Week 9: When Harry Met Sally
Directed by Rob Reiner, 1989
96 minutes
17th November, Thursday. The Study, Teviot.
One of the two excellent Rob Reiner films that we are offering you this semester is also one of the classic benchmarks in romantic comedy.
Harry (Billy Crystal) meets Sally (Meg Ryan) when they both share a car ride to New York, Sally is full of prospect which Harry combats with cynicism and the trip becomes awkward they are both glad to be rid off each other.
But, as fate would have they would meet again a few years later and keep bumping into each other until they admit they would like to be friends, although Harry, in classic fashion argues that men and women can never be just friends. And so begins a story of a strong and engaging friendship as Harry and Sally try to navigate their lives and loves until they finally realise what they really mean to each other.
The film’s main attribute is the excellent chemistry between its two leads. Crystal does likable guys so well and so is convincing as a man that always has something funny to say (or at least, always has something to say). Despite his initial impression on Sally we see that he is one of the nice guys, affable and kind. Whereas Sally is undoubtedly high maintenance, knows-what-she-likes type that gains your affection with that famous scene proving that she has a sense of humour about herself. A breakthrough role for Ryan that then saw her cast as the sweetheart in a number of films.
You wish they still made them like this, incredibly funny and endearing; When Harry Met Sally will make you laugh and on some level, mean something to you.
Written by Raymah Tariq