Before Sunrise

Charming, uneven, and a terrific idea, this early Linklater film left us thoughtful. The film slowly seeps its way into the action, the stillness and contemplation of the shots (not dramatically beautiful, or even picturesquely so, but considered) a fine counterpoint to the nature of the pleasingly realist script and mannerisms of our to performers. Few films can match this for acuteness in contemplating how people actually act around each other.
Initially, Ethan Hawke is incredibly annoying, which is partly an intentional plot device and partly just annoying. Our appreciation of him did increase throughout the film, which surely shows dept in both the direction and acting that we can applaud. By the end, we were where we perhaps were meant to be at the start, i.e. slightly fond. Julie Delpy is, of course, lovely, if occasionally, as is the case for both characters, occasionally succumbing to cultural cliches (which may be true, after all).
The dialogue is steps above banal but not exactly original (hurt by its on imitators), and clunky every now and again. Indeed, the attempts at delivering the message can be writ rather large. Then again, is that not the case when we consider our actual interaction?
What the film lacks in the kind of relaxed romance it perhaps aimed for, it makes up for by having some fine unspoken moments, movements of the sensuous romance. It was in these, able to summon up the rush of recognition in the viewer, that left it as an impression, and a longing, to discover what the film had portrayed.
Not the most perfectly executed film ever, but the plot is so intriguing, and Linklater's style so artfully balanced, that we left the film with much more than when we arrived. A low budget success, for Vienna's tourist board as much as anyone.