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Before Trilogy #1

Before Sunrise

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Describes an encounter between a French girl and an American boy who meet on the train to Vienna

72 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1995

10 people are currently reading
751 people want to read

About the author

Richard Linklater

21 books168 followers
Richard Stuart Linklater is an Academy Award-nominated American film director and screenwriter.

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5 stars
184 (66%)
4 stars
67 (24%)
3 stars
21 (7%)
2 stars
2 (<1%)
1 star
2 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
Profile Image for Mohsen.
183 reviews108 followers
October 2, 2017
People can live their whole life as a lie.
You know how is my life?
It’s like seeing yourself from third-person perspective. I always feel like i’m observing my life instead of living it...
Profile Image for Black Shadow.
135 reviews
January 12, 2018
It's rare when I feel involved and connected to characters and conversations. It might seem simple I mean the idea of two people just walking around and talking, but once you feel connected to the conversations finding yourself agreeing or disagreeing or thinking about what's being said, you can't help but getting attached. It's the first screenplay I ever read. Maybe because it's one of the rarest movies I actually enjoyed the talk in it. How rare it is to randomly meet someone while you're escaping reality and truely connect with them on that level ! That's what I call 'good company', not just some random, on the surface exchange of social obligations. I loved every bit of it. It's just beautiful
Profile Image for Leighane.
337 reviews12 followers
October 20, 2021
I’ve been meaning to watch this for ages but ah, It’s definitely going at the top of my list now. It’s so beautifully simplistic, in a sense that’s it mostly just a conversation between two people, but it has that depth and pull of emotion that really seeps into your heart as they explore, challenge and learn each other. I loved it
Profile Image for Мила .
36 reviews
August 18, 2023
I finally read the script of my favorite film of all time! I adore the story and the characters, Jesse and Celine. I highly recommend anyone who is reading this to watch the film if they haven't.. Hell- watch the whole Before Trilogy for an even better experience!
___________
CELINE: I really believe that if there’s any kind of God, he wouldn’t be in any one of us - not you, not me - but just this space in between. If there’s some magic in this world, it must be in the attempt of understanding someone else, sharing something, even if it’s almost impossible to succeed. But who cares - the answer must be in the attempt.
Profile Image for Patrizia.
342 reviews3 followers
January 27, 2025
Trent'anni fa in questo giorno usciva nelle sale questo capolavoro; una storia romantica ma estremamente vera con dialoghi che rasentano la perfezione: si sente che sono emozioni provate personalmente.
La sceneggiatura è magistrale, un gioiello impreziosito dall'ambientazione, la maestosa Vienna, e personaggi perfetti (Jesse e Celine) in cui ci s'identifica con facilità sia per la genuinità sia perché esplorano problemi legati all'età in modo profondo e "filosofico".
Per me è e rimarrà sempre IL film. Suggerisco di vederlo almeno una volta. Vi catturerà!
Ottimi anche i seguiti. Anch'essi da vedere e, se possibile, leggere anche i copioni. Eccelsi.
Profile Image for luna ♡.
87 reviews20 followers
January 15, 2022
I think I can fall in love when I know everything about him - how he’s going to part his hair, or what shirt he’s going to wear that day, knowing the exact story he would tell in a given situation. I’m sure that’s when I’d know I’m really in love.


i love the movie so ofc i had to go through the script
Profile Image for Anesa.
201 reviews14 followers
June 5, 2025
there’s gotta be sth inherently romantic en haber leído esto en un bus camino a casita, rodeada de naturaleza, la luna y música pop española angsty de los 2000

(ya estoy buscando el script en físico fnskfks)
Profile Image for telma maia.
33 reviews
January 21, 2024
yes i did print out and read the script of my favourite movie
Profile Image for elsewhere.
594 reviews56 followers
December 31, 2015
This is an amazing screenplay that succeeded in making me feel a ton of things. The characters reminded me of myself and the person who I aspired to be, along with the thoughts that I constantly have but lack the courage to say.
Profile Image for Kanika Som.
35 reviews1 follower
April 24, 2021
I love how the author can combine plenty of interesting topics and concepts about life and human interest and make it into a genuine conversation. The story was authentically romantic. The connection between both protagonists was stunning, and it fascinates me how much I enjoy this.
Profile Image for Tsering.
181 reviews46 followers
August 24, 2015
Detailed compared to Before Sunset.
Really liked the characters who pops in between their conversation.
Profile Image for Daniela Cruz.
251 reviews
December 27, 2022
Para alguém que adorou os filmes como é o meu caso, ver o que foi e não foi utilizado do script e como as cenas ganharam vida é fascinante.
O final descrito foi incrivelmente tocante
Profile Image for eleanor grey ♡.
195 reviews1 follower
January 4, 2026
5☆

‘If there’s any kind of god, he wouldn’t be in any one of us — not you, not me — but just this space in between.’

ˋ°•*⁀➷
my review:

This is probably my favourite film, and that’s almost entirely because it’s just the most incredible soul baring conversations, so it checks out that I adored the screenplay. We should all read more screenplays! There’s something so fundamental about literature as the base of films that really reveals to me what I love about it - not just all the aspects that literature is unable to convey, but something tangible in its language that really gets me. I think because of who I am and because I’m a literature student, and because I’m a writer, that’s what I need for me to love a film. I need it to tell a story in a way where even just the words on the page can reach me. It was the same for the screenplay I read of the grand budapest hotel, and it’s even more so for this. Richard Linklater the genius that you are! Never have two minds converged so much in the space of one evening than in his work. Everyone! You must watch this film !!

🤎🏹
quotes:
↳ ‘If there’s some magic in this world, it must be in the attempt of understanding someone else, sharing something, even if it’s almost impossible to succeed. But who cares — the answer must be in the attempt.’

‘Isn’t everything we’re doing in life a way to be loved a little more or something?’

‘It’s like, I’m in your dream and you’re in mine.’

‘I think I get more excited about well-done representations of life than life itself.’

‘I think it’s because I’ve always had this feeling that I’m this very old woman, laying down, about to die, and her last thoughts are the remembrance of her youth and her life. I feel like my life is just her memories or something.’

‘At best, we’re just a tiny fraction of a soul. Is that why we all feel so scattered?’

✧・゚: * ✧・゚: * ✧・゚: * ✧・゚: *
Profile Image for myka.
39 reviews6 followers
June 27, 2025
while watching the film i was thinking damn you know the script is good when it feels like there's no script

but then i read the screenplay right after and i realized that much of what i loved about the film was actually the actors (and the direction probably)

i mean this is a very well-written script with amazing dialogue but i feel like it lacks the charm and character that i so loved in the film

and most of the best parts were not in the script. the nuances??? the body language?? "AU REVOIR," "LATER"??!!? not in the script!

so i did a quick search and found out that indeed there were lots of improvisation on set and some of the dialogues in the final cut were written by the actors themselves and that's why everything felt so intimate and natural.

wow. i love filmmaking.
Profile Image for ♡.
5 reviews
April 28, 2022
A first sight love story.. the entire scenery is mesmerizing and sweet, Imprint as a sweet memory in my mind. I don't know what else to say except that their chemistry is naturally romantic. Made to be lost admiring the beauty of the city of Vienna as if floating off in their sweet conversation. Although I need to try hard to understand the details of their conversation. Celine’s angelic voice is absolutely addictive I want to be her. And Jesse's loving gaze while gazing at Celine, truly means that Celine is his world. I need to continue this by watching Before Sunset.
Profile Image for Ena.
13 reviews
August 28, 2023
"I really believe that if there’s
any kind of god, he wouldn’t be in
any one of us - not you, not me -
but just this space in between. If
there’s some magic in this world,
it must be in the attempt of
understanding someone else, sharing
something, even if it’s almost
impossible to succeed. But who
cares - the answer must be in the
attempt."

I love them so, so much...

Profile Image for Lexie.
179 reviews1 follower
February 10, 2023
A couple hours ago, I randomly decided to read this screenplay online to get inspiration for writing dialogue--I remember it being amazing when I watched the film years ago.

It's so much better than I remember 😭
Profile Image for Nhu Hoang.
1 review
January 29, 2025
Boring characters, boring dialogues. No plot, twists or anything! I don’t see what’s so great about this book at all. Only managed to finish it because it’s a short book and easy read, but definitely not a page turner.
Profile Image for the_lonely_bob.
69 reviews
March 5, 2025
“She was this Botticelli angel, waiting for me at the gate back to life”
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews

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