You've Got Mail

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining Romantic Comedy-Lite
Review: You've Got Mail attempts to be a romantic comedy for the end of the 20th Century. Its device is the modern phenomenon of people's meeting over the Internet, but it basically follows a proven Hollywood formula that has been around for decades. In fact, this film is based on a little-known but superior love story called The Shop Around the Corner, made over fifty years ago.

Any picture with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan would be a money maker, because the public found them so perfectly matched a few years ago in Sleepless in Seattle, which itself owed a lot to another decades movie, An Affair to Remember.

While virtually all movie romances could happen only on screen, You've Got Mail is especially improbable. Kathleen [Ryan] and Joe [Tom Hanks] 'meet' in an AOL chat room. They begin exchanging E-mail, but never reveal much about their personal lives. Kathleen owns a children's book store on Manhattan's West Side. Joe and his family build book superstores. They are preparing to open one just a block from Kathleen's little operation.

When Joe and Kathleen meet at a party, they take an instant dislike to each other. Naturally, they do not know that they have become anonymously attracted to each other through the Internet. This is one of the oldest and most successful tricks in Hollywood's book. The audience becomes involved, because it knows a secret the characters do not.

What does not work here is Joe's character. We see that he uses his company to blithely put small independent stores, including Kathleen's, out of business. His father and his grandfather find this amusing, and Joe never shows any signs of disagreeing with them. Yet he becomes Mr. Nice and Mr. Wonderful by the end of the film, without there having been any scenes to truly justify this personality change. Perhaps love does conquer all, but I am not so sure I could fall for a person who wrecked my life, as Kathleen does. Writer and director Nora Ephron may have decided this, too. When the stars finally find out that they are the E-mail lovers, the sound track goes into "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." Gosh, folks, the song seems to say. It's only a movie.

You've Got Mail is impeccably filmed. Ryan and Hanks remain a great screen couple. They simply were not given that much to work with this time. Ironically, Nora Ephron write both Sleepless in Seattle and the even better movie While You Were Sleeping, which Ryan did with Billy Crystal. While You've Got Mail is a pleasant enough film, we would have expected more from such a creative team.

The supporting cast, especially Greg Kinnear and the remarkable comedienne, Posey Parker, is excellent. In certain scenes, their characters threaten to become more interesting than either Joe or Kathleen. Of particular note is the scene in which she is trapped in an elevator with Joe, the elevator operator, and a high society matron. She, Kinnear, Jean Stapleton and Dabney Coleman provide the humor that is oddly absent when Hanks and Ryan are on screen.

Rating:
Summary: Even better than Sleepless in Seattle
Review: I'm a big fan of the Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan movies. You've got mail is so awesome. It takes place in New York City (which is awesome) and the plot is really far-fetched, which is kinda cool.
It's so great how they're arch-rivals in real life, but crushing on each other on the computer. They don't know who each other is though, so that makes it even more hilarious. It's a very nice movie. =)

Rating:
Summary: Sweet, Cute and Romantic
Review: Starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, this comedy/love story is as capturing for the young at heart as for all the romantics. Inspiring tale of Kathleen Kelly (Ryan) and Joe Fox (Hanks) who both have a lot in common, including the book stores they each own and run in competition with. Not since Tom and Meg meat on "Sleepless in Seattle" this story will bring tears to your eyes and a feel for romance in New York.
Not to spoil the story line, but with a little hint, after seeing this movie it sure will make you feel wonderful about receiving e-mail, and hearing the little sound of... "You've got mail"...

Rating:
Summary: The Best! #1
Review: I have passed this movie up for years after it came out, then finally I watched it and it was way worth watching. I have watched it twice and I am not going to bother renting it again, I'll just buy it. It's #1

Rating:
Summary: Redundant romance
Review: There's something in the genre of New York City romance comedies that flashes all that is likely to happen in first few scenes. These films have emerged with excruciating regularity. The theme is universal - the clash of the wealthy and powerful with the small and weak. The weak always manage to triumph, usually by falling in love with their adversary. In this case, the only novelty to the theme is the introduction of the modern touch of the Internet. Hanks and Ryan are anonymous cyber-correspondents. Unknown to each other, they are both in the book selling trade - Hanks with a monster chain store, Ryan inheritor of a tiny children's bookstore. Reversing the roles might have generated greater interest and modernized the film. The plot is simply the erosion of the pair's mutual anonymity. And the film isn't "given away" by that revelation.

Tom Hanks, with his usual fine talent, strives admirably to lift the role from the mundane. The story's plot and the dialogue he's given to work with betray that endeavour. He's left with delivering his lines with his usual expressive skill, but the text is too weak to support his talents. Ryan, whose acting depth is on the order of the thickness of Scotch Tape [Reg'd TM], starts with a crumbling foundation on which little can be built. The downtrodden small shopkeeper image has been done too often, and Ryan hasn't the ability to add anything new to the role. Perhaps that's not possible after so many renditions.

The most fascinating aspect of this film is Hanks' image variations depending on whether he's with Ryan, alone or with someone else. With Ryan he seems to withdraw into a shell of subtlety, not because of his "growing love" but because he would outshine her too glaringly if he didn't. He certainly breaks the standard image of the blustering corporate executive when with Ryan, but we have no basis for understanding why he changes. Whether he managed to be subdued on his own initiative or because Ephron coached him to take this approach remains an unknown, but fascinating, question.

If you're an aficionado of urban romantic comedy, this film will definitely appeal. It provides a low-key fantasy into which the undiscerning may readily escape. The story builds gently, and even the early confrontations of the protagonists aren't harsh. Everybody's "civilized," even in their confrontations. Ryan fans will sympathize with her struggle to keep her bookstore intact. She's practiced the role of downtrodden woman so often, it's second nature with her now. Much of the supporting cast add fervour to an otherwise insipid story. Dabney Coleman is always welcome as a low level, usually corporate villainous figure. Greg Kennear also adds some sparkle. The real prize, as she often is, is Jean Stapleton. Watching her made me wish Ephron had given her the lead over Ryan. Stapleton would have given
feeling to an otherwise vapid presentation.

Rating:
Summary: A Love Story for Everyone
Review: If you laughed at "When Harry Met Sally," and cried at "Sleepless in Seattle," then "You've Got Mail" is a movie that you're going to love. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll fall in love with these quirky, witty, adorable characters.

Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan), a headstrong, set in her ways kind of gal, has a wonderfully normal life. She owns a successful bookstore (formally her mothers) and leads a sophisticated lifestyle. That is, until she turns on the computer, logs on, and waits for those three little words: "You've got mail." Finding a charming friend on the Internet makes her live out her day in anticipation for what 'NY152' has to say. Unfortunately, Kathleen's normal life turns into total chaos when a chain superstore threatens her job.

Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) is your typical cutthroat businessman. He's charming. He's witty. He's ruthless. He's out to make a buck and let no one stand in his way. Yet, behind all of his character flaws lies a man deeply intrigued by a sweet, funny 'Shopgirl'. With his mind on business and his heart on e-mail, Joe has to consider the repercussions to his actions in a colliding matter of business and love when he comes to discover 'Shopgirl's' true identity.

Falling in love has never been so sweet. Watching the way Kathleen and Joe go from mortal enemies to completely perfect for each other is an adventure that you will adore. I've seen this movie countless times and I never fail to laugh, and cry, at this engaging storyline. I may know the script word for word and expect a particular hand gesture here and silly stance there, but each time is a new adventure. If you crave a good comedy and are a sucker for romance, watch "You've Got Mail" and fall in love over and over again.

Rating:
Summary: A heartwarming story
Review: Actually I don't like romantic comedies because of the icing that covers them all but You've Got Mail is a sweet movie with great actors and a cute story. I remember I didn't watch it at the movies when it came out but I got a terrible cold in the fall of 1999 so I had to stay home and my bother rent me this one from the video store. I thought why on earth I would like to watch it but I was wrong - because in the end I liked it and watched it for another 2 times the next 5 days.

The story is a classic one: big fish eats little fish and little fish tries to survive but she can't. In the end little fish falls head-over-heels for big fish and they live happily everafter. What's new then? It's in the title: they know each other very well because they email each other every day but don't know that they're after each other until a certain point in the movie when everything goes crazy... that was fun.

The actors did a wonderful job. Everybody knows that the chemistry between Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan works well but this time it isn't such a straight line that leads to loving each other than in a previous movie (Sleepless In Seattle). Supporting cast is great, too. Greg Kinnear, Parker Posey and Dave Chapelle are on the same level as Hanks and Ryan.

The movie is a good one because you really don't know till the happy ending what will happen next (you know after all how it is going to end - in this genre happy ending is obligatory). Kudos to the screenplay writers, they did a great job, they managed to create some level of uncertainity so when the movie ends you have a pretty good feeling that the heroes found each other, after all the bad (and good) things. While this isn't the movie of the year it is worth watching anytime you feel down, you are ill, etc... it will cheer you up. And this is why we watch comedies.

Rating:
Summary: Give the Star to Hanks and Brinkley, his dog
Review: This is the third time go-round for THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER romance of a pen-pal relationship between two people who love each other via the written word and hate each other in real life. All the rest is silence. It's easy to be a mean critic and tough to be a kind one. I will say that Tom Hanks does not give a shallow performance, but how "nice" can these two clandestine Internet penpals be when they're sneaking in a little flirtation on the side while living with unknowing partners, both? Huh? Director Nora Ephron comes from a family of sceenwriters, and that's her niche, not directing. In this film, it is clear that she is limited to acting out what she wants her actors to do, rather than coaxing performances out of them. The camera shots are calculated, the reactions "dated" of all things, and what comes as most of a shock to me, Meg Ryan's body is dressed in very tight clothes, so that you notice how thin she is...almost too thin. So is Nora Ephron. So is the plot. It has to be handled with sensitivity. James Stewart had the Tom Hanks part in the old movie version and Margaret Sullivan the Meg Ryan role. They were older and looking for love. This couple is looking for something, but love isn't the end and the beginning for them. It's nice that they reconcile at the end, but it's all so predictable, and there's so little at stake, that who cares? I didn't, and I love the story. Two people who are hopeless romantics, in the original story, are turned into two cheaters who are flirting on the Internet and everything just meshes for them at the end. Even the dog rolls its eyes. Skip it, please. Brinkley, the dog, says it all: woof, woof. It's a dog of a film.

Rating:
Summary: Very entertaining
Review: I love this movie so much because it's got the whole gang from one of my favorite movies "Sleepless in Seattle" together again. If you throw in Nora and Delia Ephron, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan you just can't go wrong.Greg Kinear is excellent as Frank Navaski and he made me laugh out loud. I love Parker Posey's character, as Joe says "Patricia make *coffee* nervous" The end was thorougly satisfying and I couldn't help totally falling in love with Joe Fox!

Rating:
Summary: The best love story I have ever seen!
Review: Good, clean and wholesome, that's what I like about this movie. My children love it too. I must have seen this movie dozens of times and still can't get enough of it.
If you love Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, New York City and a good love story, it just doesn't get better than this!