Review of Sleepless in Seattle (1993) by Palash D — 18 Aug 2014

It's a shame this droops down into the slums of a typical romantic comedy formula somewhere in the second act, because up to that point it had been a surprisingly delicate, open-hearted perspective on the mourning process.

Tom Hanks, who effectively flexes his solemn-face muscles for most of the picture, is the titular "Sleepless," a widower who doesn't believe in love after loss and can't close his eyes without getting tangled in painful memories.

When his son convinces him to sit in on a call to a self-help radio program, he gains fame among the desperate middle-aged set. Mixed in among that pack is a not-quite-ready-to-be-married Meg Ryan, who obsesses over him to a worrying degree.

It would be curious to see this play out with the roles reversed today - would it be dubbed a timeless romance or a dark dose of suspense? I was on the hook for that first act, but when the tone shifted to allow for more punchlines it lost its way and bucked me into the dirt.

Mildly funny soap opera material for the most part, it's disappointing Hanks and Ryan didn't have a chance to revisit the chemistry they'd sparked in Joe Versus the Volcano - they only share the screen for a few moments.