I felt so hurt by this movie

I'd have to agree with OP on this. Although I understand what they were trying to do with this movie, I find that the execution of it was bad. Celine's behavior is not believable, she's single-handedly creating a war, when in reality we know that couple fights are rarely one-sided. I did not feel any passive-aggressiveness from Jesse at all. Also, the way they just simply mention how both were unfaithful to each other is not believable as well. I just can't imagine Celine going to see one of her ex-bfs that didn't satisfy her and just sleep with him. I also don't get why she would even leave to see one of her ex-bfs. She's not a teenage girl.

The movie makes it seem like unfaithfulness is a thing that can happen and it's not a relationship-breaking thing, but it's common sense that if you do decide to cheat (and in this case they both did), there's a reason why you're doing it. We like to think that people cheat out of lust, especially men, but is that really ever the truth? People cheat because they're unhappy or they want something else. If both feel that way, I fail to see how they can keep having such good communication and chemistry between them and not have their relationship slowly die like Jesse's relationship while he was still with his ex-wife. The way Celine reacted in the car when she felt that a fight was about to happen that was going to end their relationship made it seem like this couple's relationship was very good and they rarely had any serious fights.

We live in a time where relationships are ending left and right and everything is dark, it would've been nice to see the continuation of a beautiful love story. You can add hardships to it, I don't mind, but they went too far in this. I also think that it would've been awesome if they were both still really happy with each other because it would've gone against the core beliefs that they always had about relationships and that they expressed in Before Sunrise and Before Sunset.

You disliked two features of “Before Midnight” that were essential. Two good tests of a loving relationship might be posed as questions. Can a couple be apart yet still together? Can a couple fight yet forgive? The film is designed to show Jesse and Celine passing these tests.

Showing Celine and Jessie with other people made the point that they were not together for lack of alternative companionship. With abiding love, it can be sufficient just to know that the other person is out there, somewhere. You need not keep tabs on them at all times. They passed the first test.

I hear you about infidelity. It is violence without physical contact. That is the level of betrayal. The suggestion that Jesse and Celine had each been unfaithful made me extremely uncomfortable, which was probably the point.

I was so uncomfortable that I had to step back from the film and view the implied infidelity as a metaphor — a shorthand for the accumulation of absurdly petty grievances that might precipitate a fight, in a long-term relationship. Over several years, “Put your laundry in the hamper!” or “Cap the toothpaste, dammit!” can be grist for a conniption fit, but it looks ridiculous to outsiders. The plot required a credible reason for Celine and Jessie to scream potentially hurtful things, in blind fury. Hinting at infidelity was a quick way to get there.

We needed to see them fight — with real jeopardy! -- so that we could see them get past it. In the end, after all that was said, Jesse did not slink away. He went looking for Celine, to make the case for reconciliation. Celine is still visibly angry but, with the last words of the film she relents. Rejoice! They passed the test!

[:-)] Mark

You presented it perfectly! I was more angry. She became a mean, frustrated bitch. Blaming her miserable self on that poor loving, optimistic Jesse. Hopeless romantic to an absurd level! And the ending was unreal, unless this was a 100 times repeated pattern. Yah, this feature was off course too much! Way too many mean things she said about him--to him.

My exact thoughts.

First I thought; is it the most realistic one of the trilogy as it consists of a typical 40 yr old couple fighting and it does not involve 'stupid', careless youngsters having an infatuation that progressed into deep love within a span of 24 hours? Well yes for that matter but it was just pain to see that many things had changed between them compared to the first two meetings. But distance lends enchantment to the view and its opposite happened when they met for the first two times (the first time to be more specific).
Considering this, it might not be strange to see some changes in them ( Mostly in Celine); as do many moms of her type feel in real life ,a victim of the motherly burden assigned by the nature and society.

The argument was depressing . I mean i watched this trilogy , like one after another and every scene before this fighting in the trilogy was fun and touching but this one was completely unexpected and it hit me hard. It was intense. It's like this caring, smart Celine changed into this complaining teenager. The words they threw at each other were as if came from some entirely different , about-to-be-divorced couple. This was so unlike them. But thats what you do when you are angry, you turn ugly.

It struck me in the first two movies and the first half if this movie as a true love but this movie depicted a flaw in their relationship that hid behind their witty, playful conversations and their busy lives(that's what the whole "fairy tale" idea was all about IMO).

Well life is not rainbows and butterflies . And as corny as it sounds, life is not a wish granting factory but with the right amount of luck, passion , dedication, compromises and most importantly patience , you might just get your prince in the shining armour.

She was a passive aggressive neurotic nut, but he was a sly manipulator. Well written dialogue yet disturbing. You could tell this was an actors film with the long shots of dialogue and steady cams following them. I felt like they were attempting to challenge their limits with this film. I was disturbed and impressed at the same time.

...I'll simply quote Hawke for you : 1st movie is "what might have been", 2nd is "what should/could have" and 3rd is "what is".

(IMDb signature)
Memory is a wonderful thing if you don't have to deal with the past

I agree - I didn't mind the progression of their relationship as much, it would have been unnatural to believe the same magic from Vienna was still there - but the amount of sex in this part made me feel like the only thing they ever had was sexual chemistry. And that bursted the bubble a bit. I loved the filmmakers had the guts to introduce a heavy amount of realism, but they also wiped off the romantic plate clean.

You were hurt. Because of your expectations. I am sure the couple would also be hurt if they knew going forward they will face scenes like that. But that's life. It is beautiful and ugly. People change. Emotions change.


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