Before Midnight

Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) return for their third movie after Before Sunrise and Before Sunset, and they remain as interesting as ever. After going to Celine's apartment nine years ago in Paris, the two hooked up for good, with Jesse's marriage ending. The film starts with an amazing scene between Jesse and his son (Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick) in an airport and it builds momentum until an ending that will leave you emotionally exhausted in a good way. The movie has Jesse and Celine talking a lot because, well, that's what they do best. It also has Jesse and Celine going at each other in a hotel room argument so vicious, it's easily scarier than anything in Hawke's recent horror flick, The Purge. Director Richard Linklater gave us two very romantic movies with the first parts of this now trilogy. This one is romantic too, but it's romanced laced with a harsh dose of bitter reality. We've been getting a new Before movie every nine years. I hope this isn't the end, and Linklater keeps them coming. Whenever these films fade out, I feel like I need another chapter immediately.