Before Sunrise

The most charming indie film of the ’90s, and the first part of Linklater’s “Before” trilogy.

American Jesse and French Céline are two young strangers whose paths cross by chance. Despite their differences – he is a self-assured American with a cocky attitude, she is an artistic, feminist French woman who wants to save the world – they are inevitably drawn to each other.

Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke become Céline and Jesse, turning this simple but incredibly well-written drama into a credible and utterly wonderful film about relationships, happiness, and how a meeting can change us for the rest of our lives.

It’s also a brilliant portrayal of the 1990s youth, with their naively determined view of the world, where optimistic spontaneity mixed with philosophical musings on the meaning of life.