It’s the Before trilogy all in one for the modern generation.

With only 100 minute including credits, the movie manages to feel like the culmination of the Before trilogy, while also managing making it something of its own. The film’s greatest strength is understanding its characters and showing emotion rather than telling you their emotion.

The way the first 30 minutes or so played out was not at all what I was expecting. It’s intense, yet when it focuses on the dynamics of its two leads, its easy to feel invested in what unfolds on the screen. I also really appreciated the cinematography and editing style. The aspect ratio allows for its two leads to appear even closer. As for the editing style, I really liked how it took older editing styles to appear as though people weren’t talking when there was dialogue spoken. It gives the sense that the leads are lost in the moments that they are in.

My only real issue is within the pacing, which can hamper the story from time to time. Since there is so much to unpack throughout the movie, it was harder to stay engaged whenever the movie shifted, and the reason being is that, as said, it becomes easy to invest in certain scenes. It seems like the movie is going to stay in one direction, and once it goes in another, it feels like a pivot based on the amazing direction seen before.

Overall, this is a masterclass in storytelling and direction. It manages to achieves a lot of technical aspects really well and makes them feel intentional instead of experimental.

VERDICT: 4/5 (Really Good)