Review of Sleepless in Seattle (1993) by Anton B — 16 Nov 2009

What an empty movie. This isn't love; this isn't romance. This is garbage. This is what Hollywood sells women: there is one special person out there for only you. Never settle for anything less. If you don't have that "magic feeling" it isn't meant to be. While you're looking for the Perfect Man be sure to buy plenty of makeup, soft drinks, airplane tickets, wine/champagne and other necessities.

In one scene, Hanks starts to give his son a little talking to about relationships taking time. This is after his son has acted like a complete prick towards the woman his father has started seeing. Just as Hanks begins to talk about the need to get to know someone, Ryan steps off her airplane and Hanks stops talking to gawk at her. This is how we know they are experiencing "true love" (never mind that Ryan's character stalks Hanks more than Ben Braddock followed Elaine in The Graduate).

There is a mildly amusing-while-at-the-same-time-inane moment where Hanks and Victor Garber overact outrageously and cry over the hopelessly overrated The Dirty Dozen, but that was improvised so Ephron and her co-writers get no credit for that. Pullman has some fun with his bit part, but its really a nothing role and don't bother watching the film just because you're a die-hard Pullman fan like myself. Rosie O'Donnell startled me at first, but I suppose this was before she sold her soul to the devil because I didn't loath her performance with every fiber of by being. Hanks and Ryan pulled off this schmaltzy romantic crap in You've Got Mail five years later, but Sleepless In Seattle isn't believable, cute or romantic in any way.