BEFORE MIDNIGHT (Richard Linklater, 2013)

       Before Midnight, likely the final film in an outstanding romantic trilogy by off-beat auteur Richard Linklater, resembles Linklater's other films more than it resembles its predecessors- Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. Jesse and Celine are certainly at the forefront, but Linklater focuses more on other characters than the two lovers, like his sprawling, open films like Slacker, Dazed and Confused, and Waking Life, just to name a few.
       As a result, the first act begins to lag (after two scenes, involving a Jesse dropping his son off, and a long drive back to their Greek country house). Personally, Linklater's writing style- involving multiple characters dropping huge words and "inherent truths" and philosophies comes off as pseudo-intellectual and simply full of itself. The characters say all they want, but they don't really mean anything. Although   the scene where Jesse discusses concepts for a novel is at least interesting, albeit slightly overdone, the following segment involving a table full of Linklater stock characters discussing love and relationships seems to go on forever and drys up an momentum the film had. Jesse and Celine eventually leave on their own, and essentially, must rebuild the film's tone.
       However, they certainly do so quickly, as Before Midnight recovers as Jesse and Celine walk the streets of Greece, in a scene that instantly recalls the earlier two films. For the first time, the two are truly alone, and are now back on the streets of Europe, where we first saw them twenty years ago. The couple arrives at their hotel, at which point the film's tone slowly shifts from the relaxed discussion recalling the first two films to an emotionally intense hour of name called, secrets, accusions, and a total lack of rationality.
       Truthfully, I really don't want to spoil anything. However, I need to point out the conflict of gender the film puts forward. I'm sure 90% of men will sympathize with Jesse as he tries to combat the "Mayor of Crazy Town," while I think most women will realize Celine's concerns and how quickly Jesse rebuffs them. The film itself drops its viewers into the argument and almost forces them to take sides.
       Before Midnight blossoms into a very good film, although not rising to the spectacular heights of the original film from 1995. All three are exceptional, but the first and the last are clearly the strongest- perhaps because they capture a definitive period of time. Sunrise is youth, where we do not care to look into the future, while in the middle age of Midnight we must. Sunset is the odd transition period, where it is really only clear to us that this is a permanent change, and the characters do not. Perhaps the reason I prefer the first film is because of my age- at 20, I relate much more towards the young, idealistic Jesse and Celine, who refuse to exchange numbers out of the principal, not realizing the heartbreak it will cause in the future. In Midnight, they must truly break down their idealism and address their true desires.