Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy depicts the magic and folly of modern romance. The self-destructive men and women of a confused era, enamored by willpower and purpose, yet are allergic to such efforts—a generation swallowed up by contradictions.

With Jesse, we have a man convinced he is not just any man; skeptical of everyone’s agenda (except, of course, his own). With Céline, we have a woman of idealism, hoping to breakthrough an inescapable, ive-aggressive patriarchy, whilst surrounded by men who believe…