Sleepless in Seattle (1993)

like this one, a 10 is all you can do. Tom is great, Meg the woman plays the woman's role like nobody else could have.....If I get tears in a movie, the movie is a m o v i e ........touching. Thank you folks who did it, the folks who wrote this wonderful story. Am I sentimental? Yess. And it feels good. Each turn of the story makes you wish, hope, and finally no violence in a movie. What a relief. If you watch this movie around x-mas, you probable get more sentimental than in a hot summer night, I don't no. It took me 12 years to get to see this movie. Heard so much and everything I heard was an understatement. Thank you Tom and Meg and specially Ross, love you.

Fmovies: This is a movie with characters and performances which are appealing, and it is an old-fashioned, feel-good love story. The film also has a bit of sadness in its early part, thankfully not overdone. The five lead characters and the performances by their actors (Hanks, Ryan, Malinger, Pullman and O'Donnell) are all engaging.

The primary members of the support cast are also excellent (David Pierce, Annie's brother; Garber and Wilson as Sam's brother-in-law and sister; Reiner as his colleague/friend; young Gaby Hoffman; and Barbara Garrick as Sam's brief girlfriend).

The story, juxtaposed with the classic Grant/Kerr predecessor, could have provided an excessive gimmick, but here it worked well. And I was grateful for some things I didn't find in this flick. Although I watched the program like everyone else, I found Rob Reiner's character, acting and presence in "All in the Family" to be obnoxious and annoying, ALL THE TIME, and watched the program in spite of his presence. And I have found Rosie O'Donnell's presence to be the epitomé of ANNOYING in every respect, every time I've observed her, previously. But in this film, I enjoyed both of their performances completely. Children in movies can also be an irritating presence, but Malinger and Hoffman were delightful as son Jonah, and his little neighbor/friend. Barbara Garrick, with a supporting role here (as in "The Firm") is an appealing actress, for whom one would wish more prominent roles.

Tom Hanks is one of the foremost actors of our time, but even he can go a smidgen too far in a characterization (I thought he did so in both "Forrest Gump" and "Philadelphia"). But he certainly didn't here. Watch, enjoy, and feel good.

A love story between two ends of a continent and a story that is unique during its time, a story of love and chance that would make the female romantics stomachs turn. Certain movies will indeed last a life time. Some maybe as powerful as FORREST GUMP, some can bring to life a tragedy that came upon the unsinkable vessel THE TITANIC, some movies can be considered as the next step in cinematography as THE GLADIATOR and then there are those few whose names remain but the story is forgotten with time such as SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE. However every-time you do push that DVD in your player, it is certain that it will move you and reach out to you just as much as it did the very first time.

Tom Hanks who stole your heart away as Forrest and who showed true grit in taking on the solo role of Chuck in CAST AWAY is always remembered fondly by his fans for those magical characters he played. Meg Ryan the Venus of the 90s was probably in every romcom that made a mark back then. SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE, YOU'VE GOT MAIL, CITY OF ANGELS & WHEN MAN LOVES a WOMAN is titles that cannot be forgotten if you are indeed a fan of the genre. Ryan and Hanks in one of the very earliest of their performances together scores a near perfect score with SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE.

It is said that there is no greater gift than the gift of love. Indeed it's true. We all have an emotional connection in our lives to someone that is entirely unexplainable. It's a connection on a platonic level unlike the attraction of lust. This value of love has been misread entirely in Hollywood of today and movies with such innocent intentions are quite rare. SIS by director Norah Ephron holds onto the idea of platonic love. It in-fact personifies the mere idea of such platonic connections between two people. Norah Ephron who has a knack for movies of this category certainly takes her work to heart. It is indeed evident primarily with her preference on always casting Meg Ryan. Next it's the very seasonal touch (most movies are set during the holiday season) she adds onto them and then the medium she uses to bring her lovers together. Two individuals who have never seen nor heard of each other falls in love over a radio show and in another instance rivals in business who falls in love in a chat room. With due credit to the writers who conjured the scripts; BRAVO!

Sam Baldwin (Tom Hanks) and his 8 year old son Jonah Baldwin (Ross Malinger) are hit by surprise when their wife/mother Maggie is suddenly passes away. Devastated by the loss of his wife Sam and son Jonah leaves Chicago and moves all the way to Seattle with the hopes of moving on and beginning a new life. 18 months down the line Sam is still mourning the loss of Maggie and is unable to function an inch beyond her memories. Young Jonah who is smart for his age understands his fathers' grief and wishes only to see him happy. On Christmas eve Jonah calls in on a radio talk show and explains to the host his fathers' situation and subsequently Sam ends up on the phone pouring his heart out over the air of his love for Maggie. Sam is heard all over country to those who are tuned in, Including Annie (Meg Ryan) who is driving over to her fiancés parents' home for Christmas Eve dinner. Annie who unconsciously forms a liking towards Sam over the days lose focus on Walter (Bill Pullman); her fiancé and is totally hung up on a stranger she has never met nor seen all her life. Is that even possible? To fall in love with just a voice and a story, never seeing nor knowing who it is?

Sleepless in Seattle fmovies. I will not lie to you, I will admit right from the off that I am biased. I love this movie.

Plot In A Paragraph: Eighteen months after losing his wife, Sam (Tom Hanks) is still grieving and can't sleep. His eight year old son Jonah (Ross Malinger) misses his mother, but he wants his father to get a new wife despite Sam having not even contemplated dating again. On Christmas Eve, Jonah calls a national radio talk show and ask for a "new wife" for his Dad. Sam ends up pouring his heart out about his magical and perfect marriage to his late wife, and how much he still misses her. Among the many women who hear Sam's story and fall in love with him solely because of it is Annie Reed (Meg Ryan) a Baltimore-based newspaper writer. Who is drawn to Jim based on his story, despite already being engaged to Walter (Bill Pullman)

1993 was a massive year for Tom Hanks with both this movie and "Philadelphia" being huge hits. Both are very different, but are equally brilliant. As is Hanks. He is heartbreakingly excellent as the widower. Amazingly the role of Annie was originally offered to Julia Roberts, who turned it down. Kim Basinger also turned it down because she thought the premise was ridiculous (Good move Kim!!) After Michelle Pfeiffer, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Jodie Foster all declined as well, Meg Ryan landed the role. I surprised this role was not wrote with Ryan in mind as this type of role was her bread and butter back then. She was perfect for this type of role.

Rosie O Donnell is solid support to Ryan as is Bill Pullman, and Ross Malinger manages to avoid all the cliché's of most chicks actors!

Well directed, with a sharp and witty script. I will add I also liked the fact that they didn't feel the need to make the Bill Pullman character a jerk (as is usual the case with his type of role in romantic comedies)

One of my favourite Tom Hanks movies, one of my favourite Meg Ryan movies and one of my favourite romantic comedies. I don't own many romantic comedies. But this one is in my collection.

Annie Reed (Meg Ryan) hears, on a late night talk show, about a young boy Jonah Baldwin (Ross Malinger) and his dad Sam (Tom Hanks) missing their dead mother/spouse. Immediately Annie feels a connection with Sam thinking he might be her soul mate. Problem is she's engaged to Walter (Bill Pullman). Should she track down Sam and see...or stay with sweet, dependable, dull, safe Walter? What do you think?

The plot is ridiculous but damned if it doesn't work! The film is chock full of sweet, romantic songs and images. It all leads up to an admittedly howler of an ending on top of the Empire State Building--it was so over the top that, while they were shooting it, director Nora Ephron was muttering under her breath "Can we get away with this?"! Well...they did! I've got to admit I actually was getting a little misty-eyed at that point. You really don't realize how silly the movie is while watching it. The actors and the sweet, romantic tone of the film really pull you in.

Hanks and Ryan were perfectly cast as the leads. They're both very good actors and excellent comedians. Unfortunately, this movie was such a huge hit that Ryan was type cast as a sweet, romantic woman. She's only now getting rid of that image. Pullman is bad in his role but it is NOT his fault. He doesn't have anything to work with--his character isn't even given a last name! He's just there as a plot contrivance. Rosie O'Donnell, however, provides excellent support as Ryans' boss. Also Rob Reiner, Rita Wilson (Hanks' real life wife) and Victor Garber shine in small roles. Also Malinger is very good as Hanks' son. The only thing that bothered me was the constant references to the old Hollywood weepie "An Affair to Remember". I HATE that film! If you hate romantic comedies avoid this at all costs. But if you're a romantic, like me, you'll love it! A definite 10!

Two great bits (among many):

An exchange between Hanks and a date on Hanks' son (who's being obnoxious): "He's only 8." "He's very good at it."

And a hysterical discussion between Hanks, Wilson and Garber about "Affair..." and "The Dirty Dozen"!

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 w