3. The Most Challenging Film Of The Trilogy
Midnight is unquestionably the most challenging and emotionally difficult of the trilogy, because while Sunrise dealt with a sweeping, blooming romance under limited time, and Sunset was awash in a dilemma over what would happen when time ran out, Midnight is less urgent yet at the same time more so, given that Jesse and Celine's marriage appears to be very much on the rocks. This film is more about the aspirations and desires acting upon their relationship, the differing wants and needs that are causing conflict, and how this is resolved. The argument scenes, particularly near the end of the film, are naturally unpleasant precisely because we've grown along with this couple, and so it feels in a sense like we've known them for 18 years. Some of the thorny put-downs late in the day are likely to have audiences wincing in dismay, but at the same time, the picture is tonally balanced and never delves into misery for its own sake.