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★★★☆☆
3 January 2015
This article is a review of BEFORE WE GO.Seen at the Toronto International Film Festival 2014. (For more information, click here.)
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“Want to come with me on a little adventure to find your purse?” Nick Vaughan (Chris Evans) to Brooke Dalton (Alice Eve)
Elaborate blockbusters have dominated actor Chris Evans’ recent career; and for his directorial debut he has dialled it back, keeping it simple and sweet. From the Richard Linklater BEFORE SUNRISE school of romance, two strangers meet and end up spending a life changing night together. Treading a line between mumblecore (IN SEARCH OF A MIDNIGHT KISS) and mainstream romantic dramas, BEFORE WE GO contains a slickness, through vibrant cinematography (Drake Doremus’ director of photography) and winsome appeal, but sans genre triteness. Four writers might have made this a mess, but somehow there is coherence.
Elaborate blockbusters have dominated actor Chris Evans’ recent career; and for his directorial debut he has dialled it back, keeping it simple and sweet. From the Richard Linklater BEFORE SUNRISE school of romance, two strangers meet and end up spending a life changing night together. Treading a line between mumblecore (IN SEARCH OF A MIDNIGHT KISS) and mainstream romantic dramas, BEFORE WE GO contains a slickness, through vibrant cinematography (Drake Doremus’ director of photography) and winsome appeal, but sans genre triteness. Four writers might have made this a mess, but somehow there is coherence.
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New York, winter, night, Grand Central station, the metaphor of changing tracks is writ large. (At least it’s not an airport.) Nick (Evans) is busking via a trumpet. Brooke (Eve) runs by dropping her phone in haste, and misses her train to Boston. Desperate to get to New Haven, the modern world has to be nullified to allow two unknowns, meeting in a non-social environment, to connect - so Brooke’s credit card is declined, along with that broken mobile. No ID either. Purse stolen earlier. Leading lady is still not in the Stone Age; we’re getting there, at least it’s now roughly the territory of Clark Gable-Claudette Colbert IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934).
Chivalrous Nick to the rescue, though Brooke wariness is still understandably high. (She obviously has not seen CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER.) He’s in town for a dual purpose: 1. He has an invite to a reception hosted by mate Danny (Mark Kassen), which he is mysteriously reluctant to attend; and 2. A jazz audition awaits the next day. Brooke was visiting to buy a painting. Stakes are set for Brooke: She has to be home before husband Michael to save their marriage. Public transport unavailable, $447 is needed to be raised by the duo to achieve this. Plot mechanics wound tight is then contrasted by a night of random escapades. How much you are able to swallow depends on your chemistry with the leads.
One liners hit the mark as two out-of-towners circle. BEFORE WE GO doesn’t reinvent the wheel, not reaching the levels of ONCE and is coincidence riddled, but has charm and charisma in spades. Info is wisely drip-fed to us, keeping us on our toes to real motivation, and growing attachment.
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