Movie One Hundred Fifty Two
When Harry Met Sally chronicles the relationship between two people that meet in college and bump into each other for over the next 10 years.
In 1977 Sally (Meg Ryan) travels to New York after graduating from the University of Chicago and rides with her best friend’s boyfriend, Harry (Billy Crystal). Over the course of the long ride, the two talk and find their personalities clash heavily after Harry mentions that men and women cannot be friends due to the attraction. Sally drops Harry off. Five years later at an airport, they randomly run into each other again when Sally is dating a colleague of Harry’s and Harry is happily married. After another five year span, the two are newly single and meet again in a bookstore and decide to try becoming friends, despite Harry’s rule about men and women having friendships.
When writer Nora Ephron passed away recently I was, of course, familiar with her work but could not say I had seen much of it. When my wife realized this she made me watch When Harry Met Sally as soon as possible. While I had an idea of what I was in store for, I was left very pleasantly surprised. Normally, romantic comedies cause my brain to shut off after repeated eye-rolling but When Harry Met Sally is legitimately funny and believable. Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal have fantastic onscreen chemistry as well.
The famous “I’ll have what she’s having” scene from When Harry Met Sally in the diner is widely recognized. In fact, that’s really the only specific part of the film I knew about. There are many small parts, mostly lines of Crystal’s that make the film deep, though. Part of that depth I will attribute to director, Rob Reiner, but the bulk of the proper dues belong to Ephron, who was truly a talented writer.
A common pitfall I’ve noticed with rom-coms are their adherence to the times and places they occur in. When Harry Met Sally doesn’t quite fall into this trap, other than the fashion, but it comes close. I do fear that in another 20+ years the film may not have the fine edge it has now, but that’s all the more reason to see When Harry Met Sally sooner, rather than later.
I give it 4 I kind of liked the coffee tables out of 5.
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Did you know that the woman who said “I’ll have what she’s having.” was Rob Reiner’s mother?
Ha, Rachel told me as we were watching. It’s a good piece of trivia, though!
Love, love, loveee this movie!!
Definitely one of my faves from Nora Ephron, her dialog is just wonderful.
There are few movies I adore more.
Bruno Kirby is great. The dialogue is as sharp as anything.
It’s rare when a movie has such smart dialogue without sounding like the writer knows how smart the dialogue is. It’s a complaint I normally have with Tarantino’s films, but Ephron nails it.
oh, i’m done with tarantino. now he’s just all about shock value and what he can get away with. when harry met sally is the reason my favorite christmas song is tony bennett’s “winter wonderland.” because of the scene when sally is trying to get the tree up to her place by herself, dragging it through the snow.
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Just saw this for the first time. Loved it.
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I saw this for the first time in high school (2003, 2004ish) and it cemented hope that modern romantic comedies can be great. I’m planning on revisiting it very soon.
This one took me by surprise because not only did it bring up a lot of great and valid points about relationships and people, but it also gave me a lot to care for with these two characters. Very funny and insightful pic. Good review Andy. Nora Ephron will surely be missed.
Thanks, Dan – Indeed she will
Two reviews this week on blogs I follow from a movie that is well over twenty years old. That kind of says a lot about how great it is. People are still seeing it and watching it even after all these years. I wish more rom coms could be this good instead of just insulting my intelligence. Great review.
Nice post. Ephron was a very talented writer and it definitely shows here. She’ll be missed.