Before Sunset

Before Sunset is a 2004 American romantic drama film directed by Richard Linklater and starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. It is a sequel to the 1995 film Before Sunrise, in which the two characters met and spent a night together in Vienna. The film follows Jesse and Celine nine years after they first met. Jesse is now a successful writer living in Chicago, while Celine has moved to Paris and established a career as an environmental activist and political lobbyist. The two reconnect by chance on the train from Budapest to Paris and spend the afternoon together before Jesse's flight home to the United States.

Jesse and Celine have a conversation about relationships, life, love, and growing older. They discuss their views on whether or not love can last, with Jesse mentioning his failed marriage. Celine tells him that she is in a relationship but feels unfulfilled.

With the conversation hanging, the two eventually part ways, as Jesse catches his flight and Celine goes back to work. As the credits roll, we see what has happened in the nine years since they last saw each other, leaving us in question about the future the two can have and whether fate will bring them together again.

Before Sunset received widespread critical acclaim and is considered one of the best films of the 2000s. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, and won several awards at film festivals worldwide.

Year of Release: 2004

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%