Monday, December 2, 2013

Before Midnight


<Before Midnight>------We're so important to someone but we're just passing through.

Directed by :Richard Linklater
Produced by:Richard Linklater
                        Christos V. Konstantakopoulos
                        Sara Woodhatch
Screenplay by: Richard Linklater
                          Ethan Hawke
                          Julie Delpy
Based on:Characters by Richard Linklater and Kim Krizan
Starring: Ethan Hawke
                Julie Delpy
Music by:Graham Reynolds
Editing by:Sandra Adair
Studio: Castle Rock Entertainment
Distributed by:Sony Pictures Classics
Release dates:January 20, 2013 (Sundance)
                         May 24, 2013 (limited)
                         June 14, 2013 (wide)
Running time:109 minutes
Country:United States
Language:English
                   Greek
                   French

  Nine years after the conclusion of Before Sunset, Jesse and Céline are a couple and parents to twin girls conceived when they got together for the second time. Jesse is also struggling to maintain his relationship with his teenage son, Hank, who lives in Chicago with Jesse's ex-wife and who, after spending the summer with Jesse and Céline on the Greek Peloponnese peninsula, is being dropped off at the airport to fly home. Jesse has continued to find success as a novelist, while Céline is at a career crossroads, considering a job with the French government.

  After dropping off Hank at the airport, the couple discuss their worries about Hank having a healthy childhood and Céline deciding what to do with her career, before returning to the house of their Greek friend, Patrick. Over dinner they discuss ideas about love and life, and the other people staying with them buy Jesse and Céline a hotel room for that night so they can have some time alone. While walking to the hotel, the couple reminisce about how they met and how their lives have changed since then. When they arrive at the hotel, however, the two have a vicious argument, as both of them pour out their fears about a present and future together.

  Céline eventually storms out of the hotel room, telling Jesse she doesn't think she loves him anymore before sitting in the hotel's outdoor restaurant alone. Jesse joins her and playfully tries to explain to her how things can be different from tonight. Céline initially finds his attempts childish, saying that their fantasies will never match the imperfect reality their relationship constantly goes through. Jesse then proclaims his love to her, saying that he loves her unconditionally and is not sure what else she could want from a relationship. Céline suddenly resumes Jesse's joke and the two seem to reconcile.

  Compared with Before Sunset and Before Sunrise,Before Midnight is more realistic. It's about jobs, kids, salary...dull routines in everyday life and then love.Love becomes the last thing they think about.They have to deal with the turning point of Celine's career, 2 girls of their own and Hank, Jessie's son who still lives with his ex-wife. When relationship turns into marrige, they have to take the responsibility and can't be free as they used to be. 

  9 years after 9 years, the uninhibited boy in the past turns into a sloppy middle-aged men, and the woman with two girls is no longer the Celine who was young, pretty and romantic 18 years ago. 

  They quarreled. Celine becomes a common woman complaining the babysitting, housework,cheating of husband and that kind of staff. And Jessie gives up after making efforts holding her back. A romantic night seems to be ruined.

  Then everything gets back into track. Jessie finds Celine and greets like their first meet. They get back to the uninhibited boy and pretty girl.The pair who first fell in love with each other in Austria finally get back into love before the midnight of Greece.

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