Signed, Sealed And Just Sweet Enough To Warm Hearts

Mon., Jan. 4, 1999

`You’ve Got Mail’ The stars: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Greg Kinnear, Parker Posey, Jean Stapleton. The plot: Competing business owners fall in love over the Internet.

He Saw Joel Constable lewis & clark

I walked into this film a little embarrassed. I mean, hey, I’m a manly man who watches manly Sylvester Stallone movies with my manly buddies. What was I doing at a chick flick?

As I walked out of the theater, I had to reassess my manliness because, yes, I enjoyed it.

Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are wonderful together.

At the beginning of the story, however, I got the impression that the two main characters had no life. They seemed unusually excited when they got e-mail from an anonymous sender. Plus some parts of the film seemed unnecessary or overdone.

Still, I encourage all men to suck up their pride, remind themselves of how gorgeous Ryan is, and head to the theaters. This is a film that even the manliest of men could enjoy.

Grade: B+

She Saw Theresa Carpine ferris

This is not a “Sleepless in Seattle” sequel. Don’t let the fact that it has the same leads and director fool you into thinking this.

“You’ve Got Mail” doesn’t have the epic-style romance and is funnier.

Just as Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks are falling in love via e-mail, they begin to dislike one another in person.

Nora Ephron, the director and co-scriptwriter, tries to make the point that two people who meet over the Internet could just bump into one another sound remarkable when it really isn’t.

This movie isn’t just about one thing. It takes on so many other issues, the sweetness of a romance comedy is mostly lost.

The plot is not too romantic for guys, but just sweet enough to warm hearts.

Grade: B+

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.