Why I love When Harry Met Sally

I simply adore this film and am feeling somewhat sentimental so wanted to urge anyone and everyone to sit down and reacqaint themselves with the couple of the eighties. NO, not Madonna and Sean Penn. And no, certainly not Charles and Di. I refer to the thirtysomething New Yorkers known to us all as Harry and Sally. A sort of mainstream Woody Allen movie penned by Nora Ephron, in my opinion When Harry Met Sally paved the way for the likes of Sex and the City, being as it is sharp and witty, yet still fluffy and hopeful that love will prevail. Oh - and there's that striking New York backdrop.

Don't be put off by the eighties look of the DVD cover, the profusion of shoulder pads or indeed Meg Ryan's involvement (in case you haven't seen that cafe scene, she plays the titular Sally). She's actually really good in this movie about the dynamics of relationships and the difference between men and women. She's annoying, neurotic, and basically all the things men accuse us women of being, yet still appealing and surprisingly funny; her co-star Billy Crystal is also great as the commitment-phobic Harry, being the kind of man you could strangle but still want to love. In short, their characters are as flawed as its possible to be in a romantic comedy yet still charm us - we spend the movie rooting for the pair to realise they should be together. And in the tradition of all romantic comedies, I'm spoiling nothing by telling you that they do get together in the end, overcoming all sorts of obstacles (mainly of their own making) along the way.

Calling this a rom com pains me as it conjours up failed (I'm thinking beige, don't ask me to explain) forays into the genre by the likes of J-Lo, Kate Hudson and Jennifer Aniston. This is a superior movie on any level and will appeal to fans of Bridget Jones and Manhattan alike. It fuses wish fulfilment and realism nicely, and is bloody funny - and clever - into the bargain. In a very mainstream and watchable way it seems to get to the core of friendship (check out the dialogue between Sally and Carrie Fisher's brilliant turn as her best friend Marie - it could be straight from Sex and the City), modern life and of course, love without being OTT. There are some corking one liners too - mainly from Harry. 

I've watched my video so much it's starting to look green when I watch it. I really must upgrade it to DVD ... The clincher for me is one of Harry's final lines to the 'high maintenance' Sally. If this doesn't make your heart melt by the time the credits roll, I don't know what will:

'I love that you get cold when it's 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you're looking at me like I'm nuts. I love that after I spend the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it's not because I'm lonely, and it's not because it's New Year's Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.'

Aaah.

Comments

[Lindsey]

It's a gorgeous speech huh?

I have to say, I am nothing if not a 'high maintenance' Sally ...!

[Sarah]

Yes! This film rocks. I so often think of things that Harry says in this film, including the little speech you picked out, which I adore! It's probably a little odd that I identify more with Harry than Sally, but still...