Before Sunset is a romantic drama film released in 2004 and directed by Richard Linklater. The movie is the second installment in a three-part film series, following the 1995 film Before Sunrise. The story picks up nine years after the events of the first film, where two strangers, Jesse and Celine, met on a train and spent a contemplative night wandering through Vienna. The second part of the trilogy reunites Jesse (Ethan Hawke), now a successful writer, and Celine (Julie Delpy), who is working as an environmental activist while raising her daughter as a single mother.
The movie takes place in real-time over the course of one afternoon in Paris. Jesse is in Paris to promote his new novel, which is a fictionalized account of his night with Celine in Vienna. While on the promotional tour, Jesse sees Celine in the crowd, and they reunite.
Over the course of the afternoon, Jesse and Celine take a leisurely walk through the city, talking and catching up on the past nine years. They discuss their respective lives since that night in Vienna, pondering the idea of missed opportunities and whether they may have made different choices if given the chance. They touch on the topic of love, sadness, nostalgia, and regret while trying to rediscover their connection.
The tone of the movie is marked by a wistful melancholy as the characters realize that the afternoon they have to spend together may be the only one they ever get. They know that after this encounter, they would return to their respective lives. The movie ends ambiguously, leaving it up to the audience to decide the fate of the couple.
Before Sunset is acclaimed for its naturalistic dialogue, sense of place, and the captivating performances of its actors. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, and a third installment, Before Midnight, was released in 2013, completing the trilogy.
