Before Sunset (2004) **** [Before Triple Feature Pt. 2]

Before Sunset (2004) is Linklater's briskly paced, breezy sequel to Before Sunrise (1995) (my review here), where our leads meet again for the first time since their encounter nine years earlier.

Hawke and Delpy slide back into their roles with ease, partly because these are the actual nine year older versions of both the actors and characters, and partly because Jesse and Celine feel like extensions of Hawke and Delpy's actual selves. The story is transported from Vienna (in the first film) to Paris here and it's filled with more naturalistic conversations, as the pair catch up with each other's lives.

While I didn't like it quite as much as its predecessor, Before Sunset does a beautiful job of following up a beloved film with a worthy sequel in a way that feels fresh—again featuring a smile-inducing ending that leaves much to the imagination.

You can find my Richard Linklater Feature Films Ranked list here.