Guest Author - Caitlin D Neely
You’ve Got Mail (director and screenwriter Nora Ephron) is a classic 90s romantic comedy. But it’s a lot more than just a romantic comedy. It really stands out amongst the rest.
Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) and Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) meet anonymously over the internet in a chat room. They began to email one another back and forth. Kelly owns a small children’s bookstore while Joe Fox belongs to the Fox family who own a chain of mega bookstores. They meet in real life and immediately dislike each other. But they continue their relationship online all while neither of them knows that the person they’re emailing is their sworn enemy in real life.
You can’t beat Ryan and Hanks together. They were great in Sleepless in Seattle and it’s true once again in this movie. They have amazing chemistry. I was rooting for them the entire time, of course. I don’t know how anyone could not want them to get together in the end. Even though we all know it’s coming it’s still sweet and satisfying.
I was pleasantly surprised when Parker Posey and Greg Kinnear popped up. I adore both of them. They’ve both got great comedic and acting chops. I’m very glad that they were dating the leads. I got to see more of them than just a small cameo!
Unlike some romantic comedies, You’ve Got Mail has a very believable storyline. It’s apparent that the screenwriter (none other than Nora Ephron) carefully crafted a genuine plot. She didn’t play to typical characters but instead made them unique. Kathleen Kelly certainly isn’t a damsel in distress and is very headstrong. Likewise Joe is not a jerk like everyone makes him out to be. He has his bad moments but so does Kelly. He’s actually a pretty big sweetheart.
The combination of a great cast, storyline and humor is what makes this film unlike your average romantic comedy. It’s a lot more multi-dimensional and isn’t afraid to go outside the boundaries that romantic comedies are sometimes placed in. What a breath of fresh air You‘ve Got Mail is!
