Richard Linklater is one of the most singular filmmakers of the modern era, as he is the rare writer/director who can capture the profundity of real life. While there are many attempts to make “slice of life” stories within independent cinema, Linklater can find the natural beauty in universally relatable experiences and create characters who feel completely authentic. Although Linklater has many classics on his resume, the most defining project of his career may be the trilogy of Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight, which centers on the decades-spanning romance between the American Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and the French Céline (Julie Delpy). Delpy gives the most emotionally complex performance in any Linklater film in Before Sunset, as it is a sequel that defies all conventions.
Julie Delpy Is at Her Best in ‘Before Sunset’
The prospect of a sequel to Before Sunrise seemed unlikely, as the first installment in Linklater’s gorgeous trilogy had perfectly captured the essence of what it is like to fall in love with someone for the first time. Before Sunset is a far more complex film, as it questions whether it is possible to retain the same enthusiasm about romance once youthful idealism has faded away. Delpy is faced with greater emotional baggage in Before Sunset, as Céline is faced with the guilt that she felt about not meeting Jesse after their initial encounter in Before Sunrise; while she does not want to admit anything that might make him feel regretful about his choices, she also understands that she could be in a position to break up his marriage. Céline also feels somewhat insecure around Jesse, as he has found great success as an author and appears to be very accomplished.
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“We’ll do it when it makes sense.”
Delpy had to make a dramatic evolution in her depiction of Céline, as she has radically changed since her appearance in Before Sunrise. While the first film depicted her as a somewhat cynical, irreverent character who did not believe in the same idealistic understanding of romance that Jesse did. In Before Sunset, she begins to wonder if this was unwise, as she is constantly forced to imagine what her life would have been like had she stayed with Jesse nine years prior, and whether it is possible to rekindle her romance. While Jesse has had life experiences in between the films that have made him more mature, Céline considers whether it would be willfully ignorant to pretend that they would be able to start their relationship right where it left off. It’s an amazing feat of acting on Delpy’s part because, despite the frequently clever dialogue that she delivers, a lot of her performance is reliant on subtle facial expressions and physical alterations.
Céline Is the Heart of ‘Before Sunset’
Linklater has often made his collaborators part of his creative process, and both Delpy and Hawke were able to contribute to the screenplay of Before Sunset, which earned them an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. Although Hawke’s performance is extremely charismatic, Delpy is saddled with playing a character who is not always as likable; much of the film is spent trying to convince both Jesse and the audience not to hate Céline for the decisions that she made. It was brave of Delpy to take on a role that was so complex, especially given the praise that Before Sunrise had already earned for its simplicity. However, the flaws that Before Sunrise added to Céline felt like a more authentic way of expanding the character, and set up a brilliant conclusion to her marriage with Jesse in Before Midnight.
Before Sunset is the best installment in the trilogy, as it does not have a natural starting or ending point in the same way that the other two films do; it is not a coincidence that the emotional crux falls upon Delpy, as it is Céline’s subtle seduction of Jesse that builds the tension. The most memorable installment in the entire trilogy involves Céline suggesting to Jesse that he should not miss his flight, despite it being obvious that she feels the opposite. The fact that Delpy was able to brilliantly convey her character’s contradictory emotions, crafting one of the most beautifully ambiguous movie conclusions of all time, is a testament to the brilliance of her performance.
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