from Film Forum, 09/09/04Michael Leary (The Matthews House Project) considers this sequel to Before Sunrise and then compares the two. "The films address us as individuals with memories of love and innocence and presents of disillusionment and boredom. Before Sunset is completely engaging on this level, even more so considering that Jesse is now married. This adds a moral dimension to the film that forces us to come to grips with what it means to be old and tired when we once swore we would never end up that way. Hopefully the film will cause each viewer to work through this moral dilemma with Jesse, deciding with him what it is that now defines us. Is it our daydreams or our commitments?" He adds that "Before Sunset ends with what may be the very best 'fade to black' in the history of film."
