SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE
A film review by Keith Meng-Wei Loh
Copyright 1993 Keith Meng-Wei Loh
SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE is every bit the equal of WHEN HARRY MET SALLY, the movie to which most reviewers will be making their comparisons what with Nora Ephron (writer and director), the gorgeous and funny Meg Ryan, the beaming-smile romance, kismet, dialogue to die for, acting in every corner as precious as diamonds in a large jewelry store and even a bit part with Rob Reiner thrown in.
This is a movie which will make you smile for an hour after it is finished. I've been very lucky going to the movies recently, running into a quite a few very magical, very good looking films like MAP OF THE HUMAN HEART and LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE. SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE is a capper to what has been a very good spring-summer.
Two stellar performances from Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks are jewels amid the many funny characters inhabiting SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE. Meg Ryan is a comedic actress of the first rank, perhaps of the only rank. She's designed for everyone to fall in love with. Tom Hanks, thankfully, has lost many of his kidstuff mannerisms and puts forward a mature and thoughtful performance as a widower who thinks he can never find love again. There is one scene, however, in which Hanks' comedic skills really blows the audience over.
The real star is the writing. Nora Ephron is a genius. The dialogue is fast and witty and every bit as intelligent as in WHEN HARRY MET SALLY. The story is mature without losing its essential magic, in that two people from opposite sides of America can find each other through a radio show. When I brought up MAP OF THE HUMAN HEART and LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE I meant to compare their themes of love and magic and happenstance. SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE is full of the same romantic fantasy but in a way that makes the me feel that the same thing could happen to me.
SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE is beautifully shot, as well. Three cities are photographed like post cards: Baltimore, New York and Seattle each have an atmosphere that comes through the screen. And have I ever seen a lingering look, a look of grief as powerful as this? Simply, not that I can remember.
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