Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Sleepless in Seattle

Sleepless in Seattle is a 1993 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Nora Ephron. Based on a story by Jeff Arch, it stars Tom Hanks as Sam Baldwin and Meg Ryan as Annie Reed.

The film was inspired by An Affair to Remember and used both its theme song and clips from the film in critical scenes. The climactic meeting at the top of the Empire State Building is a reference to a reunion between Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr in An Affair to Remember that fails to happen because the Kerr character is struck by a car while enroute. At one point, some of the characters discuss Affair, with Sam commenting that it sounds like a "chick movie." The success of Sleepless in Seattle led to a resurgence in popularity for An Affair to Remember for a younger generation of filmgoers.

Staring:
Tom Hanks: Sam Baldwin
Meg Ryan: Annie Reed
Bill Pullman: Walter
Ross Malinger: Jonah Baldwin
Rosie O'Donnell: Becky
Gaby Hoffmann: Jessica
Victor Garber: Greg
Rita Wilson: Suzy
Barbara Garrick: Victoria
Carey Lowell: Maggie Abbott Baldwin
David Hyde Pierce: Dennis Reed
Dana Ivey: Claire Bennett
Rob Reiner: Jay

Director:
Nora Ephron

DVD Review
By Little Miss Cutey (Melbourne, Australia)

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.

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Sleepless in Seattle Movie Trailer


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