Review of Sleepless in Seattle (1993) by Ben L — 10 Apr 2012

Considered by many to be one of the best romantic comedies, I just find it lacking. It's odd because at one time I think I agreed with that opinion, but things have changed. Don't get me wrong, the story seems really sweet, and I can definitely understand the allure of a movie where a person can connect with a soulmate across the country. It's easy to get caught up in the romantic aspect of Tom Hanks' side of the story. Sympathizing with a widower is basically a foregone conclusion.

Of course Hanks and Ryan play very endearing characters. Amazingly Ryan almost manages to make her character sympathetic which is quite a feat. The supporting cast is stellar. Everyone of these minor characters seem to pile on the humor. While the stars are a bit lacking in the humor department because of the journey their characters are on, they often interact with some hilarious friends and relatives. This is the highlight of the film, and the reason I think it's still halfway decent.

There are 2 huge problems with this film, though. First of all it's a romance where the lovers have less than 5 minutes of shared screen time. They have an imagined romance that the audience must manufacture in their own heads because it never exists on screen. And the second issue is the fact that Ryan's character is essentially a sociopath. She writes a letter to a stranger from the radio, she hires a PI to track him down, she even stalks him while he plays with his kid. And let's not forget she does all this days before she's supposed to marry someone else. Sure in some imaginary Hollywood world this all may come across as romantic, but it doesn't translate into reality and that's why I don't love Sleepless in Seattle as much anymore.