When Harry Met Sally is a Woody Allen-ish film from director Rob Reiner. What sets it apart from the typical romantic comedy is that rather than being the story of how two people fell in love, it is more about how these two people did not fall in love. It is a realistic look at an important question that plagues men to this day; can men and women really just be friends? The characters, who are all grounded, don’t find themselves in outlandish situations, there are no crazy relatives, and most of all, the comedy is not generated from slapstick. Instead, the comedy comes from witty observations and tongue-in-cheek situations. There is more than just comedy too. There is a heart to this film. A heart that, while creating a depressing tone throughout, makes the messages and final outcome of the story even more impacting to the viewer. It is a perfectly bittersweet movie.
Synposis: Harry meets Sally after graduating from college. Both have differing views about relationships, and they start their post-graduate lives apart due to this disagreement between them. The film then progresses through time, where they meet again, but in different stages of relationships with other people. Consistent is the underlying fact that neither of them want to readjust their views on relationships. Finally, after both of them experience heartbreak with other people, they do decide to be friends. Unfortunately, after a lifetime of knowing each other, just being friends does not seem like enough. To make it worse, the years they spent apart in disagreement over this very idea makes the prospect of being in a relationship even more complicated…
Acting: Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal are perfect for these roles. Harry is a bit of a smart ass, but Crystal finds a way to make the character likable. Sally is also headstrong and stubborn, but in a different way. Meg Ryan makes the character smart and lively. Supporting the main duo are Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby, who do an admirable job of making otherwise ordinary people interesting. The rest of the cast is also solid. Good (24/25)
- Billy Crystal: Great
- Meg Ryan: Great
- Carrie Fisher: Good
- Bruno Kirby: Good
- Supporting cast: Good
Script/Plot: The plot is fairly straight forward and despite the manner in which it skips forward through time, is easy to follow. I credit the way the dialogue is used to close up any loose ends before the movie moves forward. This means, that rather than everything building up to the end, each time the story pauses in a particular time frame it creates a structured segment, like scenes in a play. These segments are useful as glimpses into the state of the relationship between Harry and Sally, such that over time the viewer can see for themselves how the relationship grows and changes. It is a unique and clever manner to show the passage of time that keeps the audience on their toes because the movie never really finds a lull to rest in. Good (23/25)
- Dialogue: Great
- Script: Good
- Plot: Good
- Themes/Messages: Good
Direction: Rob Reiner isn’t known as a directing juggernaut, his focus is more on the story. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t do a good job. Everything is straight forward and easy to follow; no uncomfortable close ups, no dizzying back-and-forth dialogue exchanges, and nothing seems forced. I think the correct description would be relaxed. The movie feels natural and because of that it is easier for the audience to connect. Good (21/25)
- Professionalism: Good
- Flow: Good
- Editing: Good
X-Factor/Miscellaneous: As the story progresses through time, so does the scenery and environment around the characters. It is done very seamlessly and professionally, and helps to show that the struggles of the characters are timeless. The film does feel dated though, and even if it is one of the best romantic comedies ever made, it is does not really try to make any waves. Still, it remains an enjoyable experience to the viewer even if is a bit manipulative with regards to the script and muted in terms of its style. Good (20/25)
- Scenery/Effects: Good
- Music: Okay
- X-Factor: Okay
The Verdict: (88/100) = B+ (highly recommended)
- What’s Good: Here’s a movie that is entertaining and heartwarming to watch simply because all the elements involved feel natural; a charismatic cast, easy-going direction, meaningful dialogue, and a straight-forward plot.
- What’s Bad: The film pretty much feels like a Woody Allen film that you’ve seen before.
- Summary: Ordinary has never been done this well before (except by Woody Allen).
My previous review: Rated: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)
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