In "Before Sunset," nine years has passed. Having published his first novel, Jesse is in Paris giving a reading at the famous Shakespeare & Co. bookstore when he suddenly spots Celine, whom he's wildly romanticized in his book which is based on the night they spent together. Delighted, yet a bit wary, they tentatively rediscover one another. Still single, she's in a dead-end relationship while he's unhappily married yet devoted to his four year-old son. Wondering what might have been, they have just a few hours to figure out if they belong together.

Reminiscent of Louis Malle's "My Dinner With Andre," this is an intelligent, conversation-driven piece, delving into fate, the meaning of life, the nature of love and the significance of sex and relationships, encompassing both regret and despair. Writer/director Linklater filmed for only 15 days with a minuscule budget, and the dialogue often seems improvised. In contrast, Lee Daniel's cinematography is carefully calculated - with the focus never shifting from Hawke and Delpy, even as the Parisian background changes. Slipping flawlessly back into their established roles, the actors quickly establish a credible emotional connection. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, "Before Sunset" is a sad, romantic 7 with a suitably ambiguous conclusion.