusion. It’s easily one of the best final trilogy films I’ve ever seen. The writing is so perfect in basically every sense, and there isn’t a single thing I’d change. The story picks up nine years later from ‘Before Sunset’, and starts in a satisfying way. However, as you go forward, the relationship slowly unravels, putting you right in the middle of the conflict. It’s hard to beat ‘Before Sunrise’ as my favorite, but this one came close because of how raw and mature it is. It’s not always a feel good film. At times it is, but especially in the hotel room, it’s downright terrifying, and made me feel very anxious. When Celine said THAT line to Jesse before walking out to the dock….a knife went through my heart. The dialogue between the two was so natural and pristine, whether it was positive or negative. The screenplay from Linklater, Delpy, and Hawke was genius, heartfelt, and executed in the best way possible. And of course, the performances from Delpy and Hawke were phenomenal. So much power resonated from them. The fact that so much of the acting came from just their voices, and add the facial expressions on top of that, you get some of the best chemistry between any two people on-screen. Hours after watching it, my mind is still feeling fuzzy, and reflecting on everything I just experienced. It’s one of the best trilogies ever made. A fantastic character and story arc between two people who just happened to meet one day. And the rest is history. Mr. Linklater, I tip my hat to you now and forever. I would recommend this to all drama/romance fans, just make sure to have seen the first two (obviously). This film is officially Berry Approved, so go watch it now!