User reviews

Can you beat some of the lines in this film? As a guy, which I am, I identified with Harry's lines so much, and you can't help but side with him. The chemistry between the two actors, Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan is superb, and you believe in them when they talk, you feel for them when they look at each other. Even the friends are well casted, Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby. It's such relaxed acting and filming that you do nothing but watch these people fall in love, and pretty soon you feel like you're involved as well. With a fantastic soundtrack, direction, script and acting, it's a great film.

I decided to watch this for the first time and thought it was one of the most realistic romance movies that there is. It is also really cute with showing older couples between the scenes and hearing their love at first sight stories.

Aside from freer language and more explicitly sexual humour, When Harry met Sally is a very traditional romantic comedy, very much in the mould established in 1934 by It Happened One Night. Two very different but evenly-matched people are thrown together by circumstance. They are initially hostile to one another, but over the course of the film, this hostility turns to love as their personalities are softened by exposure to their opposites. Indeed, the central traits of Harry and Sally correspond very directly to those of Peter and Ellen in IHON - he worldly-wise and cynical, she spoiled and certain of what's what. Neither of them, it turns out, is as right or as self-confidant as they believe. What's very modern about WHMS is its attitude to long-term relationships. It's no longer enough for the couple simply to fall in love and live happily ever after. They must have a full and real understanding of exactly what, or who, they're letting themselves in for. They must also be sexually compatible (hence the importance of their having slept with one another before they finally get together). Within this framework of traditional romance in an unromantic world, WHMS is almost perfect. Structurally, there are no gaps or implausibilities. Even the central coincidence of these people running into each other under these circumstances is answered. The short but affecting intermissions of successful old couples describing their relationships are not only crucial to the pacing of the film, they also make the point that Harry and Sally are just another couple with an unusual and interesting story. There's an element of luck and coincidence in every successful relationship. The effectiveness of the film's structure is perhaps best highlighted by the soundtrack. There's a perfectly selected Louis Armstrong track for every phase of their relationship - the soundtrack not only complements the mood of the film, it comments on the action. The acting is superb, with the two main protagonists as well as their two foils (Bruno Kirby and Carrie Fisher) all giving career-best comic performances. Without such fantastic performances, it's very possible that the film could have failed: these are essentially self-indulgent people, that we sympathise with them and recognise them is in great measure down to the stars. Finally, the script is fantastic. Of course nobody really speaks like that, but like all great scripts it distills emotions and points of view into a few lines. And it's funny. The one-liners are still sharp and amusing on the twentieth viewing, and the set-pieces are beautifully realised (the orgasm scene is only the most famous - check out Harry's olympic sex-dream speech - "Must have been the dismount" - or the "I'm through making a schmuck out of myself" phone call). All this, and a dinner party talking point about male and female relationships. Can we ever be just friends? Not even with an ugly girl? "Nah, you pretty much want to nail them too."

Not too long ago I finally got around to seeing this film, I'd heard so much about it that I had to see it. After seeing it the first time I thought it was good, but I have to say that I liked it even more on my second viewing. The film is absolutely wonderful! The story is very amusing and keeps you interested in the characters from start to finish.

I literally couldn't wait to see what would happen in the next scene. This is one of those movies that goes by very quickly. I think that's a sign of a good movie, when you just can't believe that you're already an hour or so into the movie. The story really flows nicely from scene to scene.

The cast is great in the film as well. Billy Crystal pulls off one of his best performances, and has a slew of great jokes throughout the film. Meg Ryan looks as beautiful as ever and has such a cute way about her. Bruno Kirby and Carrie Fisher definitely deserve a great deal of credit too, they both did superb jobs as well. Director Rob Reiner did a great job with the film, keep up the good work Rob.

If you're into romantic comedies, then you definitely should see this film. Even if you aren't really into the whole romantic part of it, the comedy is great and worth seeing. I would most definitely recommend seeing this film.

I hope you like it. Thanks for reading,

-Chris

This movie grows like a good wine. I really didn't get it when it was first released; I avoided it like the plague. But people have a curious tendency to mature and change their POVs with time, and so was it with me. This movie opened me up to a lot of things - believe it or not, I didn't get the 'Call Me' sequence at first: I was lost, and admit it. But I am not lost now, and this movie is partly responsible.

Meg might be the reason guys want to see this movie, again and again, but after a while you begin to appreciate the contribution Crystal made to the film. The dialogue has his name all over it. The dialogue in this film is at times simply amazing - check the memorable quotes here if you've seen the movie and have forgot.

I would not pick this movie out of a barrel as most likely to be so influential, but it's a fact that it is, and rightfully so. Great support from Kirby and Fisher. Today it's Hanks and Ryan who are paired, thanks undoubtedly to Sleepless in Seattle, but one wonders why no one has tried to get Crystal and Ryan back together again. They're fantastic.

This is one of the all-time best movies ever made. All-time 10? Or 20? or 1000? I don't know; it's just one of the best - it has that quality about it. Keeper.

I love romantic comedies, and this may be my all-time favorite. Nora Ephron's writing is sharp and VERY funny, and the perfect cast delivers the dialogue with flawless timing. I own it on DVD, and will almost invariably turn to it for at least a couple of minutes when I see it in the TV schedule. There are so many priceless moments that I can't pick out one to highlight; most of them are subtler and funnier than the famous Simulated Orgasm scene. Bruno Kirby and Carrie Fisher are perfect in their supporting roles, and Rob Reiner's direction couldn't be better. I'm afraid that I'm doing nothing but gushing in this review, but great is great, and it's hard to say anything else.

"When Harry Met Sally" may not at first seem to be the kind of film that remains classic and timeless. In this very cute exploration of an age-old question: "Can men and women truly just be friends?," Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan play the kind of characters we have come to love to see them play. No surprises there as they skillfully banter back and forth between adorable, hysterical and morose as the plot rolls on. But upon closer inspection, this film is actually full of nice surprises, including its durability. Watch carefully and you will find one of the best examples of the way an excellent script can propel the plot, character development and pacing of a film perfectly from start to finish. Many lines may seem to be merely entertaining one-liners, but they also serve these other purposes simultaneously. This is a well crafted and well acted script. Even the most dated aspect of the film, the intentional focus on clothing, hair and makeup styles as they change throughout the decades, has taken an unexpected poignancy now that the styles we may remember as current at the time have come to be old-fashioned themselves. The end result is that "When Harry Met Sally" speaks to us if we remember the times portrayed in the film or not. We're still asking questions about men and women and friendship, and films such as this still help us answer them.

"I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible."

My favorite Rob Reiner film has always been When Harry Met Sally, a romantic comedy that I never expected to enjoy as much as I did. It's the best Woody Allen film not directed by Woody Allen. Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal's quirky chemistry in this movie is probably one of the best I've seen in any film. Reiner is a director that is hard to categorize since he has worked with different genres: thriller with Misery, fantasy/adventure with The Princess Bride, coming of age with Stand by Me, mockumentary with This is Spinal Tap, drama with A Few Good Men, and comedy with The Bucket List. He's made his share of bad films (his latest films are probably his weakest), but he seems to have excelled in every genre without establishing a common trademark. You could watch When Harry Met Sally back to back with Misery and you'd never guess it was directed by the same person. The secret to his success with this rom-com is that the relationship feels true to life as he first introduces these flawed characters that don't seem to care too much for each other, but over the years they begin bonding and establishing a strong friendship. These characters are so relatable and we can see ourselves or our friends in the film. It reminds us of that friend of the opposite sex we had and how easy it was to blur the line between friendship and love. It makes us think of that universal question: Can a man and a woman be best friends without falling in love with each other? A lot of credit must be given to Nora Ephron's Oscar nominated screenplay because the dialogue and debates between the main characters are authentic and sharp at the same time. There are so many memorable scenes, including the fake orgasm which turned Meg Ryan into such a star, but the final tear jerking scene is my favorite because Billy Crystal delivered his lines in such a perfect way. Even the scenes where old couples are being interviewed in documentary style works perfectly and serves a purpose other than simply serving as transitions taking place in the story. The honesty that comes through in each conversation between Harry and Sally and the incredible chemistry between them is what makes this one of my go to films when it comes to recommending a romantic movie. Did I mention that the film takes place in New York of all places?

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I have never really liked romantic comedies, I think there's too much crying and sentimental sap. I mostly think of romantic comedies as the kind of movie single women sit down and watch, and cry their eyes out, which is a concept I've never understood. But this movie is definitely one of the better of the genre. I saw it again after having seen it a lot of years ago, and I remembered it as having one single good scene. This is, of course, the famous restaurant scene. But seeing it again, I laughed almost at the very beginning, and kept laughing throughout the next twenty minutes. After that, the hilarity of the characters faded, and it settled by being interesting and capturing. I wanted to know what was going to happen to these characters. Unfortunately, it didn't last, and I lost interest for a few minutes, and then I saw a funny scene again, and regained interest. The same thing happened a few more times, I lost and regained interest with brief pauses. The movie is worth seeing if you like this sort of movie, or if you like debates about male/female friendship. I found the ongoing debate in the movie very interesting and thought-provoking, and most of the movie is pretty funny as well. Some of it is laugh-out-loud funny, and some of it is more like recognize-the-situation funny. If it had kept my interest a little better, I would have given it an 8, but as it is, I give it 7/10.

This is Billy Crystal's show. He has an understated, ordinary, humble screen presence. It's not the case that every single line HAS to be funny in order for us to like him - with Crystal, a joke can fall flat and somehow it doesn't make him personally look bad. But here every line IS funny, so he has charm to burn.

I know people like Meg Ryan - I guess I do, too, in this particular film - and I know that there are people who find her `orgasm' scene amusing, but Sally is really just someone for Harry to meet and ultimately fall in love with. She's completely clueless. Most of the jokes are at her expense rather than his. The genuine wit, the power of observation, the theoretical insight, all lie with Harry. Is this a problem? Not in the least. Unlike most romantic comedies this is not some kind of duel - it's the more realistic study of many, many separate encounters.

Also unlike most romantic comedies, this one is funny. I think I mentioned that.

The film benefits from its second rank support: good performances by Carrie Fischer and that guy whose name doesn't matter, locations someone actually went to some trouble to look for, and a song-score that is doesn't intrude and hit us repeatedly over the head. Allegedly `When Harry Met Sally' has been imitated by later productions, but I can't think of a case where the imitation is accurate enough to even be recognisable.

Whenever I hear something about him, I wonder; what ever happened to Rob Reiner's career? What ever happen to that man that could direct any genre? The man who made us cry in "Stand by me" or made us scare to death in "Misery" is now out of the focus. I saw his last film, "Alex & Emma" (which I tried to tolerate because of the actors who starred in it) and it was shameful to see he was promoting it with and advertisement saying: "from the director of…" The director of "When Harry met Sally", this movie, Reiner's most successful romantic comedy and film ever and by now probably a classic, because of Meg Ryan's famous scene and because of its general charm. Believe, everything is pink in this film, and the romantic story it proposes is something everyone has experienced. In some ways it reminded me to "The mirror has to faces", but that couple relationship was totally different.

Here there are two guys in their 20's, travelling to New York for a better life, arguing about the things they think, do, and expect of their future, and so on. These scenes in the car driving to New York could be extremely boring, but writer Nora Ephron (who would write for Meg Ryan again in "You've got mail") makes them very interesting. "How can't you be afraid of death?", Sally tells Harry, and he answers: "I'm just prepared, when I read a book I always read the ending first in case I die and I can't finish it".

Years later that trip is history, and they both have various encounters through the years. She pretends he doesn't recognize her, because she remembers him perfectly. She was actually captivated by him on that trip but never told him. On the other hand, he pretends to be casual, but hasn't erased her from his mind; after more than a decade! Soon they start hanging out, telling each other everything, and become best friends; but if you saw them on the street you wouldn't doubt to think they are a couple.

Why don't they confess their feelings? You've got to see the film to figure it out; you've got to witness what happens, how it happens and most importantly why. In our original time, Rob Reiner did this picture more than a decade ago, and he directed it simply and honestly. Without knowing he also brought us one of the first climatic endings in a romantic comedy; those when the guy declares his love in the last minutes, in a powerful touching final speech, you know.

But what he actually got right was the cast. Yes, he got together two actors that achieved a unique chemistry in a movie that needed it entirely. Billy Crystal, showing that way of speaking that is only his and a mark for any good comedian. Rob Reiner helped him to become the super comedic star he was already becoming. And Meg Ryan will be ever grateful to this opportunity that showed her unusual beauty, natural talent and all the other things that would make her the queen of the romantic comedy.

Man, 127 comments so far and all but two are breathless raves. I just saw this movie for the first time, and I gotta say, Woody Allen should be getting royalty checks. I'm stunned how many Allen trademarks were "borrowed" for this film (starting with neurotic Jewish male / flakey Shiksa princess romance all the way on down to the use of "It Had To Be You" -- ANNIE HALL's theme song). I can just imagine the pitch meeting: "It's like ANNIE HALL, only re-imagined by Neil Simon as a sitcom pilot!" I mean, it's a sweet movie, but I think its classic status is way overscaled. Plus, the notorious fake orgasm scene was rather, uh, anticlimactic. It was so over-the-top (anyone really behaving like that in a public NY establishment would be escorted out immediately), it felt more like an SNL sketch than a romantic comedy.

I am no expert on the genre, but I'd have to say "When Harry met Sally" is, besides the plethora of truly wonderful films made by Woody Allen, the wittiest and most funny romantic comdedy waiting for you out there in video world. I'd only wished I'd seen the film sooner because this seems like that perfect film for discussion with a circle of good friends at Pizzaria Uno. The movie came out in 1989, but for some reason, I think this is one even our kids may like.

Like all good films coming from the genere, this film thrives most on its witty dialgue and cleverness in not "sentimnetalizing" it too much. In other words, there is that perfect equilibrium between scenes of sheer poignancy and scenes of brutal comic relief. The thespians involved, of course, have a lot to do with the film's success and overall appeal. Ryan and Crystal are perfect for the roles assigned, each one of them bringing their charisma and fresh breath of life to the screen. Crystal fits snugly into that character we find all too obnoxious but can't help but loving and Ryan, well, she is as adorable as always.

The issue the film tackles is an important one, I think. It asks us a question of universal importance, namely, can women and men ever be friends?. I'll leave that for you and your friends to talk about at Pizzaria Uno. For now, I'll just say that with heaps of quirky, funny dialogue, a taut script from Nora Ephron, and clean directing form Reiner, "When Harry met Sally" is a highly enjoyable film that unsurprisingly has held strong a decade after its inception.

dan

Speaking as a guy, this is one of the few "girl movies" I've ever watched. Clever, funny, well-paced, and very rewatchable.

AFI 100 Comedies. AFI 100 Passions. AFI 10 Top 10. AFI 100 Quotes. AFI 100 Songs.

"When Harry Met Sally" is easily one of the greatest romantic comedies of all time. It is short in duration, it is extremely watchable, Nora Ephron's script is hilarious, and Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan both give fantastic performances. There is very little to dislike about this movie if you are looking for entertainment. However, this is in no means an artsy film or a game-changer, but simply something that will definitely put you in a good mood.

When Harry met Sally... they hated each other. Their actual meeting for the first time was nothing special at all: Harry's girlfriend at the start of the movie was a friend of Sally's, and Sally was simply driving Harry back to New York from college because she lived in New York as well. It only takes a couple of minutes into their journey to New York to make it apparent that the script will be full of philosophical discussion between the two of them (as well as other characters) just like most Richard Linklater films. It is an interesting notion that the main point of Harry's initial discussion with Sally is that the two of them can never be friends because the "sex stuff" always gets in the way of a man and a woman - yet 10 years after they meet, they become "just friends" (but do we really believe that?).

There is a very creative scene in the movie about two thirds of the way through where a friend of Harry's and a friend of Sally's are now a couple, and they are each talking on the phone simultaneously with Harry and Sally respectively. Really interesting editing is applied here to get all four characters on the screen at once, each taking up about a fourth of the screen. It is three separate images, the first image being an image of the couple in bed, and the other two being superimposed images of Harry and Sally on opposite ends of the screen while they are each on the phone. It is one of the most creative scenes in Rob Reiner's filmography.

Above everything else, "When Harry Met Sally" has a lot of heart, which comes in different forms. It has heart due to its sense of humor, it has heart by showing a lot of emotion between Harry and Sally later in the film, and every now and then, the movie cuts to different couples explaining how they met and when they knew they were meant to be together, putting a smile on the audience member's face. It is also a joy to watch Harry and Sally grow as people as they become friends (which is against Harry's initial beliefs) and as they realize their feelings for each other, even if they do not admit those feelings immediately. From the famous "I'll have what she's having" moment to the finale at midnight on New Year's Eve, "When Harry Met Sally" is a triumph of a motion picture, capturing our hearts and holding on throughout.

"When Harry Met Sally" might not be a masterpiece in terms of technicality (it is pretty simply shot and edited aside from that creative scene mentioned above), but it is a film many should experience just for how enjoyable it is. It is a great love story and highly re-watchable.

9/10

I'm convinced that everyone should see "When Harry Met Sally" just for the orgasm scene. I can assure you it's worth sitting through a romantic comedy for (on display here is meg Ryan's considerable charm and comedic talents), and it's a classic piece of cinema for a reason. And speaking of romantic comedies, here's one that defies the ridiculously formulaic nature of the genre as it's become in recent years; intelligent, accessible, and even though the relationship material has been mined by myriad sitcoms over the last twenty years, its voice still seems fresh. The dialogue's got wit, and it works well given this well-chosen cast.

Even if this isn't doing it for you, settle in for a great Harry Connick Jr. soundtrack.

7/10

Words cannot describe how much I loved this film. There have been romantic comedies that don't quite appeal to me, but When Harry Met Sally is just wonderful. It is for me everything a romantic comedy should be, funny, witty and charming. The screenplay from Nora Ephron got nominated for an Oscar, and so it should have done. There were times when I laughed out loud(I'll have what she's having"), and other times when I was like "Aww, that's really sweet". The direction is wonderfully astute and detailed, as is often the case with Rob Reiner(The Princess Bride, This is Spinal Tap and Stand By Me-the latter is a favourite of mine). The New York locations are really beautiful, and the soundtrack is in one word beguiling. The lovely story argues the question of whether men and women can ever have a friendship without sex, and there are so many funny and charming scenes, particularly the fake-orgasm set piece, the only scene I was familiar with prior to watching the film. And of course the acting is outstanding; Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan(at her prettiest I think, though she was stunning in Sleepless in Seattle as well) are perfect together, while Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby give a real sense of edge to their supporting performances. Overall, a delightful romantic comedy. 10/10 Bethany Cox

I watch this film one a year with my wife. It lifts our spirits when we might be down. Thank you to the cast and crew for a beautiful movie! Billy Crystal is a treasure and Meg Ryan too. Together they make magic on screen.

I see all the favorable reviews of this one, and when I first saw this in '89, I thought "great". And it is a leader in the romantic comedy genre. Billy Crystal has a way of pulling off these kinds of roles. He's good, great timing, funny almost anywhere. Meg Ryan plays a good part also; she is good in most of her comedy roles. Her serious roles leave little to be desired. Rob Reiner's direction is good but predictable. We see New York through a stereotypical camera. He makes us think everyone in NYC is Italian when they're young, and when they get old, they become Jewish. I suppose this is humorous to the populace.

Well, I watched it again recently, and I have a question: Am I the only one who thinks these characters whine too much? Don't they have any better things to do with their energy than lament over the slightest trouble they confront? Yes, this is "Seinfeld before Seinfeld", and Seinfeld is funny, but I can't watch it for too long before feeling exhausted.

The movie is about couples and their love troubles. Billy Crystal is charming, woman love this, it's his unintimidating, "I'm fallible" humor. Meg Ryan is made out to be a smart career woman who is stupid(big career woman can't drag a Christmas tree).

Characters suffering from a neurosis for our entertainment is funny, but it's not romantic. Woody Allen invented neurotic, romantic comedies in the movies. That's enough.

If you love the TV comedy "Seinfeld", you'll love this one. If you get tired of "Seinfeld", you know what to expect. It's entertaining but.............

It gets a 6.

WHEN HARRY MET SALLY

I was disappointed.

This is supposed to be one of those classic films… I guess I didn't get it.

This was just a regular, average romantic comedy. I didn't hate it… it just wasn't anything special.

Everyone knows the famous scene in this movie when Meg Ryan fakes an orgasm in a café.

Yeah it was funny, but not laugh out loud funny.

The film stars Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan who are 2 people who car share their journey after leaving college.

They do not get along very well on the way.

5 years later, they bump into each other and they still don't like each other.

Another 5 years passes and they bump into each other again… and they both have something in common… they have both recently been dumped.

So… they cry on each others shoulders and become friends… and the rest is what you can expect from any romantic comedy.

The one thing that was different about this film was the dialogue. A lot of the movie was just Harry & Sally talking. Not a lot else happened through the movie, it was just their opinions on certain things and them talking to each other… but I liked this. The dialogue was very good in this film. It was not boring and you actually wanted to hear their conversation. It was very well written.

The acting was really good too. Billy and Meg both did a great job and Carrie Fisher was in it and she did a good job too.

One of the things I did like about this movie was the feel of it. I love 80s movies and you can really tell this is an 80s film.

They have a completely different feel to them than the more recent movies… and I love them.

In my mind, the 80s films are the best.

I will give this film 6 out of 10.

It was OK… but I guess I had to watch it at the time to understand why it is so classic.

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The relationship between the title characters is explored over the course of a dozen years. This treads the same ground that Woody Allen's romantic comedies have been exploring for decades except that this feels like one of his lesser efforts because Reiner is not in the same league as Allen. This is an uninspired, by-the-numbers exercise that is fondly remembered by audiences primarily for its single funny scene - the fake orgasm by Ryan at a deli. Unfortunately, everything else about this witless comedy also seems fake, including the emotions and the relationships. The intermittent interviews with the couples is meant to be touching, but comes across as pathetically contrived.

Can men and women ever be merely friends, without the temptation of sex rearing its ugly head? This is the question that this movie so famously posed - and so glibly answered - almost fifteen years ago. As it follows the progression of Harry and Sally - a pair of charming, if neurotic, Manhattanites - from enemies to confidants to lovers, it seems to smugly relish the fact that it has proven its point: men and women can never just "be friends" - sex is always the bond that unites them. But the film is so manipulative, so dogged in its pursuit of this goal, that it never appears an alternative position was ever considered. So, as philosophy, chalk When Harry Met Sally up to around zilch.

Now, disregard the above paragraph. Because When Harry Met Sally makes up for its slights to credibility and lack of rigorous thought by being easily the funniest movie of its year (1989). This humor flows mainly from the beautifully crafted scenes and dialogue; indeed, each scene is a dialogue set piece (and could be transferred to the stage quite easily - surprising no one's ever done it, actually), which flows with the firm and confident rapidity of a 20th century Shaw or Oscar Wilde. Of course, this approach has its downside, too: mainly that the lead characters seem less and less like real people and more like tools for the brilliant lines and conceits of the screenwriter (Nora Ephron - never better; in fact, never even remotely close ever again). This may have something to do with the film's inability to seem completely real or true to human nature as it actually plays out - but with lines like these, who's complaining?

For, what is great about the movie is not its originality (it steals from all over, especially Woody Allen movies, and the few ideas it can truly call its own are, as I've said, not particularly bright or well-thought out), but its ability to hone in on stereotypes of character and situation and offer pithy and hilarious precis of the male-female condition through the witty banter and interaction of its characters. As such, the film is less like a conventional movie and more like a stand-up routine dealing with life and love in the Big City: it is to be judged not by its content, but by the dexterity of its put-ons and one-liners. (It is not surprising, for example, that several of its set-pieces and comic notions were revisited just a few years later, and in much the same manner, on "Seinfeld".) In that regard, it succeeds flawlessly.

Just think of all the conventions it gets in, and skewers: the one-track mind male (Harry); the "sensitive" and practical female, repulsed yet intrigued by said male (Sally); the emotionally unsettled mistress playing the field (Carrie Fisher, who keeps an index card file of "available" men); the live-ins who can't "commit" (Sally and her ex-boyfriend); women's concern with middle age and their biological clock ("I'm gonna be 40," weeps Sally. "When?" asks Harry. "Someday."); the male's tendency to skip out after making love; the horror and unpredictability of blind dates; and, in a scene which is almost passe to mention anymore, women's ability to fake orgasm. The way this film jumps from one familiar convention to another would be embarrassing if it weren't for the fact that each one is handled with such economy, humor and grace.

Billy Crystal acquits himself well as Harry - predictably, perhaps, as it's a part tailor made for a standup comedian. Still, seeing him in this after years of half-baked movies and fawning Oscar presentations, it's a revelation how glib and unlikable he can allow himself to be . . . and *still* be likable. Yo, Billy, if you're listening out there: try incorporating some of Harry's darker shadings and more egocentric traits into your future roles; it gives you a more complete palette to work from and keeps you from being too generic and schticky. And your charm and humor will always shine through anyway.

If Billy needs to edge a little bit closer back to Harry, though, Meg Ryan needs to get Sally completely out of her system. This role, deservedly, made her a star - but she has tried to go back to this particular well once too many times, and it's become way too familiar: you know, the adorable, bright-eyed bit - mentally disheveled, prissy around the edges with just a wisp of klutziness, all topped by that cute, mega-watt smile. It has become now the "Meg Ryan" character, but back when Sally came along it was still fresh, and it was tied to a particular personality. Ryan gives Sally a shy-cum-toughness as well as a moody, slightly cynical and self-deprecating wit that is just totally right. She and Crystal play off each other like two old pros, and they weave in and out of some charming and hilarious verbal music.

It's funny, but I just recently saw this movie on a Saturday afternoon television marathon of "Romantic Weepies" - and it struck me as an odd designation, because this movie is anything but a weeper. It takes a clear-eyed, almost cynical view of love and companionship, and creates around it a charming tapestry of bracing wit and crunching dialogue. So save the violins and the handkerchiefs for romantic comedies less sure on their feet - whose deficiency in wit must be made up for by a surfeit of melodrama and manipulation. This movie is manipulative too, of course, but its manipulation is almost beside the point. It's the laughs along the way we remember here, not the big kiss or the grand embrace. That Harry and Sally were "meant" for each other and that the film "proves" it is much less important than the fact that Sally does one hell of a great orgasm.

Waiter, I'll have what they're having . . .