Before Sunrise (1995)

A young man and woman meet on a train in Europe, and wind up spending one evening together in Vienna. Unfortunately, both know that this will probably be their only night together.

Director:

Richard Linklater

Writers:

Richard Linklater, Kim Krizan

Stars:

Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Andrea Eckert

Top Rated Movies #194 | 1 win & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ethan Hawke	...	Jesse
Julie Delpy	...	Céline
Andrea Eckert	...	Wife on Train
Hanno Pöschl	...	Husband on Train
Karl Bruckschwaiger	...	Guy on Bridge
Tex Rubinowitz	...	Guy on Bridge
Erni Mangold	...	Palm Reader
Dominik Castell	...	Street Poet
Haymon Maria Buttinger	...	Bartender
Harald Waiglein	...	Guitarist in Club
Bilge Jeschim	...	Belly Dancer
Kurti	...	Percussionist
Hans Weingartner	...	Cafe Patron
Liese Lyon	...	Cafe Patron
Peter Ily Huemer	...	Cafe Patron

Storyline

American tourist Jesse and French student Celine meet by chance on the train from Budapest to Vienna. Sensing that they are developing a connection, Jesse asks Celine to spend the day with him in Vienna, and she agrees. So they pass the time before his scheduled flight the next morning together. How do two perfect strangers connect so intimately over the course of a single day? What is that special thing that bonds two people so strongly? As their bond turns to love, what will happen to them the next morning when Jesse flies away?

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Plot Keywords:

conversations | train | french | tourist | one night | 

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Taglines:

Jump on and live a Eurorail journey you will never forget!

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some strong language

Details

Country:

USA Austria Switzerland

Language:

English German French

Release Date:

27 January 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Antes del amanecer

Filming Locations:

Austria

Box Office

Budget:

$2,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,423,537, 29 January 1995

Gross USA:

$5,535,405

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$5,986,708

Company Credits

Production Co:

Castle Rock Entertainment, Detour Filmproduction, Filmhaus Wien Universa Filmproduktions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Richard Linklater first considered casting Ethan Hawke, he thought that the actor was too young for the part. Linklater saw Hawke at a play in New York City and reconsidered after talking to the actor.

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Goofs

Jesse and Celine walk towards the back of the train heading for the dining car. As they enter the dining car, the train is now traveling in the opposite direction, backwards.

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Quotes

Celine: I always feel this pressure of being a strong and independent icon of womanhood, and without making it look my whole life is revolving around some guy. But loving someone, and being loved means so much to me. We always make fun of it and stuff. But isn't everything we do in life a way to be loved a little more?

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Crazy Credits

Closing dedication: In Memory Of My Grandparents Thelma and Charles Krieger Ada and Cecil Harmon Shirley and Charles Linklater

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Connections

References The Third Man (1949)

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Soundtracks

Sonata No. 8 In C Minor, Opus 13 ('Pathétique') Rondo: Allegro
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven (as Ludwig Van Beethoven)
Performed by Istvan Szekely
Courtesy of LaserLight Digital
By Arrangement with Source/Q

User Reviews

One of the best films of the 1990s

I 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!