Culture

Rating: 4/5

Before Midnight is the third (and presumably final) instalment of Richard Linklater’s romantic series following the love of fiery French humanitarian Celine (Julia Delpy) and American writer Jesse (Ethan Hawke). The first in the series is the 18-year-old Before Sunrise, in which Celine and Jesse first meet by chance on a train and decide to get off at the same stop to spend the day together. Nine excruciating years later, Before Sunset was released, but instead of wrapping the story up with a pretty bow it simply re-raised most of the questins prompted by Before Sunrise. Another nine years have passed since we saw the dynamic duo, but they’re back and still leaving things hanging!

Let me assure you: I don’t buy into romance easily. I didn’t even enjoy Love Actually, which apparently means I may not have functioning ovaries. But these films are bloody fantastic, whether you were born with a heart or not. It is very rare that a film can stay on the same medium shot of two people talking for a full five minutes without boring viewers. It is even more incredible for two subsequent films that do exactly the same thing and still leave you gagging for more. This series has captured the wonder of finding someone you can talk to – really talk to – who gets what you’re saying, and, ultimately, who you are.

But please do not run to buy a ticket if you haven’t seen its two predecessors. Before Midnight works because the audience knows these two people so well, and adores them – seeing them older, angrier and chubbier is kind of … poetic (and I don’t throw that word around much – like I said, I didn’t enjoy Love Actually). I doubt anything Celine and Jesse say would be as meaningful if you hadn’t first seen them as twenty-somethings chatting awkwardly on a train. Without the pretext, Before Midnight might just feel like a middle-aged couple bickering. But together, the films create a trifecta of awesome that will make you feel funny, in the best possible way. Get to your nearest Civic Video now.