Before We Go Synopsis: A woman who is robbed on her way to catch the 1:30 train to Boston is left stranded in New York City. She meets a man willing to help her and the two embark on a journey that will change the course of their lives.
After a chance encounter at Grand Central Station, Nick (Chris Evans) and Brooke (Alice Eve) embark on an unexpected journey through New York City as Brooke desperately tries to get home to Boston by morning. The adventure forces them to face their insecurities and fears while finally taking control of their lives.
Given the general critical consensus of Before We Go (Chris Evans’s directorial debut), I was not expecting much from this movie. Frankly, I have never been much of a fan of Alice Eve. That being said, I ended up adoring this movie. Alice Eve played the conflicted Brooke with an emotional nuance that paired exceptionally well with Evans’s charming, affable Nick.
“I feel that we met in Grand Central for a reason. We were meant to find each other.” – Brooke
In a movie where the two leads are in every scene together with little supporting cast, the chemistry between them can make or break the film. Thankfully, Evans and Eve had such a natural rapport that their scenes never felt forced, nor were they overflowing with romantic intention, which was a nice change of pace given the romances I’ve watched lately.
I would have been perfectly happy with the movie had Brooke truly wanted to fix her marriage while Nick won back his ex-girlfriend because the two characters seemed genuinely supportive of those endeavors.
“Have you ever had a feeling… and just knowing somewhere in your bones that somebody was going to play a major part in your life?” – Brooke
In Before We Go, there were no outlandish shenanigans to suffer as Brooke and Nick strolled through New York City, just small moments that revealed who these two strangers were and the issues they were facing, romantically and personally. The movie shines when Brooke and Nick finally open up to one another, even amid humor and sarcasm. I was worried that the ending of Before We Go would disappoint me, but it held just the right amount of realistic optimism that I felt wholly satisfied when the credits began to roll.
“And at the end of the night, you’re gonna want to say some things, but don’t. Don’t ruin it. It’s nothing she doesn’t already know. Just give her a kiss. Wish her good luck. And, uh… thank her. Thank her for showing you that you can love more than one person in this life.” – Nick
Maybe Before We Go is not overly original, and it contains several elements from various other films. Still, it’s briskly paced with just the right amount of romantic and corny, and the strong performances from Evans and Eve make it worth a watch.
Watched: 12/29/2018
Notable Song: The Alchemy Between Us by Young Galaxy
