Before Sunrise, Before Sunset

To those who haven't heard of the film, it is kind of a romantic film with a touch of reality. I haven't heard of them until a week ago, until my friends and I went for a nice Italian meal on a Saturday evening. FYI, La Broca is a nice restaurant at West Hampstead and I recommend it.

One of the topic that came up was 'cheesy movies'. I watched plenty of them and to be honest I found all Hollywood films 'cheesy'. The good guy always struggle, then a twist, good ending and everybody smiles. He said Before Sunrise, and its sequal Before Sunset are his favourite 'cheesy' movies. Being a curious person, I went on Amazon the next day and ordered the DVD box set.

The leads - Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy were very 'RAW' in Before Sunrise. Without going into details it has a quite typical storyline of 2 people meeting at a foreign place, spent the day together and fell in love. The thing that really captured my attention is the way it was filmed. It is very clever because it desribes a typical relationship and how men and women differs in their perceptions on life and love. I could almost feel that there were some on screen chemistry between the leads. It reminds me of the evening when I met a Korean girl at Salzburg. I was on holiday, and so was she. How she and I said goodbye was almost identical to the film. My comment on Before Sunrise - 'A romantic film that is as close to real life and fantasy as you will ever get'.

The ending left a big gap in my mind. I like unusual/open endings but I felt there were something that was missing. In a way, the sequal is better than the first. How 2 people continue their forgotten love after 9 years is simply brilliant. There were no steamly love scene, or kisses but it was well crafted. A film should be made this way, no big budget man made stuff, just quality screenplay, original ideas and a unique style of photography.

I believe in 'The love of your life is not the one you will end up with simply because something has to be missed for you to realise that it completes your life'. I spend 5 years (and counting) hanging over a person I don't even know. Somehow Johanna made me get in touch with the real me. From a kid who didn't know what he wanted to do in life to a person who has dreams, goals and most of all knows who he is and his passion in life. I don't think I will ever see her again, but I am willing to say out loud that I rather be alone than with a person I don't truely love. I can't move on like Jesse and Celine because I don't want to be in the position like they do at the end. To give up the love of your life is something I can never do.