Before Sunset

BEFORE SUNSET: This is the sequel to Richard Linklater's great conversational film BEFORE SUNRISE, starring Ethan Hawke and French hottie Julie Delpy. At the end of that film the principal characters, who have spent a glorious night together discussing a wide-range of topics and have an ambiguous romance, promise to meet in Vienna in six months. Now nine years later they run into each other again and discuss what happened, what has happened, and how they feel about things now. Linklater's specialty is the dialogue-driven film, with such classics as DAZED AND CONFUSED, SLACKER, and TAPE on his resume (he also directed WAKING LIFE, which for some reason I've never seen, SUBURBIA, SCHOOL OF ROCK, and unfortunately, THE NEWTON BOYS). So, obviously the dialogue has to be good, and here, the conversation easily wraps you in, all the while bathing you in uncertainty as to where this is going. The first film did the same, and left it that way, making you wish you knew what happened afterwards. Here's Linklater's treat, and more frustration (which is fine). These films would offer great companion pieces to last year's LOST IN TRANSLATION, which explores the same territory, and without easy answers.