When Harry Met Sally...

I am no expert on the genre, but I'd have to say "When Harry met Sally" is, besides the plethora of truly wonderful films made by Woody Allen, the wittiest and most funny romantic comdedy waiting for you out there in video world. I'd only wished I'd seen the film sooner because this seems like that perfect film for discussion with a circle of good friends at Pizzaria Uno. The movie came out in 1989, but for some reason, I think this is one even our kids may like.

Like all good films coming from the genere, this film thrives most on its witty dialgue and cleverness in not "sentimnetalizing" it too much. In other words, there is that perfect equilibrium between scenes of sheer poignancy and scenes of brutal comic relief. The thespians involved, of course, have a lot to do with the film's success and overall appeal. Ryan and Crystal are perfect for the roles assigned, each one of them bringing their charisma and fresh breath of life to the screen. Crystal fits snugly into that character we find all too obnoxious but can't help but loving and Ryan, well, she is as adorable as always.

The issue the film tackles is an important one, I think. It asks us a question of universal importance, namely, can women and men ever be friends?. I'll leave that for you and your friends to talk about at Pizzaria Uno. For now, I'll just say that with heaps of quirky, funny dialogue, a taut script from Nora Ephron, and clean directing form Reiner, "When Harry met Sally" is a highly enjoyable film that unsurprisingly has held strong a decade after its inception.

dan

This movie grows like a good wine. I really didn't get it when it was first released; I avoided it like the plague. But people have a curious tendency to mature and change their POVs with time, and so was it with me. This movie opened me up to a lot of things - believe it or not, I didn't get the 'Call Me' sequence at first: I was lost, and admit it. But I am not lost now, and this movie is partly responsible.

Meg might be the reason guys want to see this movie, again and again, but after a while you begin to appreciate the contribution Crystal made to the film. The dialogue has his name all over it. The dialogue in this film is at times simply amazing - check the memorable quotes here if you've seen the movie and have forgot.

I would not pick this movie out of a barrel as most likely to be so influential, but it's a fact that it is, and rightfully so. Great support from Kirby and Fisher. Today it's Hanks and Ryan who are paired, thanks undoubtedly to Sleepless in Seattle, but one wonders why no one has tried to get Crystal and Ryan back together again. They're fantastic.

This is one of the all-time best movies ever made. All-time 10? Or 20? or 1000? I don't know; it's just one of the best - it has that quality about it. Keeper.

I love romantic comedies, and this may be my all-time favorite. Nora Ephron's writing is sharp and VERY funny, and the perfect cast delivers the dialogue with flawless timing. I own it on DVD, and will almost invariably turn to it for at least a couple of minutes when I see it in the TV schedule. There are so many priceless moments that I can't pick out one to highlight; most of them are subtler and funnier than the famous Simulated Orgasm scene. Bruno Kirby and Carrie Fisher are perfect in their supporting roles, and Rob Reiner's direction couldn't be better. I'm afraid that I'm doing nothing but gushing in this review, but great is great, and it's hard to say anything else.

There have only been but a very few films that have tackled the friendship-turned-to-love theme as beautifully as 'When Harry Met Sally' did. There have been numerous attempts thereafter, the most recent one being 'A Lot Like Love' but none of them come close to this wonderful gem. Nora Ephron's writing is top class as it provides clever one-liners, great dialogues, well-written characters and a lovely story. Rob Reiner tells a common story in a very uncommon way. A lot of the movie is based on both Ephron and Reiner's experience. Similarly the characters of Harry and Sally are based on themselves. However, they allow the actors to insert their own input which leads to the electrifying chemistry between the lead actors. The cast and crew have had a lot of fun during the making and the amount of heart that's been put into the film is quite obvious. The story obviously revolves around Billy Crystal's Harry and Meg Ryan's Sally. The two actors are fantastic to say the least and bring magic on screen. I wonder why they were never paired again. Perhaps it's for the best as they are remembered for this movie rather than what happened with Gere and Roberts after 'Runaway Bride'. Bruno Kirby and Carrie Fisher deserve mention too for their great support as Harry and Sally's friends. Together with Crystal and Ryan, they create some of the funniest scenes. The background music flows in a subtle way, giving voice to the city and the songs fantastically add to the narration. Without a doubt, 'When Harry Met Sally' is one of the finest films of its genre and one of the very few that stood the test of time. Even today people vividly remember Meg Ryan's memorable orgasm scene. Not that that's the only great scene in the movie. There are too many to list but to mention a few that I liked include the scene where Harry and Sally date each other's best friend but things take an unexpected turn, the car-ride to New York, the scene where Sally for the first time opens up to Harry about herself...For some people the film raised a question whether men and woman can be platonic friends without having sex ruining it. I don't think it was the intention of the movie as it's only about these two characters who have very different viewpoints and when they meet the first time, there's a very strong attraction which stays throughout the end and Crystal and Ryan display that in a very subtle way. As the friendship grows stronger, so does the attraction because it's not just physical anymore. The more they know each other the more they're drawn towards one another and the love gets stronger. Thus, it's not about whether men and woman can have a successful platonic friendship but about two people who were always fond of each other, become friends and gradually realize their love. 'When Harry Met Sally' isn't only for those who like romantic comedies because it can absolutely be enjoyed as a hilarious comedy.

"When Harry Met Sally" may not at first seem to be the kind of film that remains classic and timeless. In this very cute exploration of an age-old question: "Can men and women truly just be friends?," Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan play the kind of characters we have come to love to see them play. No surprises there as they skillfully banter back and forth between adorable, hysterical and morose as the plot rolls on. But upon closer inspection, this film is actually full of nice surprises, including its durability. Watch carefully and you will find one of the best examples of the way an excellent script can propel the plot, character development and pacing of a film perfectly from start to finish. Many lines may seem to be merely entertaining one-liners, but they also serve these other purposes simultaneously. This is a well crafted and well acted script. Even the most dated aspect of the film, the intentional focus on clothing, hair and makeup styles as they change throughout the decades, has taken an unexpected poignancy now that the styles we may remember as current at the time have come to be old-fashioned themselves. The end result is that "When Harry Met Sally" speaks to us if we remember the times portrayed in the film or not. We're still asking questions about men and women and friendship, and films such as this still help us answer them.