User reviews

American tourist Jesse (Ethan Hawke) meets French student Celine (Julie Delpy) on the train. He talks her into getting off and walk around in Vienna. They walk the night away.

I really love this movie when it first came out. There was no hint of the following sequels. It's just a great charming first date movie. The leads have great chemistry. They are both charming and lovely. This is a lot of first-date talk. It doesn't get tie down by artificial plot elements. There is nothing to drive the plot. There is no Holy Grail. There is no quest. There is no destination. There are just two people talking and trying to connect. It stops and starts. They meet two oddly funny Germans who invite them to their play. In a more conventional movie, they would actually go to this play. They forget to go and that's kind of the point. Their journey meanders without much direction. There are also great scenes of long continuous takes. Director Linklater just let the actors go on forever on the streetcar. The whole movie feels refreshing.

Before Sunrise is romance for the slacker generation. Richard Linklater's romantic drama is an offbeat telling of a dream come true for most people. The film depicts romance in all it's glory, but without any of the pitfalls that befall most couples; and in short the film is about two people that have a relationship that's as close to perfection as relationships will ever come to - with just one problem, the problem of time. While most relationships wind down with time, this one keeps going strong throughout and time itself is the only thing that wears out. Before Sunrise is certainly not the typical sentimental 'Hollywood romance', which is another aspect that puts this film leagues ahead of the pretenders. The story follows two people, Jesse; an American and Celine; a French girl that meet on a train into Vienna. They instantly connect, and after telling her his awful idea for a television show and almost getting off the train, Jesse asks Celine to join him for the day in the picturesque city of Vienna...

Before Sunrise works principally for two reasons - realistic acting and an immense script that builds the characters through their thoughts and feelings and thus allows us to get to know them as we do the people in real life. This allows the characters to be free, and it's easy to believe that these are real people and not just actors working from a script. This also allows us to feel for the characters for who they are, and not merely because they're the protagonists. This kind of realism is hard to capture as, at the end of the day, we as the audience know that they're watching a film and not observing real life; but Before Sunrise represents one of the truest to life exhibitions of realism ever to be seen on screen. A truly great script cannot work on it's own, and needs great actors to deliver it to an extent that does it justice, and although I'm not a fan of either Julie Deply or Ethan Hawke; on viewing this film, there is nothing you can do but give them both respect. I don't know whether they were in character or just playing themselves, but when a film is this good; it hardly matters.

In a film like this, it is the writing that's the most important thing, and contained within the script are several observations about life, most of which I personally could relate to. This represents what Richard Linklater has achieved with this script as not only does it create and build the characters, but it also manages to expose what true love is, along with several other aspects of life. The fact that not all the anecdotes are relatable to me personally again represents the brilliance of writing. Everyone is different, and so different parts of the script will appeal to different people. There could be certain aspects about one person that one person loves and another hates; and that's the case with the musings in this script. Adding to the beauty of the film is the city of Vienna. The city itself isn't really important to the film as this is a story that could have taken place just about anywhere - but it makes for some lovely visuals and the upbeat, energetic romance that blossoms throughout the movie is matched by the beauty of the location.

Before Sunrise is simultaneously beautiful and captivating. Richard Linklater has created something that is rare in the world of cinema; a film that captures the beauty of life without ever going over the top or being overly sentimental. Before Sunrise is what it is. And what it is, is pure cinematic brilliance.

This movie is intelligent. That is, more than most other movies, it transcends the least common denominator - stupid people will probably not appreciate it. The story also relies heavily on dialogue. It has some parallels to Lost in Translation, although Before Sunrise is much brighter, somehow less abstract, and simply a lot better.

The script, the characters and even the slightly surreal atmosphere feel totally realistic. The actors play absolutely brilliantly. Rarely have I seen a movie where the script and the acting has melted this perfectly together.

The dialogue moves into very personal issues, with the risk of becoming a little over the top. It does, however, stay on the right side almost all the time, although I found a few moments a little awkward and embarrassing. Balancing on this fine line demands outrageously talented actors. Sometimes, it yields great results, and overall this movie is simply stupendous! Only very, very rarely is "love" in films depicted in a way that I find trustworthy and realistic. Every time that is achieved, the result is fantastic. I think the stunning and apparently timeless beauty of the female lead actress helped quite a bit in this respect. She still looks stunning in this film, 12 years after.

This is simply a gem of a movie that you can't miss. One of the best movies I have seen from the 1990s!

What an incredibly brave and honest look at relationships. I've have never seen a film so precisely and brilliantly capture this kind of emotion and transfer it to the screen the way Before Sunrise does. What a crime that neither Ethan Hawke or Julie Delpy was nominated for any major acting awards, actually screw that! What a crime it was that they didn't both sweep every major acting award altogether and that Richard Linklater didn't get any recognition for the screenwriting or brilliant directing of his wonderful actors! Loved the ending (as much as it pained me at the same time), loved how after it all they go back and show every location that the couple shared together. Loved how the dialogue never wavers, never addressing the relationship directly but allows us to indirectly see a geniune bond forming through the body language, facial expressions, and the dialogue, ooooohhh the dialogue. Every bit of it plucked right from those top ten late night conversations we've all had with close friends whether it was serious or in jest. And respect to Linklater for keepin it real, the movie was rated R cause of a couple minor swear words? Could of easily been removed without really desecrating the film but he keeps it in anyways. Screw you hollywood, your 'romantic comedies', your Freddie Prinze Jr.'s, your 'take the glasses off the girl and now she's pretty' movies. This is real romance! This is what I come to the movies for, to think, to be provoked and to be swept away by the magic that only cinema can provide. Before Sunrise has single-handedly reminded me about why I goto the movies......

This has to be one of the most sincere and touching boy-meets-girl movies ever made. While "Rebel Without a Cause" and "Say Anything" deliver nice portrayals, this movies strips down useless subplots and Hollywood divergences. This movie focuses purely on watching the budding of a beautiful romance. You never doubt for a second that the film will lead towards the romantic pairing of these two people. You almost immediately sense the synergy and the chemistry between Jesse and Celine, and it is simply pure joy to watch them find it. This movie is mostly all dialogue -based. But, every conversation between these too is greatly intriguing. What makes this pairing so romantic is how real it is. How in all that conversation, while often having no real bearing on anything critical, you can sense the nuances as these two become more fond and trusting of each other. This is exactly they way you would dream that you meet that special someone. And what makes it so true is that it is not even too fantastic to believe. This could be what would happen if you had been confident enough to strike up a conversation with that person you noticed somewhere random. And what puts the icing on this film is the magnificent backdrop of Vienna in which this film takes place. It just adds to the feeling of romantic nirvana that the film suggests. And no matter how many times I watch this film, I don't think I will ever tire of that.

While traveling by train through Europe, the American Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and the French Celine (Julie Delpy) meet each other and decide to spend the night together in Austria. On the next morning, Jesse returns to United States of America, and Celine to Paris.

"Before Sunrise" is one of my favorite romances, indeed one of the most beautiful love stories I have ever seen. It is a low budget movie with a very simple and real storyline, but the chemistry between Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy is perfect, and the dialogs are stunning. The direction is amazing, transmitting the feelings of Celine and Jesse to the viewer. I have just completed my review number 1,000 in IMDb, and I choose "Before Sunrise" for this significant number because it is a very special film for me. I cannot understand why this movie was not nominated to the Oscar, with such a magnificent screenplay, direction and performances. Yesterday I have probably watched this movie for the third or fourth time, and I still love it. My vote is ten.

Title (Brazil): "Antes do Amanhecer" ("Before Sunrise")

It's 26 years since this movie was made and at the time of writing there have been 542 user reviews. They are very polarising. Most score it 9 or 10, a minority give it 1-4.

I have seen this movie at least 10 times, even after seeing its sequels. It still moves me to tears - and I'm a male. It is a brilliant piece of filmmaking, for reasons eloquently outlined in all the reviews giving it top marks. It avoids all the fakery of most romance movies, it is so eminently relatable, and the script and acting are exceptional, particularly Julie Delpy.

To all those who said it was boring, tedious, contrived, and that the characters lacked connection with no chemistry between the leads - well I truly feel sorry for you as you cannot possibly have lived and loved and been moved by such emotion

Go find this film in the archives and watch it. It's a rare gem.

Very Natural feeling and wonderfully romantic. If you wonder whether a movie can sustain interest by merely showing two people having conversation, while walking around Vienna, then Before Sunrise might be your answer. I personally found it enjoyable. It is true its main characters spout a lot of youthful pretentiousness, but that is rather the point of the movie, I believe. Whatever else, Linklater can hardly be faulted for attempting something a little off the beaten path, stylistically speaking.

I want Céline and Jessie go further in their relationship, I want to tell them that they were made for each other, that in a lot of moment in the film we want they to die for each other. Their story is what we ever wanted and probably most of us never reached. This is about love but not stupid things like in "notting hills" or those kind of movie. This is life and i did believe in them, i did believe they were falling... This was so clever and touching. I have just finished to view it a minute ago and i m still there... I want to go to Vienna. I want to see them as soon as possible again.

I have to say i was now becoming misanthropist and felt like if love was just a fake, a concept, but with this movie i realized that maybe somewhere, somehow and some when, something could really happen.

I'm french and didn't know very well July Delpy despite Kieslowski "three colors : white"... Now i have to see her other works because she looks like an angel and got a perfect acting.

i saw "before sunset" (the sequel in Paris) a few days before i saw "before sunrise" and their is no matter. They are both masterpieces. proof that you don't need to impress the eyes with technology to get pure feelings. I'm sorry for my English which i m trying to best.

Franck in France

'Before Sunrise (1995)' essentially has no plot and, though that's the point as the intention is to be a romance with all the extraneous 'Hollywood' elements removed, this leads to an experience that feels loose, aimless and meandering. It's experimental and laid-back by design but isn't the most gripping of narrative pieces because of it. It certainly feels less a character-study of its two leads and more a vehicle for Linklater, Krizan, Delpy and Hawke (the latter two of whom contributed heavily to the script uncredited) to express some of their most unique of ideas. These come constantly, seeming like stories they've told to friends or theories they have about life, love and religion, and, while they can be interesting (genuinely thought-provoking in cases), they don't really develop the characters and seem sort of out of place within the story. It's difficult to explain why most of that stuff doesn't seem to work, but it just doesn't feel fully genuine in most cases. It doesn't feel like it comes from the characters or express their budding romance, though this sort of talk certainly forms the basis for most relationships. Still, it isn't all unsuccessful. There is certainly some charm to the picture, once it picks up steam. In the end, the experiment seems to have worked. It was creatively refreshing for all involved and evokes memories of wandering around a holiday destination talking about nothing for hours. There's even some impressive long takes and the 'unscripted' feel is admirable considering it was all scripted down to the letter. This all leads to a sort of inane, carefree and somewhat nostalgic - if limited - enjoyment of a hundred-minute conversation told with cinematic language. 6/10.

"Before Sunrise" is a wonderful love story and has to be among my Top 5 favorite movies ever. Dialog and acting are great. I love the characters and their ideas and thoughts. Of course, the romantic Vienna, introduced in the movie does not exist (you won't find a poet sitting by the river in the middle of the night) and it isn't possible to get to all the places in only one night, either (especially if you're a stranger and it's your first night in Vienna). But that's not the point. The relationship of the two characters is much more important and this part of the story is not at all unrealistic. Although, nothing ever really happens, the movie never gets boring. The ending is genuinely sad without being "Titanic" or something. Even if you don't like love stories you should watch this film! I'm a little skeptic about the sequel that is going to be released in summer. The first part is perfect as it is, in my opinion.

I'd both read and heard some really positive reviews of Before Sunrise and was looking forward to it. In large part I also feel there are some special elements to this film - the idea of meeting and being captivated by a stranger on a train and spending one magical, impactful night together, some really thoughtful and interesting dialogue, and an honesty of expression between the two main characters, all good and appreciated. However, I do have one major issue with this film, that it didn't know when to end. Unlike the two lead characters who at the films conclusion know not to force anything or attempt to take things too far, the director unfortunately extend things beyond their natural reaches to the film detriment. I sincerely think that with some prudent editing down this film could have been much stronger. I'm happy for those reviewers that were touched by this film and hold it in such high regard, sadly I am not one of them.

It seems I am in the minority here but I found this movie over-calmingly tedious. It's starts well, the meeting on the train and the intriguing possibility of what may happen when two strangers meet by chance is alluring but once they start wandering around Vienna it's when it starts to get boring. The dialogue is just the kind of naive, wistful, cod-philosophical nonsense that young couples on their first date come up with to impress the other partner. Fine if you are trying to get laid but it makes for rather irritating viewing. After a while I was more interested in the scenery than what was going on with the main characters. By the end I just wished they'd shut up and get on the damn train! It's not that I don't have a romantic streak or appreciate dialogue based movies, there are many good examples of this type of film, it's just that I expect not to almost fall asleep during it.

'Before Sunrise' is not a film to be scrutinised, nor studied. The absolute beauty of it lies in its perfection as a simple love story - of two lives suddenly thrown together in the midst of reality, and the ensuing night of simple love that follows. Every individual at some time in life dreams of the connection that is portrayed in this film between Jesse and Celine, and few ever find it. 'Before Sunrise' simply and elegantly demonstrates how the most fundamental passions of human emotion can envelope two complete strangers. The beauty of this film is that the story is the most important element. The ending is both provocative and emotional - scenes of the night previously seen in darkness are now portrayed in lonely daylight as the sun rises and the story closes on these two characters.

I saw this film by accident one night late on television. I have never forgotten it. So well is it made that the audience never question if this could ever really happen in life, reality being so absolutely characterised in it.

'Before Sunrise' is simply the story of two strangers bound in Vienna's lonely night splendour - one night of love in all its glory, one superb piece of film making.

If you are a traveller, if there is a fire burning into your heart, if you'd call "home" every place on earth, but none of them can give you enough, if you are always looking for the next thing and if you believe the other part of your soul is somewhere out there, see this movie and you'll find out a little, but wonderful, piece of life sitting next to you.

I had never heard of this film before a couple of weeks ago, but its concept interested me when I heard it: an American man meets a European woman on his last night in Europe and they spend the night together talking. It sparked my interest, but I never expected it to be this great. Before Sunrise is a masterpiece, and it's also one of the most romantic films on record. To my surprise, it completely lacked the cynicism of the 1990s. It's impossible to really talk too much about it, since there is no real plot, so to speak (although there are plenty of thoroughly interesting things you could talk about; it is sort of like My Dinner With Andre, where there is a conversation, but it's not JUST the conversation that matters), but let me just say, see it. SEE IT!

Sweet and charming, funny and poignant, plot less but meaningful, "Before Sunrise" (1995), the third movie of Richard Linklater, is dedicated to everyone who ever been in love, is in love, or never been in love but still dreams of it and hopes to find it. It is one of the very rare movies that is/should/will be equally interesting to teenagers, their parents and even grandparents. It seems a very simple little movie with no spectacular visual effects, car chases, or long and steamy sex scenes. Two young people in their early 20s, two college students (American tourist Ethan Hawke who is returning home after the summer in Europe and the French student Julie Delpy who goes to Paris to attend the classes in Sorbonne) meet on a train. They are attracted to each other instantly even before they start talking, they hop off the train in Vienna where they walk around exploring the city all night. They talk and fall in love. That's it, that's the movie. It could've been boring and silly but instead, it is a lovely, believable, clever, and moving romance that only gets better with each viewing (at least, for this viewer). High praise and my sincere gratitude go to the director and writers for delivering two charming characters, superb writing, always interesting and witty dialogs, two awesome performances, and the atmosphere of magic that falling in love is. Julie Delpy, who looks like a Botticelli's angel, is great in portraying smart, independent, and incredibly attractive young woman.

It was by accident that I was scanning the TV channels and found this wonderful film about two beautiful human beings who become attracted to each other in a very innocent and virgin like approach to each other. Ethan Hawke (Jesse) "Tape" '01 and Julie Delpy (Celine) "ER" 94 TV Series (Nicole). This gal and guy, will warm your very heart and soul and make you think deeply into your past relationships and how you really wish you had followed your hearts strings with a guy or gal you deep down loved and lost track of over the years. Jesse and Celine have great conversation, and deep eye contact with a great magnetic explosion between the two of them. I am looking forward to the SEQUEL to this film in 2004 and if you have viewed this film, you will feel the same way.

This movie was good, but I can't say it was that great only good. And I can kind of see why people like this movie but I found it to be incredibly overrated. Ethan hawke and Julie delphy were both pretty good and both their characters were pretty enjoyable to be fair.

Personally I couldn't get into this movie. It was really well written and some of the things that they discussed were pretty interesting but then some of it felt like drawl being used to fill time. The two main characters dynamic was interesting and I was quite surprised that they ended up together because they seemed to be polar opposites. Good movie but nothing special. 7.5/10.

i watched this movie 10 years ago. and have watched it on video an average of once a year since. it's the type of movie that's timeless, because the themes are universal, yet the stories and conversation are so personal. it's also one of the very few movies that capture you from frame one til the credits roll, despite the fact that there are, really, just two (very involving) characters. this owes a lot to the engaging acting by hawke and delpy, who make us believe that they are actually jesse and celine. this is also the first movie i saw that mentioned reality TV, and now, the phenomenon is rampant! i love the way this movie just envelops the audience in its space, and makes you think, however jaded you may be, that you are one of those characters. it also made me want to ride the train around Europe! i have not met anyone who has not been able to relate to this movie. maybe that speaks about myself, my friends, or just the sheer genius of this movie.

I don't think I've ever seen a romantic drama so devoid of....romance.

The insipid dialogue dragged on and on and I never got the feeling that the characters felt anything more for one another than physical lust. How could ANYONE feel a mental spark with someone else based on such inane conversation? Every time Ethan Hawke opened his mouth and said something I couldn't help but think of what a douschebag his character was and marveled that any female would consider spending time with him as romantic.

Truthfully, the time the two main characters spent together reminded me more of a few bad dates I've had with little chemistry rather of than two people falling in love. The only thing that was convincing was the actors' physical expressions, and I commend them for at least managing to deliver some sense of plausibility to this tale through their physical acting skills. When they weren't talking but were looking at each other or hugging each other, then I believed their was some love there. But again, that is the PHYSICAL, so I couldn't help but feel it was just hormonal lust at work. I certainly couldn't see their relationship going beyond 2 or 3 more dates.

I think Linklater could've been a little more imaginative and romantic with the dialogue. I understand the need to not be sappy or clichéd, but c'mon, the thing with romance is that it NEEDS FANTASY and IMAGINATION, something the dialogue in this movie lacked. But the coolest part of the movie was the end when they revisited all the places they had hung out the night before, except this time the spots did not contain...them! Interesting look at how social relationships really add another dimension to physical spaces and locations.

Strangely this movie did leave me with a strange feeling of unholiness, impurity, and debasement for any previous casual sexual encounters...

Final Grade: C+

Before Sunrise has many remarkable things going on, almost too many to fit into one review like this, but it's suffice to say that it's one of the most observant character studies of the nineties, maybe even in all of contemporary cinema, to be observant not about love, per-say, so much as it's about a human connection. How does one fall in love at first sight? No one does, at least that's deep down the consensus that Linklater wants to show with his film. And *yet* there is the possibility of as intense a connection, of a bond that can form in those that are young and with many ideas that can be expressed articulately and with a breadth of cynicism and is somehow very tender and true at the same time. Linklater here gives us the story of Celine and Jessie, a French girl and an American boy who get off the same train heading to Vienna, and on the way there start to talking about things, at first arbitrary, then personal (Jessie seeing death for the first time in his great grandfather). Jessie persuades Celine to go along with him on a night out on the 'town', in Vienna, until his plane the next morning.

Before Sunrise gives Jessie and Celine, in the midst of the gorgeous Vienna scenery and locales to go on and on about subjects that have a lot of importance, and in a sense is about the act of having conversations, of what it's like to watch people having one leading into another and another. Here it's often about relationships and commitments, as Jessie and Celine tell stories sometimes somewhat inconsequential, or seemingly so, and another that may tell a lot about their essential qualities. We hear confessions of desires for other loves, or what weren't really loves, of being part of a family or part of an upbringing that may or may not inform how you'll love your life, of what it means to believe or not believe in some religious form, or just to have some connection to any faith and the soul (I loved the bit about the quakers in the church), and sometimes laced with cynicism or skepticism. Jessie may be more responsible for that last part, but what's fascinating about the film is that it's never exactly cynical itself, just commenting upon cynicism that lays in the concerns of men and women at that age of their lives.

Meanwhile, it's always great to see Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy in these roles, where they're not incessantly annoying in that 90s Generation-X mode, but are the kinds of people where if not in the central conceit of the film, which isn't a bad one at all but a necessary one, one might think to find walking along the streets of a city somewhere. The conceit is that of an old romantic picture ala Brief Encounter, only here intimacy is expressed in the central characters either between each other, where sweet asides are actually acceptable ("I have to tell you a secret", Jessie says, and then leans in for a kiss, ho-ho), or in the little moments that pop up with other people along the way. I loved the scene with the poet, where it's very cinematic a thing to suddenly find a random romantic bit player in the midst of a romantic picture with such beautiful words at his disposal, or with the palm reader and how the reactions from Jessie and Celine are that we might share, but really are seeing them do it first-hand. All the while Hawke and Delpy embody the roles interestingly- we can see how neuroses are being formed already for their adult lives- as it may lead off into the future...

Featuring splendid cinematography and a script with an ear for natural wit and a true sense of what it means to have a moment of happiness, however self-contained, as it may lead into something more. Who's to say you can't suddenly be attached to someone, if only for less than 24 hours, and be that much more attached than a married couple? This is perhaps Linklater's thesis, but there's more to it than just that. It's a very dense film, and one that will have me calling back to it repeatedly. One scene especially, which is both cheesy and brilliant is when the two of them are talking 'on the phone' in front of each other mimicking their expositions might go to the other's friend. A+

It's probably up to me and my weird taste regarding romantic movies in love movies, but I didn't like this movie. I appreciate the overall idea, the emphasis on exclusively the two main characters and the longer shots that were by no means easy to capture. There were also a couple of really good scenes. But overall, this is a film where two young people talk to each other all day (or ninety minutes from the viewer's perspective). They talk about anything and everything, serious topics and trivial nonsense. For me personally, the film was at times pretentious because of some topics of conversation and the way that conversation took place. The ending of the film is also nothing special. A solid movie to watch once and never again.