You've Got Mail Review
by Tim Voon (stirling AT netlink DOT com DOT au)December 30th, 1998
YOU’VE GOT MAIL 1998
A film review by Timothy Voon
Copyright 1998 Timothy Voon
3 out of 4 for Meg at her very best
Starring: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Greg Kinnear, Parker Posey, Dave Chappelle, Jean Stapleton, Steve Zahn, Dabney Coleman. Screenplay: Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron.
Producers: Lauren Shuler Donner and Nora Ephron.
Director: Nora Ephron.
In the romantic, feel-good comedy of the year we once again have the successful pairing of Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. This movie belongs to Ryan, who is at her best - you won’t see her smile or gesture more, carrying with her an innate radiance that simply lights up the screen. She has truly reached her prime, a remarkable, natural comedienne of our time, who carries a unique, magical quality that will be remembered many years from now. With Nora and Delia Ephron combining to write a post-modern, romantic comedy that is well written, humorous and above all intelligent, this story will bring cheer to everyone during the holiday season.
The story is about love on the Internet and love in real life. Ryan and Hank’s characters are soul mates by Net (known only to each other by the pseudonyms ‘Shopgirl’ and ‘NY152’) and fierce competitors by day. The dilemma lies in the fact that they despise each other in real life – Hank’s owns a megasize, chain of bookstores that is killing Ryan’s self-run, children’s bookstore. The question posed to the viewer is whether you can end up loving someone that you started out hating. With frequent references to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, the answer is yes – the prejudiced Ms Bennet, does end up falling for the proud Mr Darcy. But the answer is not so simple in this movie – not only do we have computers, cyber-relationships and books to complicate the matter, it is the fine tuning of wit, humour and circumstance, intricately crafted by two sisters, that brings this difficult situation to a believable, well-timed, lyrical ending.
Timothy Voon
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