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Before Sunset

Play trailer Poster for Before Sunset R 2004 1h 20m Romance Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
94% Tomatometer 181 Reviews 91% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
A sequel to Before Sunrise, this film starts nine years later as Jesse (Ethan Hawke) travels across Europe giving readings from a book he wrote about the night he spent in Vienna with Celine (Julie Delpy). After his reading in Paris, Celine finds him, and they spend part of the day together before Jesse has to again leave for a flight. They are both in relationships now, and Jesse has a son, but as their strong feelings for each other start to return, both confess a longing for more.
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Before Sunset

Before Sunset

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Critics Consensus

Filled with engaging dialogue, Before Sunset is a witty, poignant romance, with natural chemistry between Hawke and Delpy.

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Critics Reviews

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Adam Kempenaar Filmspotting 05/23/2025
5/5
...I was perfectly content to let Jesse and Celine live on forever in my imagination. The possibility of that affair to remember future meet-up was satisfying enough. Or so I thought. Go to Full Review
Christy Lemire Associated Press 08/08/2012
It's a lovely, beguiling little film a rare treat during this overheated season of blockbusters. It's also an unusual example of a follow-up that doesn't seem forced, but expands effortlessly on the original. Go to Full Review
Joe Morgenstern Wall Street Journal 08/08/2012
The reunion has some lively moments, but a great deal of slow walking and fatuous talking about love, married life and sex. Go to Full Review
Dave Giannini InSession Film 02/20/2024
There are any number of times where they could leave each other’s sights (again), but this time for good. But they don’t, and the audience is treated to love at first sight a second time. Go to Full Review
James Croot The Post NZ 11/29/2023
4.5/5
This would all be dreary and forgettable fluff, were it not for the charm and chemistry of the leads. Go to Full Review
Tina Kakadelis Beyond the Cinerama Dome 07/25/2023
Before Sunset is the kind of movie that takes every pre-conceived notion of filmmaking and throws it out the window. It is a celebration of being alive and how lovely and frightening love is. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Jay W @RT52162311 2d It is a novelty to pick up the story of a one-day romance, nine years later following the same characters. But following the same characters on another one-day journey does come across as, more of the same. But, if you wanted more of the same, this certainly delivers. I just don't find that this retread finds the same magic as it did the first night. And the characters in this new position aren't as likable as when it was a spontaneous meet up. See more Karan K @RT49546680 2d A very good sequel, but clearly below Before Sunrise for me. Ethan Hawke and Delpy remain compelling, and it is impressive that two people walking and talking can stay entertaining from beginning to end. The dialogue is still great, with many cute and memorable moments, but it feels less relatable and less hard-hitting than the first film. My biggest issue is how heavily the conversations, especially Jesse’s, revolve around sex. The first movie built attraction through glances, pauses and subtle tension; here, the subtext often becomes the text, making parts of the reunion feel less natural. Its greatest achievement is making Jesse and Céline feel human: charming, vulnerable, selfish, frustrated and full of regret. The ending is memorable and leaves you to decide whether you are a romantic or a cynic, but its direction is foreshadowed early and lacks the emotional power of the first ending. A lot of foreplay without a conventional climax, but still smart, human and highly watchable. See more lizbeth N @RT83069482 Jun 14 Me encanta la trilogía, muestra a dos personas que se conocen de manera natural y sin prisas. Los diálogos se sienten tan reales y me pareció relajante See more Vixo S @vixo_six Jun 10 Before Sunset understands that time does not necessarily weaken a connection. Sometimes it concentrates everything left unsaid. Richard Linklater lets the reunion unfold with the urgency of real time, while Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy reveal years of longing through pauses, glances and defenses that slowly collapse. What makes the film so moving is that it never treats love as permission to ignore responsibility. Its restraint leaves room for possibility without turning a profound connection into an excuse to betray other people. Jesse and Celine may be forced to reconsider the lives they have built, but following the heart should still require honesty and difficult choices. The film is romantic because it respects both the intensity of feeling and the consequences of acting on it. See more Tyler S. @tmanstro May 25 This trilogy makes me feel so energized when I watch it. Such a beautiful film and trilogy about life. See more Horror fan 4 @Horrorfan4life May 1 A perfect middle entry into this amazing trilogy. The characters and performances are great. This was 75 short minutes about catching up from the previous movie. We get to see what they are up to and where they've been the past 9 years. Brilliant. Tim Treakle See more Read all reviews
Before Sunset

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Before Sunrise 100% 93% Before Sunrise Watchlist TRAILER for Before Sunrise Before Midnight 98% 82% Before Midnight Watchlist XX/XY 42% 44% XX/XY Watchlist Now & Forever 18% 80% Now & Forever Watchlist We Don't Live Here Anymore 65% 54% We Don't Live Here Anymore Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis A sequel to Before Sunrise, this film starts nine years later as Jesse (Ethan Hawke) travels across Europe giving readings from a book he wrote about the night he spent in Vienna with Celine (Julie Delpy). After his reading in Paris, Celine finds him, and they spend part of the day together before Jesse has to again leave for a flight. They are both in relationships now, and Jesse has a son, but as their strong feelings for each other start to return, both confess a longing for more.
Director
Richard Linklater
Producer
Anne Walker-McBay
Screenwriter
Julie Delpy, Richard Linklater, Ethan Hawke, Kim Krizan
Distributor
Warner Independent
Production Co
Detour Filmproduction, Warner Independent Pictures, Castle Rock Entertainment
Rating
R (Sexual References|Language)
Genre
Romance, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 10, 2004, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 3, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA)
$5.8M
Runtime
1h 20m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby SRD
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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