sometime last year my brother lent me two DVDs with the hope that i would not only find them entertaining, but would develop a connection with the lead character's relationship. i put them on the shelf only to forget about them until a few weeks ago, when i received an invitation to the before midnight junket. the third film of an improbable indie movie trilogy, i immediately dug out before sunrise and before sunset and finally saw what the hype was all about.
before midnight finds jesse and celine in their early 40s. after almost 20 years of courtship on-screen revealed in 9 year intervals, the film sees the couple struggling with many realistic issues long term lovers find difficulty reconciling. as the film pulses along with director richard linklater's signature one-shot takes filled with intriguing dialogue and innuendos, i found myself slightly blindsided by the brutal climax of the third act. not shy of going too far or reveling in the inappropriate, before midnight ends the same way it's predecessors did. unsure of the future but my god are we rooting for the best.
-t
