The ‘Before’ Trilogy
Author: Lucas Hilderbrand
Published by: BFI Film Classics
Pages: 112
Format: Softback
My Rating: ★★★★★
Author: Lucas Hilderbrand
Published by: BFI Film Classics
Pages: 112
Format: Softback
My Rating: ★★★★★
In Richard Linklater’s Before Sunrise (1995), two young lovers, the American Jesse (Ethan Hawke), and the Frenchwoman Celine (Julie Delphy), meet on a train travelling across Europe and spend a magical night together in Vienna before parting at dawn. Filmed in nine-year intervals, the film’s sequels Before Sunset (2004) and Before Midnight (2013) forge an unexpected trilogy brimming with longing, second chances and resentments as the couple meet again and build a relationship.
Lucas Hilderbrand reflects on the experience of falling in love with, living with and having one’s own life shaped by the Before trilogy. Tracing the story of the films’ production, he considers the contribution of the leading actors, particularly Delphy, to their screenplays. He offers a close reading of each of the Before films, considering the extent to which they operate beyond the generic norms of romantic comedy or melodrama, incorporating aspects of realism and emotional authenticity through their location shooting, long takes and near-real time temporality.
Lucas Hilderbrand reflects on the experience of falling in love with, living with and having one’s own life shaped by the Before trilogy. Tracing the story of the films’ production, he considers the contribution of the leading actors, particularly Delphy, to their screenplays. He offers a close reading of each of the Before films, considering the extent to which they operate beyond the generic norms of romantic comedy or melodrama, incorporating aspects of realism and emotional authenticity through their location shooting, long takes and near-real time temporality.
My thoughts:
I closed The Before Trilogy by Lucas Hilderbrand with that rare, lingering feeling of having experienced something truly special, both as a reader and as someone who deeply loves cinema.
I have always found the films themselves: Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight, to be quietly moving and beautifully written, but reading Lucas Hilderbrand’s exploration of them only deepened that admiration. There is such care and attentiveness in his writing; it’s clear from the outset that he holds these films in genuine affection, and you can feel that care in every page.
What makes this book so compelling is the way it mirrors the films themselves: thoughtful, intimate, and richly observant. Hilderbrand balances detailed research with a reflective, almost personal mode of criticism, weaving together production history, interviews with cast members, thematic analysis, and his own emotional responses. I found so much of what he said relatable, especially in how he shows the lasting effect these films can have on viewers.
For me, the trilogy itself has always felt like a perfect meeting point between literature and cinema. These stories are dialogue-driven, philosophical, and emotionally precise. The writing is what truly elevates it, and Hilderbrand honours that beautifully. His discussion of Jesse and Céline captures exactly why their relationship feels so singular: it is tender, complex, and achingly real. Their relationship is one of the most memorable on-screen romances I’ve seen.
While I appreciate all three films, I found myself, much like in my own viewing experience, drawn most strongly to the romanticism of the first two. That sense of possibility, of fleeting connection and intellectual intimacy conveyed on screen, is something Hilderbrand captures with great sensitivity in this book.
Throughout the book, I was constantly pausing to underline passages and return to certain lines; always a sign, for me, of something worth holding onto. It’s a book that absolutely invites rereading, much like the films invite revisiting.
Ultimately, I think what I loved most is that this is more than just a critical study; it’s a love letter to cinema, to storytelling, and to the quiet, profound ways in which art can shape our own lives. For fans of the ‘Before’ series, and really anyone who cherishes both film and literature, this feels like a perfect convergence of the two.
Overall reaction:
I closed The Before Trilogy by Lucas Hilderbrand with that rare, lingering feeling of having experienced something truly special, both as a reader and as someone who deeply loves cinema.
I have always found the films themselves: Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight, to be quietly moving and beautifully written, but reading Lucas Hilderbrand’s exploration of them only deepened that admiration. There is such care and attentiveness in his writing; it’s clear from the outset that he holds these films in genuine affection, and you can feel that care in every page.
What makes this book so compelling is the way it mirrors the films themselves: thoughtful, intimate, and richly observant. Hilderbrand balances detailed research with a reflective, almost personal mode of criticism, weaving together production history, interviews with cast members, thematic analysis, and his own emotional responses. I found so much of what he said relatable, especially in how he shows the lasting effect these films can have on viewers.
For me, the trilogy itself has always felt like a perfect meeting point between literature and cinema. These stories are dialogue-driven, philosophical, and emotionally precise. The writing is what truly elevates it, and Hilderbrand honours that beautifully. His discussion of Jesse and Céline captures exactly why their relationship feels so singular: it is tender, complex, and achingly real. Their relationship is one of the most memorable on-screen romances I’ve seen.
While I appreciate all three films, I found myself, much like in my own viewing experience, drawn most strongly to the romanticism of the first two. That sense of possibility, of fleeting connection and intellectual intimacy conveyed on screen, is something Hilderbrand captures with great sensitivity in this book.
Throughout the book, I was constantly pausing to underline passages and return to certain lines; always a sign, for me, of something worth holding onto. It’s a book that absolutely invites rereading, much like the films invite revisiting.
Ultimately, I think what I loved most is that this is more than just a critical study; it’s a love letter to cinema, to storytelling, and to the quiet, profound ways in which art can shape our own lives. For fans of the ‘Before’ series, and really anyone who cherishes both film and literature, this feels like a perfect convergence of the two.
Overall reaction:
