With Slacker and Dazed and Confused, Richard Linklater established himself as one of the more perceptive directors to delve into young adult experience in the last decades of the 20th century. With Before Sunrise, he went a step further, proving himself capable of exposing the soulful poignancy lurking at the heart of Gen-X affectation. An unapologetically dialogue-driven movie, Before Sunrise avoids the usual pitfalls associated with excessive talk, thanks to Linklater's insightful, heartfelt screenplay and winning performances from Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. Delpy is engagingly easy-going, giving the feeling that she's ready for anything, and Hawke radiates surprising charm as the prototypical American abroad. He and Delpy are always entertaining, so that, rather than craving action, we want the two to keep talking, and come to regret the imminent sunrise almost as much as they do.