Simultaneously the darkest and funniest entry in Richard Linklater/Julie Delpy/Ethan Hawke's (henceforth "LDH" or "the filmmakers") "Before" series, Before Midnight finds our heroes in a different world from the one of Before Sunset. Others - like Jesse's (Hawke) teenage son and the couple's daughters - have entered the picture and the couple can no longer wax philosophical for hours on end. The couple's conversations - which previously encompassed a wide range of issues - all seem to return to the issue of mortality. The new responsibilities and weight of aging might make Before Midnight a monotonous or purely depressing film, but it's a testament to the filmmakers' talents that they can tackle heavy material while still keeping us emotionally engaged and entertained.
In this more complex world, Jesse and Celine (Delpy) have themselves become more complicated. Their contradictions* and awareness of expectations are still deeply a part of them, but they've also taken on other roles. Jesse has the guilt of an absentee parent, while Celine has a fierce loyalty towards their daughters (and seems to worry about Jesse sacrificing his relationship with them to spend more time with his son). Hawke and Delpy again find a balance between the characters' flaws and charms, wonderfully expressing the many lives of Jesse and Celine. As Celine, Delpy especially seems to time shift throughout the film. Sometimes she looks 22 again, but at other times she has the worn visage of a much older woman. It doesn't quite make sense how she can do that (apart from being a superb actress), but it lends credence to the idea that 2013 Jesse and Celine are both the same people they were 18 years ago and radically different adults. It's not just that the two are older and wiser or jaded by experience. The film doesn't simplify their development, but eloquently explores the strange and unpredictable evolution brought about by aging.
First, the relationship as an equation with no constant. Being a couple requires avoiding personal snafus, but it also requires constantly assessing a partner's needs and feelings. By beginning a battle about being closer with his son, Jesse seems to have miscalculated the stability of the overall relationship and underestimated Celine's anger fears about his commitment. In turning the battle into a war, Celine seems to be underestimating Jesse's love for her and overestimating his apparent lack of commitment. The resolution of their conflict is the result of a recalibration, as Jesse realizes that he just needed to vent his frustrations (after covering them up with passive-aggressive wit) while Celine cools down after understanding that Jesse is more dedicated to her and their children than he might appear.
Second, the inevitable argument without a good solution. Even though resolving their argument means that Jesse gets to be with his true love, he also must continue to live with the fact that he's basically abandoning his son (to a psychologically abusive mother, no less). If things weren't discussed, the underlying resentments that the couple clearly had would fester. When things are worked out, there's still a melancholy that remains, as evidenced by the film's final scene. Jesse and Celine's reunion may seem like the easy Hollywood ending, but it's actually a true and imperfect solution. Rom-Coms usually have some silly misunderstanding or minor behavior that keeps two likable characters apart, but Before Midnight shows us the truly difficult sacrifices that must be made to maintain a relationship and reveals the weight of the couple's previous decisions.
Once again, LDH have made a film that considers both Jesse and Celine's relationship in particular and love in general. Where Before Sunrise and Before Sunset showed love to be a refuge from the world's bullshit, Before Midnight reveals the refuge's admission price. The level of affection and support that Jesse and Celine show each other comes at the cost of accepting each other's bullshit without conditions. While it may not delve too deeply into the romantic stagnation of long-term relationships, it highlights the external pressures, consequences, and sacrifices that are just as threatening. Before Midnight might be the toughest of the series to watch - especially after we've grown so attached to this couple - but it might also be the most rewarding.
* Some of my favorites include Jesse arguing that they need to think outside of manmade constructions while standing in a sterile hotel room and voicing his opinion that hotels are sexy and Celine's goal of defining herself as a strong, modern woman while noting that their daughters expect them to be married and criticizing Jesse's alleged leave from monogamy (when she may have strayed as well).
I love the idea that Linklater is doing this essentially by decade, showing us the evolution of each character while each film could be the final chapter in the story (though I'm not sure that any apart from the first work as well without knowledge gained from the previous installments). I can't wait for 2022.
Delpy as Celine is absolutely perfect. She makes the transition from Minister of Reason to "Mayor of Crazy Town" seem natural and makes Celine likable even while she's getting worked up and assailing Jesse with every bad decision he's made over the past 9 years.
Did anyone else find the fact that Jesse's ex-wife went from being - by Jesse's estimate in Before Sunset - a good mother to a bitter alcoholic to be a little too much?
I think that I just used the phrase "true love" in a review. Damn you, Richard Linklater.
This review was brought to you by Feist's "The Limit to Your Love" playing on repeat.
Crew & Cast
Directed by Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused, Bernie, School of Rock, Slacker,
Written by Richard Linklater, Ethan Hawke, and Julie Delpy, based on characters by Linklater & Kim Krizan
Cast
Julie Delpy - Celine
Ethan Hawke - Jesse
Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick - Hank
Jennifer Prior - Ella
Charlotte Prior - Nina