Before Sunset (2004)

Nine years after Jesse and Celine first met, they encounter each other again on the French leg of Jesse's book tour.

Director:

Richard Linklater

Writers:

Richard Linklater (screenplay), Julie Delpy (screenplay)

Stars:

Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Vernon Dobtcheff

Top Rated Movies #239 | Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 9 wins & 30 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Ethan Hawke	...	Jesse
Julie Delpy	...	Celine
Vernon Dobtcheff	...	Bookstore Manager
Louise Lemoine Torrès	...	Journalist #1 (as Louise Lemoine Torres)
Rodolphe Pauly	...	Journalist #2
Mariane Plasteig	...	Waitress
Diabolo	...	Philippe
Denis Evrard	...	Boat Attendant
Albert Delpy	...	Man at Grill
Marie Pillet	...	Woman in Courtyard

Storyline

Early thirty-something American Jesse Wallace is in a Paris bookstore, the last stop on a tour to promote his best selling book, This Time. Although he is vague to reporters about the source material for the book, it is about his chance encounter nine years earlier on June 15-16, 1994 with a Parisienne named Celine, and the memorable and romantic day and evening they spent together in Vienna. At the end of their encounter at the Vienna train station, which is also how the book ends, they, not providing contact information to the other, vowed to meet each other again in exactly six months at that very spot. As the media scrum at the bookstore nears its conclusion, Jesse spots Celine in the crowd, she who only found out about the book when she earlier saw his photograph promoting this public appearance. Much like their previous encounter, Jesse and Celine, who is now an environmental activist, decide to spend time together until he is supposed to catch his flight back to New York, this ...

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Plot Keywords:

conversations | brief encounter | enduring relationship | ambiguous ending | sequel | 

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Taglines:

What if you had a second chance with the one that got away?

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and sexual references

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Warner Bros. [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

30 July 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

Before Sunrise 2

Filming Locations:

Seine River, Paris, France

Box Office

Budget:

$2,700,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$311,194, 4 July 2004, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$5,792,822, 24 October 2004

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Independent Pictures (WIP), Castle Rock Entertainment, Detour Filmproduction

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

As Jesse and Celine are getting on the boat he says, "alright, alright, alright" which is Matthew McConaughey's famous catchphrase from 'Dazed and Confused' also written and directed by Richard Linklater.

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Goofs

When the taxi pulls up into Celine's apartment, the cameraman is reflected on the side and back view of the car.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Journalist #1: Do you consider the book to be autobiographical?
Jesse: Uh, well, I mean... isn't everything autobiographical?

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Movie Sequels That Were Worth the Wait (2018)

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Soundtracks

A Waltz For A Night
Performed by Julie Delpy
Composed by Julie Delpy
Published by Crépuscule France

User Reviews

How do you make a sequel to "Before Sunrise"? This is how.

I'd been longing to see this one as I'd always thought 'Before Sunrise' was one of the most honest, most real films I'd ever seen, but at the same time I held off seeing the sequel from fear of disappointment. For all of you in the same position, fear not ; Linklater, Hawke and Delphy (for it has surely been a joint effort and labour of love for all three) have done us and themselves proud. I've just seen the film and despite being male and 38 I feel like Roberta Flack must have felt when she penned 'Killing me Softly' after hearing Don McLean sing 'Vincent' in concert; this is - once again - just so close to what it's all about. You want technicalities? The acting, superb; Hawke and Delphy slip right back into their characters, their mannerisms, their sometimes gauche repartee, the way they seem to fence around each other, seeming to go in for the kill then feigning, drawing back…Exquisite. And then the details, the echoes of the first film in the settings but now with a world-weariness, an autumnal note and yet with still that fundamental freshness and optimism that revives the memories of Sunrise's youthfulness and reminds us, as our heroes discuss, that though time changes people, there remains an unchanging core. Just see it; this is about as good as it gets, folks.