I first saw Before Sunrise during the summer between the two years of my master's program. I was living in my first apartment ever and quite broke, but somehow I was getting free cable. The trailers for the movie didn't look too promising, as dialogue doesn't come through in previews. I caught the film in the middle of the train scene and was immediately struck by the honesty and lack of pretension of these two twenty-somethings. This wasn't the usual first-date nonsense about jobs and tastes in music. There is real disappointment in her face when the train pulls into Vienna, and that reads into the next scene where he invites her to get off the train.
The two main characters hardly ever use their names. Ethan Hawke plays Jesse (his real name is James), an American journalist killing some time riding the trains around Europe. He plans to fly home from Vienna the following morning. Julie Delpy plays Celine, a bright, but emotionally fragile Parisian coming back from Budapest. Since her classes don't start for another week and she's not in any hurry, she lets him take her off the train. What else is she doing tonight? The meandering days of summer and nowhere to be.
The conversations start off awkwardly with Jesse taking the lead in most of them. He prods her for information beneath the surface while having no qualms sharing about himself. Celine has been to Vienna before and they spend some time revisiting a few places, including a cemetery with several unmarked graves. She talks about death a lot and Jesse does not try to cheer her up. It's a real fear that needs to be addressed. But it can't run your life either.
They have no set schedule and wander from one location to another on a whim. In the last moments of daylight, they go on the famous Ferris wheel at the Prater and share an awkward first kiss. It's a beautiful scene - Jesse seems apprehensive while Celine surrenders herself to the moment. She later teases him about his hamfisted approach. They banter a lot and sometimes argue, but you never get the impression she regrets her decision. Not once.
Once night comes, they continue to walk the streets, occasionally stopping for coffee or a beer. The atmosphere is really vibrant from street performers, poets, open-air cafes, and even churches that are open any time. There are so many great scenes to choose from, but my favorite is probably where the two play pinball. They're both awful players, but the conversation turns dark - Jesse explains his real reason for visiting Europe and Celine talks about her psychological issues that therapy didn't help. They see each other's issues and do not back away.
As the night goes on, the conversations becomes more serious. She is worried how she has presented herself as a man-hater, while he is concerned he isn't smart enough to keep her interested. A clever scene brings this out while reassuring each other that is not the case. Celine breaks through her shell and expresses how important real intimacy is to her. Jesse gives the impression he could choose work or family with no regrets. The lighting accentuates the more serious tone. They've decided to share everything at this point, just because the other is willing to listen. Encounters like this just aren't supposed to happen.
Eventually a few unspoken topics have to be addressed. Will they see each other again? Both of them know that the odds are long (note this is before the internet was so ubiquitous). They don't want to turn a special evening into something mundane. So what if they just agree that tonight will be everything? Would that be so bad? After they come to that conclusion... reluctantly ...they need to discuss how the night will end. Celine wants a bottle of red wine and Jesse manages to convince a German bartender to give him one. They find a secluded area and talk some more, this time with all guards down. Celine wants to sleep with him, but is afraid she will just turn into his conquest. He insists that the night is already perfect and he's not bluffing. They leave the scene ambiguous (kind of), although the mystery is solved in the terrific sequel Before Sunset.
They share more touching moments after waking up and stumbling towards the train station. He recites a W.H. Auden poem with a decent Irish brogue (not great) about the briefness of life. She talks about how she believes familiarity is a benefit, not a detriment to loving someone. This gears up to the tense final goodbye scene where neither seems willing to admit that their one-night plan will not work.
If I would have seen Before Sunrise at any other point in my life, it likely would not have had the same impact. Surely I would have liked it at any age. The ideals of endless possibilities and perfect evenings were exactly what I needed at that time. I'm quite a bit older now and no longer believe that anything is possible, but I don't want to forget what it felt like when I did. This film takes me there and will likely never relinquish its number #1 spot.