In the sequel to 1995s Before Sunrise, Richard Linklaters star-crossed lovers Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy) are reunited in Paris, nine years since they last saw one another and enjoyed just one night together in Vienna. The film appears to take place in real time, following the pair over the course of one afternoon spent together as they reconnect. The film was shot mostly in-sequence and entirely on location in Paris over two weeks of the hottest summer on record - temperatures reached a scorching 100F (38°C). Through Céline, the audience is taken on a tour of the city that doesnt simply hit the expected beats - in fact, the iconic Eiffel Tower is never shown, the film preferring to focus more on the city Parisians know. It trips into the touristic occasionally, but this is always explained by the fact that the American Jesse is a visitor here; at one point, he convinces Céline to ride aboard a riverboat on the Seine with him. One mans home is always another mans tourist attraction. In showing a Parisians knowledge combined with a visitors awe of the city, Before Sunset offers a unique view of Frances capital, capturing both the mundane and the spectacular in equal measure.
