Nayan Gough
A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.
Deanna
There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.
zaric-nina
For two whole hours, nothing happens in this movie.
It is full of completely pseudo intellectual conversation that doesn't lead anywhere. Don't be like me and waste your time on this movie.
Michael Maggiano
Before Midnight is the third of three movies, shot about a decade apart each, starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy as lovers with a very push-pull dynamic. It's not necessary to see the first two movies to follow Before Midnight. The movie features long takes (sometimes not cutting for 10 minutes at a time) the story takes place over a day, and dialogue and naturalistic acting are paramount. There's a complexity to their characters and relationship that refuses to fully romanticize or demonize them. It's something of a realist romance in (deliberate) contrast the beautiful settings. Careful viewers will notice a handful of ironies that ground the romance in reality. I won't give examples here, or go into the details that keep me from giving this a 9 or 10 as many critics do. The movie is the proverbial breath of fresh air, though. I'd say that the main weakness of the movie stems from its strengths, in that when artists set out to make something so true to human nature (as opposed to fluffier rom coms or Nicholas Sparks movies) it's easy to hear the (few) false notes that are played. There are very few; and unless you're jonesing for a mere-nonsense 'entertainment' movie, this movie should appeal to practically anyone.
sandnair87
Two decades after Richard Linklater's beguiling 1995 romance Before Sunrise and nine years after 2004's equally charming Before Sunset, Ethan Hawke's American writer Jesse and Julie Delpy's French environmentalist Celine are back together in Before Midnight and they are still captivating company for anyone who fell for them during their previous strolls. Now, though, they are no longer footloose bohemians but parents of angelic twin daughters, on the cusp of middle age and facing the issue most movies ignore: how to keep love alive in a long-term relationship.If your idea of a good romance is one that climaxes with a last-minute dash to the airport, then Before Midnight probably won't turn you on. The film begins at an airport - as Jesse says goodbye to his teenage son - and what ensues during the following hundred minutes is deceptively casual - the couple's chatter seemingly improvised but actually carefully scripted by the supremely talented Linklater and put on screen with subtle craft.The movie is basically a three-act play, where the first act has an extraordinary set of single takes in a car ride that features talk of children, careers, and most importantly, aging apples. Up next is an idyllic Peloponnese villa, where Jesse and Celine are stationed with a host of friends. With all of them together, especially at a dinner that I didn't want to end, we hear about different aspects of love. Then comes the final act, where Jesse and Celine are left alone as they go on an evening stroll through the Greek ruins and stone streets to a posh hotel for a romantic night alone. Taking on the familiar walk 'n talk style of the previous films, we're initially brought at ease as the two simply ramble on together about anything and everything, playful and challenging in equal measure. But upon arriving at their room for what should have been an amorous night, a simple phone call is the impetus for what is a nasty, brutal argument that sees them ripping one another to shreds on just about every level. Misunderstandings, neuroses, and pent up frustrations snowball, all but shattering the fairy tale myth of the first two films, as their intimate confidences curdles into acrimony.But if you have been with Jesse and Celine through the slips and stumbles of their romantic journey, then their long, flowing, deceptively gripping conversations ripple with the realities of life. Jesse and Celine, clearly so comfortable in their characters' skin, indulge in intelligent banter, swapping Woody Allen-esque one-liners - nicely snarky, appealingly abrasive. It's been another nine years between films, and if so much has changed in the meantime, the unparalleled chemistry between Hawke and Delpy hasn't slipped even a little. They may be older, a bit wiser, and certainly more wrinkled, but their performances are nothing less than natural throughout. Witnessing their ageing, nagging, toying love on screen is a true privilege.Before Midnight is like an old friend who has grown sharper and saltier with life; and for students of cinema, the film is a master-class in the portrayal of human nature. It's one of the most convincing and charming representations of long-term coupledom you'll ever see - a literary as well as cinematic achievement to cherish!
