Director Richard Linklater explores the rarely touched upon trope of the romance. What happens after “They lived happily ever after”? When the dust has settled and Jessie and Celine have built a life together, what happens when reality interferes in the romantic fantasy. Surely for two films, Jessie and Celine had a wonderful whirlwind romance, then an amazing reunion, but will Jessie’s love for his child and his obligations ultimately destroy the true love he yearned for years?
After spending the summer in Greece, Jessie bids farewell to his son, who dreads going back home. Jessie broke up with his wife after “Before Sunset” and their divorce was as bitter and vicious as one would imagine. What makes “Before Midnight” such a breath of fresh air is that director Richard Linklater takes the love story of Jessie and Celine and drops it in the middle of reality. Surely, Jessie and Celine had a wonderful and lovely courtship, but when Jessie came back down to Earth, he had to deal with months of a bitter divorce and an ex-wife using his son as a form of revenge again him. When we meet Jessie and Celine now, they’re married with two daughters. Celine has a potential job opportunity that could define her life, but Jessie is torn about missing his son’s life.
Jessie’s regret inevitably sets down a chain reaction between he and Celine, as Jessie ponders on his son’s future, while Celine begins to wonder what it means for their future. Director Linklater, doesn’t just examine the relationship between Jessie and Celine, but dissects the concept of marriage and what loyalty means toward a married couple of any kind. As with the previous films, Linklater’s drama is verbose, and packed with many more characters this time around. Not only do Jessie and Celine have a new life, but they have daughters, and the time for their analysis of what they mean to one another could introduce more heartache. The centerpiece of “Before Midnight” is set in a brief getaway between Jessie and Celine when they retreat to a hotel, and suddenly find that beneath the surface not only has there been resentment boiling, but once they were able to meet one another without the frills of romance and whimsy, they discovered that perhaps they didn’t quite like one another.
“Before Midnight” takes an adult and very unique approach to what happens to the magical couple once the magic dies down and obligations rear their heads. Falling in love is fantastic, but eventually you find yourself with a real person who loves you, a person with flaws who loves you, and sooner or later the love may fade away when we discover we don’t quite like the person. Director Linklater’s writing is as incredible as ever, opting for conversations that feel realistic, along with dialogue that holds weight. That is especially true when Jessie and Celine have their final confrontation in the hotel room. To some “Before Midnight” might be discouraging in how it views Jessie and Celine as two people who may literally be stuck with one another. But it’s an excellent statement (and warning) about the dangers of being in love with love.