Alas, Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy), whose chance encounters in Europe make up Before Sunrise and Before Sunset, get together after all. The third movie in this chatty trilogy, set against a gorgeous Greek backdrop, finds the couple mired in the doldrums. The star-crossed lovers are now married with twin girls. Middle age wears on them, their youthful charm isn’t so cute anymore, and their real dissatisfactions dominate.
Their grappling with the natural problems facing long-term relationships is poignant—the sadness, resignation, and resentments feel true—but the characters are less likable than ever. These are two people who live from the neck up, though they are not especially smart or interesting. Hawke’s self-awareness, which could be forgiven in the earlier installments, is harder to take here; as they walk along, talking and talking, he rarely seems to really listen to her. Maybe that’s the point. The series is an endurance test for an audience’s ability to find their musings compelling.
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