Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy returned to the big screen this weekend in a small film that culminates a trilogy almost 20 years in the making Before Midnight.
INTERVIEWS WITH THE CAST BELOW:
Before Midnight continues an ongoing love story between fictional characters Celine (played by Julie Delpy) and Jesse (played by Ethan Hawke).
In the first film, Before Sunrise (1995), the two meet on a Vienna-bound train 18 years ago and spend one magical day together falling in love. The next film Before Sunset (2004), picks up nine years later and the two happen upon one another by chance, this time in Paris. They leave the audience wondering what might happen when timing and chance provide a perfect backdrop for love with the person you've dreamt about. Before Midnight (2013) is the third in the small romantic trilogy that seems a respite in the blockbuster world of Fast & Furious 6, Hangover III, Star Trek and Iron Man. It picks up where Sunset left off.
Celine and Jesse found one another in their '20s, reunited in their '30s and now in their '40s take on the issues of real love, marriage, commitment and family. And REAL is the proper word for this installment of the series.
Each of the three films take place in one day, weaving character narrative and story masterfully. Based on original characters by Richard Linklater and Kim Krizan but pleasantly co-written, at least with the last two, by both Delpy and Hawke, and one can't help but think the work is better for it.
Who amongst us hasn't had a perfect day spent with a stranger that you ended up wondering about? Delpy and Hawke refer to this love as "the one that got away..." but then didn't. (For more on that watch the video below.) This film is a perfect depiction of what happens when you catch the one you love. And don't worry, you don't have to see the first two films in order to appreciate where Midnight picks up. Here's all you need to know. Celine and Jesse are married, with twin girls. Jesse has a son from a previous relationship that seems as if it may have taken place in the spaces between Jesse and Celine's union. The rest, should be delightfully discovered with the third, and hopefully not final offering of this charming love story. I hope you'll see this film.
As always, my interviews with the cast are below. Enjoy!