Under the Spotlight: examining Julie Delpy’s complex performance in ‘Before Sunset’
Richard Linklater rose to prominence with his slice-of-life comedies during the early 1990s, such as Slacker and Dazed and Confused. However, in 1995, informed by a real-life experience, the director created Before Sunrise, a gorgeous romantic drama starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy.
Set in Vienna, the film follows the pair after they meet on a train, spontaneously deciding to spend the night exploring the city together. Despite the risk of their scenario, the two discover that they are perfectly suited, balancing each other out as they discuss life and love. Hawke’s Jesse is American, whereas Delpy’s Celine is French. The two know that if they bond after their initial attraction, they’ll have difficulty maintaining a relationship from different parts of the world. Still, that doesn’t stop them from following their gut instincts to spend time with each other.
The two observe their surroundings throughout the film, shedding their most profound insights into heavy topics such as religion and death. They kiss and later have sex before Jesse declares that he would much rather marry her than never see her again. However, they settle on meeting in the same place exactly six months later, refusing to exchange contact details for fear of their relationship fizzling out through letters and phone calls.
Nine years later, Linklater returned with Before Sunset, which sees the characters reconnect in real-time. Jesse is a novelist, touring his new book in Paris, which happens to be based on their unforgettable night. Celine, now an environmental activist, visits the book signing in the hopes of reuniting with her one-night lover, much to Jesse’s delight.
Despite the pair being in relationships – Jesse even has a son – they chat as though almost a decade hasn’t passed. As the sun sets over quaint Parisian streets, the pair reflect on the passage of time, asking each other if they showed up six months later. Jesse reveals that he did, whereas Celine could not because her grandmother died. The pair have incredibly natural chemistry, and it’s hard to believe you’re watching actors rather than two lovers engaging in passionately-driven conversation.
Delpy gives an incredible performance throughout; however, a standout moment comes when the pair ride in a taxi, their conversation leading Celine to explode. She provides a powerfully intimate monologue, stressing her irritation with love. “What does it mean – the right man? The love of your life. The concept is absurd. The idea that we can only be complete with another person is evil,” she states. As she gets worked up over being used by men and getting her heart broken, Delpy allows her character’s anger to rise, delivering an impressively realistic “Don’t touch me!” as Jesse attempts to console her.
Following her outburst, Celine’s composure simmers as though she could continue her intense yet cathartic monologue at any moment. All the years of wondering what could have happened between her and Jesse seem to spill in the back of the taxi. Delpy’s performance is never over-the-top. Instead, her anger emerges with genuine pain and hopelessness, making the scene feel relatable and impassioned.
Another unforgettable moment comes at the end of the movie when the pair go back to Celine’s apartment. She reveals that she wrote a song about Jesse before playing it on her acoustic guitar. As the camera flits between Celine singing and Jesse watching, it’s evident that he is falling in love with her even more. Afterwards, they discuss Nina Simone, with Celine doing her best impression of the singer as she plays ‘Just In Time’, which contains the apt lyrics, “Now you’re here now I know just where I’m going/ No more doubt or fear I’ve found my way/ Your love came just in time you found me just in time.”
The phenomenal scene gives Delpy a chance to dominate, her effortless charm and beauty radiating off the screen as Hawke’s character watches, transfixed. She quips, “Baby, you are gonna miss that plane”, before he laughs, “I know,” fiddling with his wedding ring as he realises that Celine is the love of his life. Although Hawke’s performance is also magnificent, Delpy steals the show, and it’s not hard to understand why Jesse wrote a whole novel about her despite meeting her only once.
Delpy also co-wrote the film, which helped her performance feel overwhelmingly real. In an interview with PopEntertainment, Delpy explained, “I put a lot in it of my own stuff. We did a lot of writing, Ethan and I. So, for us, it was very rewarding that people liked the film because it was more than just an acting job.”
