I have heard about this movie, lately 4 years ago when I watched movie BOYHOOD, both directed by same person, Richard Linklater. I always wanted to watch “Before Sunrise”, but couldn’t. Few days ago, I accidentally saw this movie on Netflix, and couldn’t stop myself to watch it. After watching this for just 15 mins, I was sure that this movie shouldn’t be missed. This is about exploring yourself in the eyes of a stranger in a foreign land.
Here the story begins with an American backpacker, who is travelling via train on his last day in Vienna, with his flight next day in morning to America. On train he met a French girl, and suddenly strikes a conversation with her. She is travelling to her native place France. Conversation between them grew more appealing as the time passes. He began to admire talking to her. Finally when his stoppage arrives, he suddenly comes with some crazy thoughts and persuades her to come with him for his last day in Europe. Strange though, she couldn’t stop herself to say yes, stepped out of the train, then embark on a journey of a lifetime with him, which have to be end before next Sunrise, that’s why movie title “Before Sunrise”.
They introduce themselves as Jesse and Celine, who are laughing about their weird decision to visit foreign land as a complete strangers to themselves. But what drives them to took this decision was the appealing conversations between them which I must say is the most exciting part to explore in this movie. There is a moment, where both goes to a listening booth, and listen to a song (Kath Bloom- Come here) from a gramophone inside small room, with complete silence between them. This awkward moment – both being silent with background song playing gives you as an audience a touch of natural romance between couple as strangers, which I bet you have never seen before on screen. That song played in Listening booth became one of my favorite, because it leaves a long lasting touch for me as an audience.
Both decided to visit some exciting places to Vienna, but they are also interested to know each other. Visiting to a graveyard, they realize “how you are never dead, if your loved ones didn’t know that you are dead“. At the height of Ferris wheel in amusement park during sunset, they finally have their first kiss. which shows that they are not complete strangers now. They share their experiences, as how the relationship between man and woman after marriage becomes fragile, projecting their marriage is great, but instead it is not. In the cafe, a lady palm reader offers Celine for palm read, and she concludes with saying,
“You need to resign yourself to the awkwardness of life. Only if you find peace within yourself, you will find true connection with others“. Quite learning quote.
Visiting an old church, they explores as how this single place can join so much people of different genres with so much pain & happiness. Background in the church is really fascinating during night to watch in this movie. Walking along the bank of a river , a stranger(say, roadside poet) momentarily stops the lady and makes a deal that he will write a poem for her, and if this poem will add anything something to her life, then they can pay him whatever they feels like. It is interesting to see here how a stranger can add something to your life, with very little or sometimes not anything in returns. That’s why we all should travel, so that we can explore the true meaning of humanity within people or ourselves.
Both also exchange their stories about their past relationships and its impact on their life until now. With every different place they visit, they are more engaged to each other thoughts and ideas about life and people around in the universe. With almost no money in their pocket, they go to a pub, convince bartender to give them a bottle of wine(with no money in exchange), for the sake of this last night together for them today. Then they spend the rest of night in the park, leaning on fields and watching stars in the sky. What happens next thereafter is left for you to watch.
Do they really separate next day, or they decided to continue this in coming days. Ending is not important to consider rather than the journey they took for themselves in the foreign land for one day, which is the most exciting to consider. I believe that watching this movie may add some value to your life, like the poet in this movie says, but with no offerings here asked by me in return. As says Embrace in sharing what we have. Gracious.
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