Before Sunset (Richard Linklater, 2004): USA

Reviewed by Mirass Jalil. Viewed at Santa Barbara Film Festival.

There once was a writer.

A writer who writes about a lost lover.

A lover he had for a day.

A day nine years earlier.

Everything starts with a writer.

The writer heads to Paris for a reading.

The reading where he once again meets his lost lover.

The lost lover and the writer start a talk.

The talk that would last the entire film.

The film which discuss cultural, political and psychological matters.

The recognition of the film is the editing and cinematography.

Cinematography at its best that gives us realism.

Realism that is accomplished with long takes.

Takes with a Steadicam and intriguing dialogs.

Dialogs between two parts and two standpoints.

Standpoints which the audience is forced to choose one.

It’s a romantic comedy with a mixture of drama.

A drama so fascinating that made me curious.

A curiosity about life, love, relationships, sexuality, political and social problems.