Midway through Richard Linklater’s Before Sunrise (A+), a character asks, “Isn’t everything we’re doing in life a way to be loved a little more?” Leading to discussions, revelations, and lingering meditations, this question is but one thread in a tapestry of character study. Sunrise is a celebration of human language that reveals more about its loquacious characters than any film targeted to twentysomethings in recent memory. An American man (Ethan Hawke) and French woman (Julie Delpy) meet on a European train and spend a night walking and talking through Vienna. Through debate, Q&A sessions with imaginary friends, frisky flirting and more, the two reveal more in a night than many do in a lifetime. The film is a funny, romantic and thoughtful ode to discovering your soulmate and then learning to communicate with them.
Category Archives: 1995
“Bad Boys” is Not Particularly Funny or Exciting
Director Michael Bay could have projected the coming attractions trailer over and over for the full running time of the full-length duration of Bad Boys (F) with the same result. The film is nothing more than a calculated marketing ploy pairing two popular TV stars – Will Smith (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) and Martin Lawrence (Martin) – as buddy cops with car chases and product plugs. The dialogue ranges from “Hey baybee” to “go girl” and misses all chances to leverage the chemistry between two talented actors.