Sleepless In Seattle Reviews

Nora Ephron, the writer of When Harry Met Sally..., comes up trumps again as co-writer and director of this gloriously old-fashioned and unashamedly manipulative romantic comedy. Tom Hanks, recently widowed, moves to a new home in Seattle where he just grieves and grieves. His young son, concerned over his dad's state of mind, calls a radio phone-in and when Hanks himself goes on air, he pours his heart out. That's storyline one. Storyline two features Meg Ryan, a Baltimore journalist who hears the broadcast, recognises a kindred lonely heart and starts tracking Hanks down. Hanks's son, played by Ross Malinger, becomes their matchmaker, while the Cary Grant/Deborah Kerr weepie of 1957, An Affair to Remember, is always on TV and serves as a touchstone, providing the inspiration for the movie's climax at the top of the Empire State Building. For nearly two hours, Ephron keeps her marvellous stars apart, a potentially dangerous tactic that works superbly. In the summer of Jurassic Park, Sleepless in Seattle proved to be a box-office smash; the team subsequently reunited for You've Got Mail in 1998.

"...Charming SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE manages to be dateless - as in timeless - as it pays homage to date movies of yore..." -- 3 out of 4 stars

"...[The film] delivers ample warmth and some explosively funny moments....There are some extremely amusing explorations of dating mores..."

Nora Ephron, the writer of When Harry Met Sally..., comes up trumps again as co-writer and director of this gloriously old-fashioned and unashamedly manipulative romantic comedy. Tom Hanks, recently widowed, moves to a new home in Seattle where he just grieves and grieves. His young son, concerned over his dad's state of mind, calls a radio phone-in and when Hanks himself goes on air, he pours his heart out. That's storyline one. Storyline two features Meg Ryan, a Baltimore journalist who hears the broadcast, recognises a kindred lonely heart and starts tracking Hanks down. Hanks's son, played by Ross Malinger, becomes their matchmaker, while the Cary Grant/Deborah Kerr weepie of 1957, An Affair to Remember, is always on TV and serves as a touchstone, providing the inspiration for the movie's climax at the top of the Empire State Building. For nearly two hours, Ephron keeps her marvellous stars apart, a potentially dangerous tactic that works superbly. In the summer of Jurassic Park, Sleepless in Seattle proved to be a box-office smash; the team subsequently reunited for You've Got Mail in 1998.

"...Charming SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE manages to be dateless - as in timeless - as it pays homage to date movies of yore..." -- 3 out of 4 stars

"...[The film] delivers ample warmth and some explosively funny moments....There are some extremely amusing explorations of dating mores..."

A comedy for the AIDS era, Ephron's movie puts a continent between the lovebirds. Sex doesn't come much safer than... read more on Time Out

"...A feather-light romantic comedy....[Hanks and Ryan] are terrifically attractive..."

Enjoyable romantic comedy, although its overall tone is excessively sweet.