Sleepless in Seattle (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
In the mood for a sappy, sentimental, yet oddly intelligent & intuitive romantic comedy, then take a seat for 'Sleepless in Seattle', directed by Nora Ephron. To escape the sadness of having lost his wife 18 months ago, Sam Baldwin (Tom Hanks) relocates - with his 8 yr. old Jonah (Ross Malinger) - from Chicago to Seattle. Jonah misses his mom terribly. Moreover, he sees that his dad is both lonely & suffering from grief-induced insomnia. So, on Christmas Eve, Jonah calls a radio talk-show psychologist & asks her for help. He 'wants' his dad to date again; to cheer him up & bring some order back into their lives. Forced onto the telephone by his son & identified as 'Sleepless in Seattle', Sam reluctantly opens up & chats about his beloved deceased wife; and all that made her special.
All the way across the country (in Baltimore), Annie Reed (Meg Ryan) is listening to the radio program, & Sam's tribute of love brings her to tears. Even though she's betrothed to Walter (Bill Pullman), Annie starts to wonder what it would be like to meet/know Sam -- maybe she could be the one for him. A hopeless romantic, she often dreams about a love life like the one in 1957's An Affair to Remember. And so, she then becomes one of many to write him a letter of care & concern. Jonah likes the tone of her letter (which was actually sent by Annie's friend after she got cold feet), & a meet-up atop the Empire State Building seems destined. On the flip side, old-fashioned Sam wants to meet a woman the traditional way; & spots a great looking woman (to pursue) at the airport. So, though circumstances dictate that Sam & Annie definitely meet, the question remains if either of them will be brave enough to follow through.
There are no surprises in 'Sleepless in Seattle'. But we're not really looking for any. The film has been concocted in such a streamlined, manipulative manner that it lulls us; makes us just sit back, relax, & enjoy the corny cuteness on display. 'SiS' is one of the most charming, non-cynical romantic comedies to have come along in quite a long time. And I bought it hook, line, & sinker. The concept of destiny is an important one in 'Sleepless in Seattle'. Early on, Annie dismisses the idea of supernatural signs. But by the end of the film, she becomes a firm believer of fate & destiny (because of what occurs); albeit by sheer coincidence (one of the film's faults. The other being superfluous - sometimes aggravating - side characters).
Where you can't find any fault is with the well-defined lead performances. Are they Oscar-caliber? Not quite. But they're still fantastic. Tom Hanks, known for his energy, brings it down a few notches & really wows with his heartfelt portrayal. Meg Ryan is stellar. We need to care about Sam & Annie by the end of this film. We do. We like Annie a lot. Therefore, Ryan nails it. And I also liked Rosie O'Donnell as Annie's office pal. The reason(s) the film works for me is simple. I loved the characters, the actors playing them, their sweetness, their wit; I loved Sven Nykvist's cinematography, the mood, the warmth, the humor, & even the pre-destined conclusion. This 1993 movie worked me over like the pseudo-realistic, throwback 1950's film romances of old. So sue me.
All the way across the country (in Baltimore), Annie Reed (Meg Ryan) is listening to the radio program, & Sam's tribute of love brings her to tears. Even though she's betrothed to Walter (Bill Pullman), Annie starts to wonder what it would be like to meet/know Sam -- maybe she could be the one for him. A hopeless romantic, she often dreams about a love life like the one in 1957's An Affair to Remember. And so, she then becomes one of many to write him a letter of care & concern. Jonah likes the tone of her letter (which was actually sent by Annie's friend after she got cold feet), & a meet-up atop the Empire State Building seems destined. On the flip side, old-fashioned Sam wants to meet a woman the traditional way; & spots a great looking woman (to pursue) at the airport. So, though circumstances dictate that Sam & Annie definitely meet, the question remains if either of them will be brave enough to follow through.
There are no surprises in 'Sleepless in Seattle'. But we're not really looking for any. The film has been concocted in such a streamlined, manipulative manner that it lulls us; makes us just sit back, relax, & enjoy the corny cuteness on display. 'SiS' is one of the most charming, non-cynical romantic comedies to have come along in quite a long time. And I bought it hook, line, & sinker. The concept of destiny is an important one in 'Sleepless in Seattle'. Early on, Annie dismisses the idea of supernatural signs. But by the end of the film, she becomes a firm believer of fate & destiny (because of what occurs); albeit by sheer coincidence (one of the film's faults. The other being superfluous - sometimes aggravating - side characters).
Where you can't find any fault is with the well-defined lead performances. Are they Oscar-caliber? Not quite. But they're still fantastic. Tom Hanks, known for his energy, brings it down a few notches & really wows with his heartfelt portrayal. Meg Ryan is stellar. We need to care about Sam & Annie by the end of this film. We do. We like Annie a lot. Therefore, Ryan nails it. And I also liked Rosie O'Donnell as Annie's office pal. The reason(s) the film works for me is simple. I loved the characters, the actors playing them, their sweetness, their wit; I loved Sven Nykvist's cinematography, the mood, the warmth, the humor, & even the pre-destined conclusion. This 1993 movie worked me over like the pseudo-realistic, throwback 1950's film romances of old. So sue me.