"So Let it Be Written... So Let it Be Done"

The life and times of a real, down to earth, nice guy. A relocated New Englander formerly living somewhere north of Boston, but now soaking up the bright sun of southwestern Florida (aka The Gulf Coast) for over nine years. Welcome to my blog world. Please leave it as clean as it was before you came. Thanks for visiting, BTW please leave a relevant comment so I know you were here. No blog spam, please. (c) MMV-MMXIX Court Jester Productions & Bamford Communications

Saturday, February 14, 2009

SNMR 6.6: "When Harry Met Sally"

In honor of Valentine's Day and hopeful romantics everywhere (like me), tonight's SNMR feature is "When Harry Met Sally" (1989, R, 96 minutes), starring Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby. The film was directed by Rob Reiner.

PLOT SUMMARY: Harry Burns (Crystal) and Sally Albright (Ryan) drive together from Chicago to New York upon graduating from College in 1977. Over the next twelve years, chance meetings and an eventual friendship turn into something more.

MY OPINION: Oh, please don't even tell me I ruined the ending for you with my brief little synopsis up there. Hard to believe that this movie was released 20 years ago this July. Also hard to believe that this movie was only nominated for one Academy Award (1990, Best Original Screenplay). Consider that this film has become the standard for Romantic Comedies, the film that all other Romantic Comedies since, have been or will be compared. I even went to the theater this week and watched a movie (likely to be reviewed at some point by me in this space) that had shades of this movie in it.

The acting is top-notch and so is the screenplay; with so many quotable lines (and you know you know them, too.) Crystal is at his comic best and Ryan plays the perfect straight foil counterpart. Even Carrie Fisher (forever seen by me as Princess Leia Organa, no matter what film she's in) and the late Bruno Kirby are great as the best friends.

The music soundtrack, arranged by Mark Shaiman and songs performed by Harry Connick, Jr., adds depth to the film. This movie vaulted Ryan to super stardom and helped cement Rob Reiner as one of the best directors of this or any era.

I've seen this movie dozens of times over the years and it is still an enjoyable experience. Timeless, powerful films will do that for you.

***** out of *****

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