I hate Meg Ryan. I really do. I hate the cutesy-poo BS she does in all her movies. It makes me wanna puke. Ah… I feel better now that I got that out. I have to admit though, When Harry Met Sally is probably her best movie. And I give most of the credit for that to Billy Crystal. This is probably his best movie too. The story is good, the directing is good, it’s got everything going for it.
This movie is up there in the rom-com (romantic comedy) hall of fame. Meg Ryan was on a role in the 80s and 90s with her romantic comedies. She was like their patron saint, blowing weepy girly dust all over the movie landscape. I ain’t mad at her, movies have to appeal to many different audiences. And women LOVE rom-coms. L-O-V-E them. I know this first-hand because honestly I would be completely ignorant to the Meg Ryan canon if not for my wife. But you know, I’m not all “Aliens! Smash! Explosions! Guns! Zombies!” (though I gotta admit I do love all that). I can appreciate a good “chick flick”. And this one is definitely one of the best. It was written by Nora Ephron, who is also a rom-com goddess. She wrote the other two Meg Ryan romantic comedies people love, Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail. You have to hand it to her, she writes a good chick flick.
The interesting plot device of moving through such a long period of time during the two main characters relationship is very well done and is an excellent way to establish the connection between these two. It really shows the audience in an effective way how they progressed from not even liking eachother when they met to being friends, then best friends, then the inevitable romantic relationship. It feels very honest. And their frank and honest discussions about relationships comes off as genuine and not forced or simply there to move the plot along.
So I am definitely recommending this. Just don’t invite me over when you watch it, okay?
