Review of When Harry Met Sally... (1989) by Caio C — 02 Jul 2011

Harry's a pig who treats women like dirt; Sally's irritatingly pious. While Harry bounces about acting the comedian to entertain Sally, it's unclear why he likes her. They of course are very different people with different views on how you should live your life, their only connection seems to be through broken hearts, and the possibility that Harry is a lot more fragile and sentimental than he lets on. But the main point of the film is that Harry says, right at the start, men and women can't be friends because sex gets in the way. Sally disputes this. Ninety minutes later, turns out she's wrong. How's that an interesting story?

A rom-com set over ten years, this gimmick is actually a bit pointless, as what does it truly matter if Sally didn't like Harry when he was younger? He's still a jerk when he's older, but now he has emotional baggage, but that doesn't stop her ignoring everything she knows about him when it comes to the final turning point.

Harry and Sally have little chemistry (both Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan appear to be extremely uncomfortable, Crystal with the rom, Ryan with the com) and the will they/won't they plot seems only there because it's a rom-com, not from any discernible progression in plot or character. Why Harry completely changes his mind/feelings at the end isn't at all on screen.

Give it a go if you love rom-coms, because it is occasionally worth a laugh or a tear and you'll be happy to see the couple get together even if there is no reason for it. Otherwise, there's nothing here.