Before Midnight

Like sunlight, sunset, we appear, we disappear. We are so important to some, but we are just passing through.

Before Midnight (film), CC BY-SA 4.0

Céline: Most women who achieve anything in life, the first time you hear about them, they're in their 50's, because it was so hard for them to get any recognition before then. They struggle for 30 years or they raise kids and were stranded at home before they could finally do what they want. Actually, you know what? It's kind of freeing. We don't have to spend our lives comparing ourselves to Martin Luther King, Gandhi, Tolstoy... Jesse: What about Joan of Arc, right, she was a teenager and she saved France, so... Céline: Who wants to be Joan of Arc? Forget France, she was burnt at the stake and a virgin, okay. Nothing I aspired to. What a great achievement!

Before Midnight (film), CC BY-SA 4.0

Céline: If we were meeting for the first time today on a train, would you find me attractive? Jesse: Of course. Céline: No, but really, right now as I am? Would you start talking to me? Would you ask me to get off the train with you? Jesse: Well, I mean, you're asking a theoretical question. I mean, what would my life situation be? I mean technically, wouldn't I be cheating on you? Céline: Okay. Why can't you just say "yes"? Jesse: No, I did. I said, "of course"! That was - Céline: No-no-no! I wanted you to say something romantic and you blew it. Jesse: Oh, okay. Alright, wait - if I saw you on a train, okay, listen. I would lock eyes with you. Céline: Uh-huh. Jesse: And then I'd walk right up to you and I'd say, "Hey, baby. You are making me as horny as a billy goat in a briar patch." Céline: Stop it, that's disgusting! Billy goat. No, the truth is, you failed the test. And the fact is, you would not pick me up on a train. You wouldn't even notice me, a fat-assed middle-aged mom, losi

Before Midnight (film), CC BY-SA 4.0

Céline: So if we're going to spend another fifty-six more years together... Jesse: Yeah? Céline: What about me would you like to change? Jesse: [Smirks] That's another one of your can't-win questions. I'm not answering that. Céline: What do you mean? There's not one thing you'd like to change about me? I'm perfect? Jesse: Okay. Céline: Okay. Jesse: Actually... Céline: One thing. Jesse: If I could change one thing about you... Céline: Uh-huh. Jesse: It would be for you to stop trying to change me. Céline: You're a very skilled manipulator, you know that? Jesse: Well, I'm onto you. I know how you work. Céline: You think? Jesse: Yeah. I know everything about you.

Before Midnight (film), CC BY-SA 4.0

Céline: Do you remember this friend of mine? George, from New York. Jesse: No. Céline: Oh, no, that was before. That was before. Jesse: What was? Céline: He was this friend of mine that, when he found out he had leukemia, and he was probably going to die, he confessed to me that the first thing that came to his mind was relief. Jesse: Relief? But why? Céline: Well, before he found out he had nine months to live he was always so worried about money, and now his thought was, great! I have more than enough money to live for the next nine months, I've made it! Jesse: [laughing] Oh, okay. Céline: And then he was finally able to enjoy everything about life, even like being stuck in traffic. He would just enjoy looking at people... staring at their faces. Just little things.

Before Midnight (film), CC BY-SA 4.0

Jesse: So this is how you now want to be spending this evening? I mean, this is what you wanna do tonight? Céline: Well, you started it. Jesse: No. You are the one who will not shut up about it. But if you want to talk about it, I mean, really talk about it. I would prefer to have an unemotional, rational conversation. I mean, do you think we can do that? Would that be possible? Céline: Here we go. Unemotional, rational. You always play the part of the one and only rational one and I'm the irrational, hysterical, hormone-crazy one because I have emotions. Yeah, you sit back and you speak from your big perspective which means everything you say is level-headed and true. Jesse: I don't always do anything. Céline: The world is fucked by unemotional rational men deciding shit, alright? Politicians going to war for no reason, corporate heads deciding to wreck the environment, Cheney, Rumsfeld - very rational men. Jesse: Cheney and Rumsfeld? Yeah, okay. Céline: The final solution? Very ratio

Before Midnight (film), CC BY-SA 4.0