The second part of Richard Linklater’s “Before…” trilogy, “Before Sunset” reunites Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Juliet Delpy) who have spent a night of love and self discovery in Vienna nine years earlier in “Before Sunrise”. Jesse is now a novel writer, with his book “This Time”, inspired by the night he spent with Celine, becoming a bestseller. The last stop of his European book tour is Paris. During his reading at a bookstore, Jesse notices Celine in the audience. Due to Jesse having to catch an evening plane back to the US, the two again have only little time to spend together. They spend the afternoon taking a trip down memory lane. We learn that Celine never showed up for their arranged meeting six months after their original farewell. Jesse is now married and has a son, while Celine is an environmental activist with a photojournalist boyfriend. As the afternoon passes and they continue talking, they both reveal that they are living in loveless relationships and that nothing in their emotional lives ever came close to the brief time they spent together in Vienna. Eventually, they end up in Celine’s apartment, where Celine, after singing and dancing for Jesse, reminds him that he will miss his plane. Jesse plays with his wedding ring and says “I know” leaving us to wonder whether he stays or leaves.
Jessica Alba: I don't want to be stay-at-home mom
