Sleepless in Seattle (10th Anniversary Edition) Reviews

• Christmas Magic

  
  By A281NPSIMI1C2R on 2001-11-24
  Some people have songs, my husband and I have a movie. We not only met in Seattle, my husband lived next to Lake Union, very close to where this movie was made. He actually saw them filming scenes from the movie.
  
  You could say the roles were a bit reversed, being I was the one getting over a relationship and he was not really looking at the time. Having lived in Seattle for many years, I especially enjoyed seeing scenes from Pike Place Market and West Seattle.
  
  Rosie O'Donnell adds to the wit with lines like: "You want to be in love in a movie." Tom Hanks gives a sensitive performance as Sam who lost the love of his life. He and his son Jonah, live on Lake Union. Annie (Meg Ryan) is caught up with plans for her wedding. She is engaged and not looking for love. Yet, as it so often happens, love does appear when you are not looking.
  
  One night Annie hears a radio show where Jonah has called in to ask how his father could find a new wife. The radio host invites Sam to reveal his heart and Annie literally cries when he says how his wife used to make everything in his life beautiful. She makes a connection and starts fantasizing about a man she has never met.
  
  The songs are masterfully woven into the story and provides a feeling of old fashioned romance, where destiny draws two lovers to one another. There is also a sense of family and how everyone has needs and desires. Jonah especially wants a mother. Annie and Sam don't really know what they want, but they do get what they need. I found that very true to life.
  
  Wit, chemistry, laugh-out-loud humor and romance, romance, romance! Worth watching at least once a year during the holiday season!
  
  Dreamy!
  
  ~The Rebecca Review
  
  

• Sleepless in Seattle

  
  By A1OGPR0AKZ4K7D on 2008-03-26
  This is a wonderful timeless romantic drama. Annie Reed is heading to see her family on Christmas Eve and is listening to a radio call in show. One of the callers is eight year old Jonah who tells the audience that his dad needs a new wife. After it comes out that Jonah's mom died, and dad Sam is put on the spot to talk to the radio shrink on air, women all over the country fall in love with this man that loved his deceased wife so passionately. Annie is determined to meet Sam because she feels a strong pull toward Sam and Jonah. When they meet, destiny is forged. This well acted film starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan closely follows another beloved classic An Affair to Remember. There are some funny moments, but it is the drama that captures the audience. It reiterates the old saying that love conquers all.
  
  
  

• Sleepless in Seattle

  
  By A138ITYD3G9KSK on 2006-07-28
  The synopsis ...
  Sam and Jonah Baldwin, father and son, have lost the most important woman in their lives to cancer. Seeking to escape from the painful memories that lurk in every nook and cranny of Chicago, they move to Seattle. Eighteen months later, Jonah can sense that his dad is still sad; and, in desperation calls a nationally syndicated radio self-help guru on Christmas Eve to wish for his father a new wife. Annie Reed lives in Baltimore and is engaged to Walter. Their relationship, while loving and comfortable, is entirely devoid of romantic sparks. When Annie hears Jonah's soulful plea on the radio, it's as if her heart has been touched by "magic" and she is determined to find out why she feels so powerfully drawn to Sam and his son ... even if it means traveling across "like 26 states".
  
  The critique ...
  Sleepless in Seattle is a brilliantly simple film; that's what makes it so great. To quote Nora Ephron, "It isn't a movie about love, it's a movie about love in the movies." To emphasize this point, she incorporates various parallel references to "An Affair to Remember" throughout the film; but, Sleepless is also a movie about our genuine romantic fantasies and sentimental ideals about falling in love (which, let's admit it, have been undeniably shaped by what we've seen on the silver screen). The script is refreshingly candid, yet endearing and Nora Ephron's direction is impeccable. Ross Malinger, cast as Jonah Baldwin, is the youngest and most notable talent in the film. He does an excellent job of portraying THE quintessential eight-year-old; he's impulsive, moody and thinks he knows it all. (I speak from experience here folks; I currently have a son that age.) He and Tom Hanks come together flawlessly as father and son; so successfully in fact, that they would be utterly convincing off screen. The chemistry between Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks is equally amazing, which is no small achievement considering the fact that they rarely appear together in a scene. The supporting cast is brimming with talent and includes Rosie O'Donnell, Bill Pullman, Rita Wilson, Rob Reiner, David Hyde Pierce, and a young Gaby Hoffmann. Families with younger children will appreciate the film's integrity; there is very little foul language ("God damn it" and " ... it scared the shit out of me ..." being the worst of it) and no "sexual content" to be wary of. All around, this is a winning film. One that I find myself watching over and over and over again.
  
  The DVD ...
  For a 10th Anniversary Edition, the special features are few and rather disappointing. You've got your basic director commentary, a music video ("When I Fall in Love" by Celine Dion & Clive Griffin), and a "Love in the Movies" Featurette. This last piece is approximately 15 minutes long. It features the director, producers, actors and the hosts of Loveline: Drew Pinsky and Adam Carolla (why they are included, I don't know) talking about "Love in the Movies." There are some interesting interview segments with an Empire State Building Historian and some very beautiful shots of the New York skyline before 9/11; but there's certainly nothing here to write home about. By far, the most exciting feature is that you can choose your aspect ratio. (And honestly, how exciting is that?) This a DVD that you buy for the film alone.
  
  
  

• More charcter study than romance

  
  By A243HY69GIAHFI on 2000-08-08
  Clearly the inferior of the two Nora Ephron romantic comedies starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE is nonetheless a fun ride. Doing what she would do with greater aplomb in YOU'VE GOT MAIL, Ephron takes cues from past romantic comedies and updates them for the Information Age.

  It works not so much because of the innovation of the romance itself, but because of how the characters are drawn. Credit is richly due to Ephron and Hanks for creating a character so compellingly monogamous that even death doesn't quite part Hanks from his wife. It makes his ultimate meeting with Ryan seem at least as much deserved reward as movie inevitability.

  There are enjoyable supporting characters here-Ross Malinger being the obvious standout. As Hanks' Cupidian son, Malinger is particularly effective. He's at least as much responsible for our understanding of Hanks' character as Hanks himself. It's a shame we've not seen much of him since this movie.

  Still, despite fine writing and compelling characters, SLEEPLESS doesn't quite rise to the heights of its ancestor, AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER. Perhaps it's because Ryan and Hanks don't meet until the last minute of the movie. Or maybe it's because there's no clever subterfuge which accompanies most great romances. Or possibly it's because it's not really about romance so much as changing one's life by taking a risk. Whatever the case, SLEEPLESS was a disappointment after Ryan's masterwork WHEN HARRY MET SALLY and a warmup for the much better FRENCH KISS and YOU'VE GOT MAIL.

  Having said this, the Collector's Edition DVD is well worth buying. Great additional features include a fine director's commentary and a survey of Love in the Movies, given by LOVELINE co-hosts Dr. Drew and Adam Corolla.
  
  

• Better get the older version

  
  By A1ACSZWF69L411 on 2004-07-23
  Comparing tyhis edition, to the older one, I see very little difference, other than a gift certificate: They pretty much just changed the box design. If you know you will be spending $10 at Starbucks within a few months of this DVD's release, then perhaps you might want to buy it; otherwise, it is far cheaper to get the "collector's edition", which has all of the same big features as this one. You can find it pretty cheaply on Amazon still, and it is pretty common to find it in the low-priced selections of a lot of other stores as well.
  
  
• Great Film, But Missing one of the Best Scenes
  By A3SHYX30AT8VHG on 2004-12-25
  Sleepless in Seattle is among my favorite movies, and I was looking forward to seeing the ENTIRE film. Unfortunately, I discovered that this edition is missing at least one significant (and in my opinion, very funny) scene: The part where Annie, having received a phone call from her friend Becky telling her that Sleepless in Seattle was on the radio again, ends up hiding in the broom closet so that she can listen without Walter finding out. I have no idea why it was cut from the DVD edition, and wish I had known before purchasing.
  
  
• Sleepless in Seattle: Special Edition DVD is great!
  By A2FRKEXDXDN1KI on 2000-05-28
  I have been a fan of Ephron's work and also of movies such as "When Harry Met Sally"...love stories. I'm not sure how many times I have seen this movie but I love it.

  The thing is I own the VHS copy and when the first DVD came out, "Widescreen Edition", I was disappointed. The reason is because it was just the movie and it was widescreen, that's it?

  Well, not too long ago, they released a second DVD. The "Special Edition". Now, I'm happy because it's widescreen and it has quite a few extras but it wasn't in digital 5.1. I know this is a dialogue movie but I watched many dialogue movies that still use 5.1.

  Aside from that this is the right DVD to get, especially if you enjoy love stories. I'm so happy to see the music video of "When I Fall in Love" by Celine Dion and Clive Griffin. Also, there are a few theatrical trailers. Also, they included subtitles from other three Asian countries (except Japanese subtitles).

  The commentary was very interesting. To hear Nora Ephron and her sister (the fourth writer in the movie) Delia discuss how certain things happen in the movie and especially how Tom Hanks did certain things to enhance a scene. It shows how good and how true this actor is for his work.

  I know there were several cut scenes but I wish they included them in the movie. The featurette was interesting especially to see Adam Corolla and Dr. Drew of "Loveline" in it.

  What it boils down to is it's better than the VHS version if you love the movie and it's definitely better than the previous DVD because it comes with more features.

  If you enjoy love stories, this is one that will be a classic for romantics forever.
  
  

• Chick Flic for Women as well as Men
  By on 2002-02-04
  I cannot stand "Chick Flics" at all. My wife cannot force me to watch Julia Roberts in My Best Friend's Wedding and the like. However anytime she pops this movie in I won't hesitate to sit right down along side her and watch the movie from beginning to end. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are superb. The movie doesn't have that big time romance that many women seem to watch this type of movie for. However it is a soft-spoken light hearted comedy that is thoroughly enjoyable for both the laughs and family atmosphere that this classic brings out.

  "Sam" (Tom Hanks) is a widower now solely taking care of his son "Jonah". He decides to move from Chicago to Seattle in search of a new start, however after a year and a half hasn't come close to recovering or starting over. Jonah phones a radio psychiatrist to try to be able to help his dad. 3000 miles away "Annie" (Meg Ryan) is listening to the radio and is touched by the story. She's not alone...thousands of other women are dying for Sam's number and want to meet him. After a time, Annie decides to write Sam herself and before she knows it she's falling in love with a man she's never met. Whats more is she is engaged and soon to be married to "Walter", a dull business man who is allergic to everything....EVERYTHING!!! Annie finally decides that to truly know what she wants she must atleast meet Sam in an attempt to find out if they will ever have a chance of falling in love. Sleepless In Seattle brings a smile to my face everytime I watch it.
  
  

• 'You want to be in love in a movie'
  By A2R4XG0L7Z01V8 on 2004-03-19
  OK, it's corny, it stars Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, but who cares? The story is perfect. It's predictable, and it's obvious what happens, but never mind. It's one of those movies that you can put your feet up, kick the cat out, and watch, without having to think about things. It's not one of those complicated movies with lots of twists and turns. It's simplistic, and that's good, when you're feeling low, or just plain normal.

  Now Meg Ryan's popularity is slightly diminishing these days, and after her now infamous appearance (for UK viewers) on Parkinson, where she acted bored, and generally defensive, and refused to answer questions. These movies, along with You've Got Mail etc, are great to watch, before she became big headed and what have you.

  There are a lot of references to an old movie, starring Cary Grant and Debra someone, so if you haven't seen it, it's pretty obvious (it gets explained throughout the movie, with a lot of tears from the chicks, and groans from the big hard guys), but it doesn't really add anything to the movie.

  Jonah Baldwin (Tom Hanks son in the movie) is played brilliantly by Ross Malinger. He had me in fits, especially in his OTT dramatic scene, when Sam announces he's going to get laid over the weekend away with the women with the hyena laugh. Sam tells Jonah to "shut up", and Jonah comes storming back through from his room, saying "tell me to shut up". He is so adorable!

  Annie (Meg Ryan) and her best friend, Becky, (Rosie O'Donnell) comes out with some great lines during this movie! Meg is playing her cute & quirky character, so she comes out with a great one: "When a man is a widower why do we say he was widowed? Why don't we say he was widowered?" and "Destiny is something we've invented because we can't stand the fact that everything that happens is accidental." Rosie's character Becky is so laid back, she's practically horizontal! Everything is said in an extremely bored manner, meaning she comes out with terrific quotes like: "A movie! That's your problem! You don't want to be in love. You want to be in love in a movie." and "Verbal ability is a highly overrated thing in a guy, and it's our pathetic need for it that gets us into so much trouble."

  For a 10th anniversary edition, there isn't much on it. The cover is pretty cute (I always prefer black covers to other covers - I'm letting my 'dark' side sneak out), but the extras aren't much to write home about. You've got a music video from some guy and Celine Dion; an audio commentary by director Nora Ephron and co-writer Delia Ephron and a "Love In The Movies" featurette. Oh, and you also get some other trailers for other movies that include My Best Friend's Wedding, this film, Philadelphia, and two others, which I'd never heard of her, so that's my excuse for not remembering them!

  This is a terrific movie, and despite the fact it's completely and utterly predictable, it's great. Don't argue with me.

  And will someone please tell me what the hell "tiramisu" means? It's mentioned during the scene where Sam is talking about how the last time he was out there, and we never get told what it means!
  
  

• Asleep in seat
  By A37FUJC2L7DSPT on 2002-05-07
  Maybe I am among the few, but I call it as I see it, and SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE bored me. Sure, the Tom Hanks character's wife died, and that's tragic, but his feeling sorry for himself did not win my support.
  
  I have nothing against blind dates. But if you expect me to believe that any sane woman will travel out of state to meet some sad-sack she heard on the radio, you've seen too many movies. Or at least one too many - SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE.
  
  
• E-Courtship & Cross-Continental Romance
  By A26JGAM6GZMM4V on 2004-12-16
  I recently saw three films again, two directed by Norah Ephron. This one plus When Harry Met Sally which Rob Reiner directed (1989) and You've Got Mail (1998). All three are quite different but each has held up remarkably well. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan co-star in this updated version of An Affair to Remember (1957). I leave it to others to compare and contrast those two films. Suffice to say I enjoy both. What is quite odd about Sleepless in Seattle is that Hanks and Ryan spend almost no time together on-screen until the inevitable conclusion atop the Empire State Building, at which point they finally meet. However implausible the plot may be, the film succeeds because of Norah Ephron's crisp direction of an excellent cast.
  
  After Sam Baldwin (Hanks) becomes a widower, he and son Jonah (Ross Malinger) relocate to Seattle and live aboard a houseboat. Some time later, Jonah calls in to a radio station, asking for help to locate a new mother. Sam then begins to explain to the radio audience how much he loved his late wife and how much he and Jonah now miss her. Of course, Annie Reed (Ryan) hears all this and immediately falls in love with Sam. In fact, thousands of women throughout the United States do and write letters to "Sleepless in Seattle" to tell him so. And then....Credit Larry Atlas and David S. Ward with an especially clever screenplay. Several members of the supporting cast are outstanding, notably young Malinger, Bill Pullman (to whom Annie is initially engaged), Rosie O'Donnell (her friend Becky), Rob Reiner (Sam's friend Jay), and Rita Wilson (Hanks's offscreen wife) in a brief but memorable appearance who is hilarious when explaining why An Affair to Remember means so much to her. Nice touch.
  
  More a quibble than a complaint, I wish that in this film (as well as in When Harry Met Sally and You've Got Mail) Ephron were not quite so manipulative with her use of music. Heaven knows, the CD continues to sell well because it is full of great stuff: As Time Goes By (Jimmy Durante), Kiss to Build a Dream On (Louis Armstrong), Stardust (Nat King Cole), Makin' Whoopee (Dr. John), In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning (Carly Simon), Back in the Saddle Again (Gene Autry), Bye Bye Blackbird (Joe Cocker), Wink and a Smile (Harry Connick, Jr.), Stand by Your Man (Tammy Wynette), An Affair to Remember (original soundtrack), Make Someone Happy (Jimmy Durante), and When I Fall in Love (Celine Dion). That said, I enjoyed seeing this film again and, this time around. I was much more interested in Sam's relationship with his resourceful son than in his long-distance relationship with Annie, a two-dimensional character at best.
  
  
  
  
• Two guy heroes, only one girl does not a "chick flick" make...
  By A5A2QE6NECFR5 on 2006-11-10
  Most people think "Sleepless" is meant to please a female audience, but I think it is a dad/son bonding story all the way. I like it, I see parts of it as often as it shows up on cable, and it portrays man/woman love in a very good light. In this age of easy and too-often divorce, that's a positive. Yes, it is sentimental, but there is nothing wrong with provoking sentiment in an honest fashion. It is perfectly cast, competently written, directed and filmed, and only a Grinch could hate it.
  
  
• My absolute favourite movie @}->---
  By A24ZFFRQ4MG3XL on 2006-11-19
  Other than The Breakfast Club, Sleepless in Seattle is my all time favourite movie. I know it's older now, but to me I will always watch it over and over again. I like to watch it a couple of times a year because I always enjoy it and never tire of it.
  As everyone probably knows, Tom Hanks and his son move from Chicago to Seattle after Tom's wife dies and they need a new start. Hoping to find a new love for his father, Jonah calls a radio station to speak on a talk show to help his dad out. Their radio call name is Sleepless in Seattle. Listening to the conversation all the way in Washington DC is Meg Ryan who has just announced her engagement to Bill Pullman. She seems to fall in love with Sam (Tom Hanks) instantly as she finishes his sentances and is hooked by his story. Being a writer, she does a story on him and finds herself wanting to get in touch with him. She makes the journey over to Seattle and manages to say Hello to him (before almost getting hit by cars on a busy road). She backs off after thinking that he's in a relationship already and heads back home. All the while through the movie, these events parallel the movie An Affair To Remember, so eventually there is an arranged meeting for Annie and Sam on top of the Empire State Building on Valentines Day (Sam hasn't arranged any of this; Jonah has done all the correspondance without his knowledge). Long story short, you can gauge the rest of the story line. It's fun and enjoyable and yes it's a chick flick but there is nothing wrong with that.
  There is some great acting in it by Jonah (Ross Malinger) and the chemistry between Hanks and Ryan is always great to watch (although they don't have many scenes together). I really love this and I don't imagine there being another great love story like this one. Nora Ephron did a great job with the screenplay and I will never get sick of watching this movie. It really is fantastic.
  
  
• Yaaawn...
  By on 2000-02-27
  After watching this movie I had the queasy sensation that I'd overdosed on marshmallows, like blah...It has no substance and zero personality. Talk about overrated! A bunch of people overacting (Meg at her cutesiest) and trying to get through their shallow and meaningless scripts without falling asleep. The one thing it did for me was wish I'd watched An Affair to Remember instead.
  
  
• Sleepy in seat
  By on 1999-05-11
  Maybe I am among the few, but I call it as I see it, and SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE bored the heck out of me. Sure, the Tom Hanks character's wife died, and that's tragic, but his feeling sorry for himself did not win my support. Beyond that, there is not much of a story to hold your interest. I have nothing against blind dates. But if they expect us to believe that any sane woman is going to travel out of state to meet some sad-sack she heard on the radio, you've seen too many movies. Or at least one too many, SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE.
  
  
• Pure Romance
  By A1J2931UBBJPXM on 2001-11-11
  Regardless of how cyberspace has seemingly diminished it's size, the world is still an awfully big place, and it's impossible for any one person to occupy more than a minuscule portion of it at any given time. So it's imperative that individuals find that special niche for themselves, that little piece of the world that becomes their own, where they can live and love and engage in the pursuit of happiness. And once that "perfect" world is created, it's devastating when something upsets the balance, as in the case of this film, the death of a spouse. When the love of a lifetime is abruptly taken away, how does one recover? Can one recover? How do you go on when your heart has been removed? All valid questions that are explored and addressed in Nora Ephron's touching and romantic "Sleepless In Seattle," starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. The film begins on a somber note, with the funeral of Maggie Baldwin (Carey Lowell), respectively the wife and mother of Sam Baldwin (Hanks) and his son, Jonah (Ross Malinger). Maggie was the love of Sam's life, and inconsolable after her passing, he decides the best thing for himself and his son is to move to another city and try for a fresh start. So they head west as far as possible, to Seattle, where Sam remains unable to emerge from the funk of his loss.
  
  Christmas and New Year's is especially tough on Sam and Jonah, and around this time Jonah happens to tune into a late night talk show featuring Dr. Marcia Fieldstone (Caroline Aaron), whose job is to help her listeners with their problems. Jonah calls her and tells their story, then takes the phone to his dad in the next room, and in deference to his son, Sam consents to talk about his situation on National radio. In the Baltimore area, writer Annie Reed (Ryan) is listening, and touched by the sincerity in Sam's voice, she cajoles an assignment that subsequently takes her to Seattle, where she attempts to hook up with Sam, a man she knows only as a needful, disembodied voice from the radio.

  So begins a romantic odyssey that probably could only happen in the movies, but it makes no difference because in Ephron's capable hands, this story works, and it works beautifully. There's a line in the movie, in fact, that kind of sums it all up: Becky (played by Rosie O'Donnell) says something to the effect to Annie that, "You don't want love, you want "movie" love. And maybe that's why this movie is so endearing and enduring; it's about the kind of love you find in a perfect world, the kind of love everybody wants and needs (though few will admit it, even to themselves) but rarely finds, and Ephron knows exactly how to make it connect with her audience. It has to do with understanding basic human needs and knowing how to translate it all into a cinematic art form that will effectively reach those who see it. And Nora Ephron does it as well-- or possibly better-- than any director before or since, and as she proved later with "You've Got Mail," this film was no fluke; she knows her stuff, and she knows how to deliver it. It's intentionally and shamelessly sentimental, but rather than maudlin, Ephron hits just the right emotional tone, and it's perfect, from the romance to the humor she injects at just the right moment to offset the drama, to the music-- using just the right song at just the right time-- that does so much to enhance the story.

  Having a great cast, of course, certainly helped her in her endeavor, beginning with Tom Hanks who, with his portrayal of Sam, demonstrates once again what a consummate actor he is. Few actors can step into any given genre of film and create a character that is so complete and believable every time out the way Hanks can. Some of his characters may share some traits and have similarities, but he manages to make each one unique, which is quite a feat. When you can watch Hanks and forget that you're watching "Hanks," you know he's accomplished something. As an actor he is remarkably giving, and so undaunted when it comes to using and exposing what he has inside. And his ability to circumvent any natural inhibitions makes him great at what he does, and it's what makes a character like Sam so memorable.

  Meg Ryan, as well, is an accomplished actor who can play drama as well as comedy (check out her performance in "When A Man Loves A Woman"), but she really sparkles in romantic comedies like this one, and she is absolutely perfect for the role of Annie (just as she was for her role in "You've Got Mail"). She makes Annie a very real person, and through her we can empathize with Sam's situation, as she enables and allows the audience to experience what she is feeling right along with her. Ryan, through her character, makes that emotional involvement possible, and it's one of the strengths of the film. And like Hanks with Sam, Ryan makes Annie a character you're going to remember.

  The exemplary supporting cast includes Bill Pullman (Walter), Rita Wilson (Suzy), Victor Gerber (Greg), Tom Riis Farrell (Rob), David Hyde Pierce (Dennis), Dana Ivey (Claire), Gaby Hoffman (Jessica) and Rob Reiner (Jay). Essentially a poignant and heart-felt treatise by Nora Ephron on life and love, "Sleepless In Seattle" is a film that offers a multitude of rewards if you are simply willing to reach out and open yourself up to it. All you have to do is let it in. Do it, and you'll be glad you did, guaranteed. It's the magic of the movies.
  
  

• The best Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan movie
  By A2QRB6L1MCJ53G on 2001-03-11
  Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan have made several great movies together such as "You've Got Mail" and "Joe Versus The Volcano," but in my opinion, "Sleepless in Seattle" is definitely the best movie that they have made together. Sam Baldwin (Tom Hanks) has been real upset and depressed since his wife died. Sam's son, Jonah (Ross Malinger) is just as upset, but he's ready to move on. Jonah wants a mom and thinks it would be best for his dad to meet a great woman. Annie (Meg Ryan) is from Baltimore and she has been recently engaged, but she's not exactly in love with her new fiance (Bill Pullman). Annie becomes obsessed with Sam after she hears him on the radio. Will Sam be interested in meeting Annie and even if he is, will they ever meet? You'll have to watch the movie to find out.

  After you see "Sleepless in Seattle," you'll understand why it was nominated and why it won so many awards. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan both do a great job like usual, and the director, Rob Reiner did a good job with keeping the movie interesting with the changes of attitude. "Sleepless in Seattle" is mostly a romantic drama, but it also has a few parts that are funny. If you've ever liked any of the other Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan movies or even if you haven't ever seen any of them, I recommend getting "Sleepless in Seattle." It's one of the best movies of its kind without a doubt.
  
  

• Ah, you can sleep through it.
  By on 2002-07-24
  This ultimate "chick flick" engenders as much incredulity as you'd suppose, but then again, chick flicks by definition do that. More upsetting to the unbiased movie-watcher (i.e., those with no partisanship for chick flicks, as that genre is commonly defined) is the distressing lack of subtlety in terms of the movie's calculated effects: this is the kind of movie that MUST have *As Time Goes By* tinkling on the soundtrack; that MUST include cutesy animated effects like the dot-dot-dots representing a passenger plane's trajectory over the country, to say nothing of the gigantic red valentine glowing from the office windows of the Empire State Building. (That being said, *Sleepless in Seattle* IS beautifully photographed by Sven Nykvist, long-time cinematographer for Ingmar Bergman.) The plot involves a young widower (Tom Hanks) and his 8-year-old son who have recently uprooted to Seattle from Chicago after the wife / mother's untimely death. Bet on it: she's recalled in flashbacks smothered in warm, sepia tones. After a year in Seattle, in which they live on some sort of fabulous house-boat thing or other, the bratty kid decided it's high time his dad got re-married, and so he calls a nationwide late-night radio talk show, in the hopes of fixing his dad up with a new wife. (What kid would do something like this?) Hanks gets corralled into talking to the show's host, reveals his sensitivity in lines that only women (Nora and Delia Ephron) could write, and soon finds himself the subject of romantic fantasies of women all over the country . . . including a newspaper reporter in Baltimore (Meg Ryan). Well, that's the movies. Fine. But what's puzzling is why Nora Ephron makes such a big point about how romance in Real Life never measures up to romance in movies (*An Affair to Remember* is the yardstick), when she has clearly made a film in which romance in Real Life DOES measure up to romance in movies, right down to the copycat plot finale. This seems to me far more cynical than Meg Ryan and her girlfriends cynically griping about romance. The real stuff is in the parts; the whole is rather a sell-out.
  
  
• Great movie
  By A10EN9IKKOEY97 on 2005-01-27
  As much as i hate to admit it, i love sleepless in seattle. This coming from a 16 year old sophomore in high school...I first watched this movie with my mom a long way back when it had just come out, and i enjoyed it more because my mom told me it was good rather than because i actually liked it. But as i got older, and watched it more, i found out that the movie is just brilliant. A GREAT story, and a wonderfully directed film by Nora Ephron. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are M-O-F-E (made for each other, watch the movie) in romantic comedies. Great movie. (oh, and the person who reviewed this before me, says that the 10th anniversary edition is missing the broom closet scene...i dont know if thats just their version, because i know that scene is in this DVD. And i double checked to make sure i had the 10th anniversary edition, and i do. Just pointing that out.) GREAT MOVIE, A CLASSIC...BUY IT
  
  
• Very superficial and unconvincing
  By on 2001-09-03
  This heavy-handed, unfunny comedy-drama was meant as nothing more than a tailor-made star vehicle for Hanks and Ryan. It's uneven, predictable, and bland. O'Donnell has a few good moments.
  
  
• Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan give charming and sweet performances!
  By A20ZFWGBY4REFX on 2002-04-04
  I still love this movie! "Sleepless in Seattle" is still one of the best romantic films that I have seen since...ever! The performances in the film were top-notch and the storyline was terrific! To me, this film talks about two things...fate and destiny. "Sleepless" focuses on Sam Baldwin (Tom Hanks), a recently widowed father who, because of the death of his wife Maggie (Carey Lowell), decides to move out to Seattle with his son Jonah (Ross Malinger) to start over again. One night, Jonah calls a talk radio show, who asks Sam to come to the phone and explain everything. So Sam sat down and talked about everything that he and his wife had done over the past few years, how he loved her, and such. Sam's story was such a big hit across America that women have been pouring letters of comfort at Sam's home. The story has also reached the heart of a newspaper writer named Annie Reed (Meg Ryan). Annie is single, lives in New York, and is engaged to a man named Walter (Bill Pullman), who is pretty much allergic to everything. After hearing Sam's story on the radio that night, Annie believes that she and Sam are destined to be together, due to typical Hollywood romance from such films as, for example, "An Affair to Remember". And romantic charm and trouble ensues from there on as, for example, Annie goes to Seattle to sort of "spy" on Sam to see what he is like, especially with his son, etc. "Sleepless in Seattle" marks the second teaming of Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan from their first hit, "Joe Versus the Volcano" in 1990, and before they starred a third time in 1998's "You've Got Mail", which is directed by "Sleepless" director Nora Ephron ("This is My Life"). And speaking of the director, she directed this film with a lot of heart, soul, and emotion. Nora Ephron's best work to date! "Sleepless in Seattle" has also the absolute best performances of all time from Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. I kind of liked the way that Meg Ryan's hair looked in the film. To me, you don't get to see Meg Ryan with hair like that a lot. I like this film because it is one of those films where two people eventually cross paths continuously, and in the end, they meet each other for the first time and live happily ever after! I really hope that there is a sequel to this film in the making, but if there isn't, then I will still enjoy "Sleepless in Seattle" for years to come!
  
  
• A Laugh-Out-Loud Funny Charmer
  By A3NK3KKFKI3BYC on 2002-07-29
  First of all, Sleepless in Seattle IS a chick flick, yes, and there are certainly some stretches of the imagination required as far as plot goes, but the real emphasis is the characters, and that is the strength of the movie...the entire cast is excellent, from Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks to the supporting cast (Rosie O'Donnell, Bill Pullman, Ross Malinger and Robert Reiner). The story and chemistry is charming, but more than that, the movie is hysterical. Everytime I watch the movie again (I've seen it about 5 or 6 times now) I realize how funny it is...Nora Ephron may be the best current writer of real romantic comedies. There are SO many funny little things scattered throughout the movie...even if you don't like "chick flicks," you should watch it because it's one of the funniest movies ever.
  
  
• But they haven't met!!
  By A39O1LYR9W7YI7 on 2003-10-10
  This film did not sweep me away the way it did so many other people. I love romantic comedies, but this one lacks an ingredient that, to me, is essential. Our main characters never meet until the final scene! I simply could not invest any interest in a romance that is clearly simply delusional.

  �Sleepless in Seattle� has some fine moments, an excellent supporting cast, and a soundtrack that is used absolutely perfectly. It is a great film to rent, and a wonderful study of it�s time. But as a romance, it just didn�t convince me. When the two lovers never interact face to face the believability of a true romance suffers.
  
  

• If only romance were this simple
  By ANSQV9YWBHGB on 2005-06-15
  This unfortunate yet inevitable film serves as a demonstrative example of a modern fairy tale romance. Except that this one goes a step further, they fall madly in love before they even meet each other.
  
  Sleepless in Seattle perpetuates the long held perceptions of love that Hollywood foists on the young men and women in our culture:
  
  * Love is mystical, magical, wild, accidental, and you're powerless in it's grasp.
  
  * Even when you're eyes first meet across a crowded room, you'll know if you've found the "one".
  
  * You'll know when you fall in love when you have that smooshy feeling in your stomach, you lose all common sense, but you're in love, what else matters?
  
  * Love finds you. It's fate, and you've got to grab on when it comes or you may be left in the dust.
  
  In the case of this movie, this fate also apparently drives people to break up with their fiance or partner because of insignificant idiosyncrasies.
  
  These perceptions of love have distorted our perceptions of how romance "ought" to be, and changed our expectations in relationships and have let us down.
  
  Even Meg Ryan admitted in an interview that this movie contributed to the Hollywood-ized fairytale perception of romance that so many young women have built their expectations on, and are often disappointed. If there's anything this life has taught me about love, is that it's a decision. It takes time, work, commitment, and will. It is an act and a decision, not a force of nature of fate that you simply must relinquish your will to.
  
  The cinematography is excellent, great casting too; But if you want a definitive Hanks/Ryan movie, get "Joe vs. the Volcano". Deep plot, romantic, and pretty darn funny too.
  
  
• We're rice men.
  By AEMZRE6QYVQBS on 2007-01-08
  What a great romantic comedy! The young Hanks, the adorable Meg Ryan, the preternaturally savvy Ross Maliner, Rosie O'Donnell being nice.
  
  It all came together with Seattle as its backdrop, that city of radio pyschologists by the sea.
  
  While Ryan's Annie endures engagement to the über-predictable ('Where is Duluth?') Walter, they are drawn inexorably together by fate, which both of them seem bent upon denying.
  
  Yes, the guy gets the girl. And vice versa.
  
  It's all a lot of fun. Ah, but it made 1993 a good year.
  
  
• Way too pat
  By AAUC7ROHVUTLE on 2000-06-29
  I re-watched "Sleepless in Seattle" within 24 hours of "While You Were Sleeping" so I have to say that "Sleepless" pales in comparison.

  Tom Hanks is earnest, moving and believable in his depiction of a "guy who just lost his wife". The kid, "Jonah", could be worse, but then again he could also be a lot less nauseating. Meg Ryan IS just downright annoying.

  This film is guilty of heavy gender stereotyping (please! I cried in the clown/church scene in "Brassed Off", not some dumb weepie). It was also somewhat disturbing that the potential partners Walter and Victoria are dismissed for, it seems, his allergies and her laugh.

  The two stars I give this movie are for Tom Hanks' performance, and for some genuinely sweet scenes in it. Unfortunately, in a movie supposedly about the perfect couple, two ie. a couple of good performances are needed.

  The idea of fate and the perfect match is one we all love, but surely it is a more powerful notion that relationships are built when two strangers get to slowly know and love each other, rather than some pre-determined guff. There is one scene in this movie, when Sam sees off Victoria and sees Annie at the airport. He is telling Jonah about how single people "try other people on and see how they fit" It is moving and true to life; however, in the next minute he does indeed feel a connection to Annie who he spots as a complete stranger in a crowd. Frankly, I prefered the first explanation.

  For a really charming love story, I suggest "While You Were Sleeping". No sweeping statements about society and love, no putting-down of less fortunate characters or relationships. Instead you get a movie where both of the protagonists are pleasant, and which shows that relationships are based upon getting to know that you get along together - that the significant other is "someone you can laugh with".
  
  

• Excellent romantic comedy!
  By A3TFZN7BHX2B34 on 2001-12-11
  Tom Hanks stars as a widower (Sam Baldwin), who along with his son, is looking for a wife. The son (Jonah) phones in a radio psychiatrist and then puts his father on the line. Women all over the country fall in love with him. The movie is particularly about one of these women named Annie, played by Meg Ryan.

  After Annie's friend sends a letter for her (unknowingly), she receives a reply and believes that Sam is the man for her. Following a failed trip to Seattle, Annie soon decides her and Sam were never meant to be. Jonah, Sam's son, then sends a letter to Annie to arrange a meeting time and place.

  I found this movie to be an excellent romantic comedy. The acting is great and I have no major complaints with the movie. My minor complaint is that it seems to be a little slow moving at times. Although the story is incredibly coincidental, it is still a great movie. Strongly recommended!
  
  

• It's a classic!
  By A12KUJT75HFO67 on 2002-05-09
  Who could find fault with this movie? The Hanks/Ryan teaming is a sure thing. The whole play on "An Affair to Remember" is cute. The sound track is even great. It's a classic chick flick that is worth watching over and over.
  
  
• Best movie-EVER!
  By A1SVAI5HABOH0 on 2004-09-03
  "Sleepless in Seattle" is one of the most heartwarming, inspiring, and romantic movies that I've ever seen.
  
  The movie is about Annie (Meg Ryan), a journalist for the Baltimore Sun, who is engaged to someone whom she's not 100% sure is the one for her. One night, while tuning into a late night radio show, she listens as a young boy confides in the radio show host his father's hurt after losing his wife. Right then and there, she falls in love with "Sleepless in Seattle," and writes him a letter.
  
  Meanwhile, the young boy in Seattle, Jonah, is very sad because his dad, Sam Baldwin (Tom Hanks) is dating a woman he does not approve of. After the radio show, tons of letters come piling in, and while Sam does not read them, Jonah does. Soon, he finds Annie's letter, and thinks she's perfect. Sam, however, will not give in to Jonah's plea to go to New York and meet Annie on top of the Empire State Building on Valentine's Day-a suggestion Annie put in her letter under the guidance of a friend (played by Rose O'Donnell), inspired by the movie "An Affair to Remember."
  
  My favorite part is when Sam tells the radio station how he is coping with the loss of his wife-"Well, I'm gonna get out of bed every morning, breath in and out all day long. Then, after a while I won't have to remind myself to get out of bed every morning and breath in and out. And, then, after a while, I won't have to think about how I had it great and perfect for a while."
  
  If that doesn't go straight to the heart, I don't know what will. I can definitely see why Annie fell for "Sleepless in Seattle"-it's what every woman wants (even the ones over 40 ;-D).
  
  
• Destined to be a Classic
  By A3PYDNAD0WIDLT on 2005-09-06
  I love this movie! This is the kind of movie that gets better with every viewing. It is a sweet romantic comedy based on the idea of whether or not we get a second chance @ a great love.
  Tom Hanks becomes a single parent, after losing his wife to cancer. Meg Ryan finds herself in a relationship that is safe with no surprises & boring. Her fiancee is a nice guy, but she settles for someone that is reliable & constant & predictable, but longs to find the kind of love we all want: to be in love like in the movies. Rosie O'Donnell has a fine turn as Meg Ryan's boss & friend. Rob Reiner, Rita Wilson,& Victor Garber add some fun & humour in their supporting roles. The music in the film is wonderful & sets the mood as the story goes along. If you have seen An Affair to Remember, you will appreciate this film all the more. I find myself still quoting some of the great lines & each time I watch this movie, I feel like I am visitng an old friend. Hope you feel the same way.
  
  

• You've Got Mail (Deluxe Edition)
• While You Were Sleeping
• French Kiss
• Sabrina
• An Affair To Remember (50th Anniversary Edition)