Before Sunset

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Before Sunset ★★★½ 2004 (R)

Sequel to Linklater's “Before Sunrise” reunites Jesse (Hawke) and Celine (Delpy), nine years after their Viennese fling, on the sidewalks of Paris. He's a writer promoting his book about their brief affair. She, a Parisian, shows up at his book signing. The two have only a few hours to catch up before Jesse has to fly back to America. In real time, they walk through Paris together, just talking. But what talking! They begin awkwardly polite and impersonal, but as the minutes slip away their questions and responses take on more urgency. Hawke and Delpy cowrote the screenplay (with Hawke using his reallife divorce as inspiration) and there's real chemistry between them. Movie veers cleverly back and forth between them and ends ambiguously. Great date film (Sorry, guys). 80m/C VHS, DVD . Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Rodolphe Pauly; D: Richard Linklater; W: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Richard Linklater; C: Lee Daniel; M: Julie Delpy, Glover Gill.