8.25.24 - Thoughts on When Harry Met Sally
Carrie Fisher is in this movie? At first I missed it because her voice sounds nothing like it does in Star Wars. This woman’s voice keeps fucking changing.
Anyways, they don’t make em like this anymore. This is one of the few Meg Ryan romantic comedies I hadn’t watched yet. I loved it! Here are some thoughts.
I was surprised by how initially repulsive I found Harry’s character. I think it’s because it’s an accent you just don’t hear much anymore, and I feel like it’s associated with a scummy sort of character these days. And the whole older guy dressed like and playing a college kid just doesn’t seem right. But he becomes very charming very soon, and the snappy witty dialogue becomes pleasing, almost infatuating to listen to. I fucking loved this dude by the middle of the movie. I guess that’s how Sally feels!
Overall, I think Bill Crystal Was really great. He reminds me of a Bill Burr type. Which makes sense since they’re both comedians. Something I’ll say is that they don’t let normal or sort of ugly looking dudes be leading men anymore. Remember how Tom Hanks was in movies. That guy is as vanilla as they come. And I’m sorry but Bill Crystal is probably below average by today’s standards. Not very large or fit, and not a very handsome face on first impression. Definitely not a look-match for Meg Ryan.
Male movie stars, especially leading men, are just so much hotter today (no homo). Is this bad for society? I notice that we’ve mostly laxxed the beauty standards for women in media today (not a judgement, just an observation. We have more body types and types of attractive represented, which I think is good) but that men’s have narrowed somewhat. Yeah you have a variety in that there are twinks and buff guys but there are no really mid guys. Does this reflect a trading off social/economic power between the genders? Does the female gaze command more market power today? Plausible. There’s probably something cyclical here as well. Who is to say.
Meg Ryan is cute as she always is. She’s got a very pretty and timeless face. At first seeing the two together feels profane because of how pretty she is and haw slovenly Harry initially appears. The scene in the cafe is absurd. Aside from looks, which maybe I’m talking about too much, her performance is amazing. She’s a very talented actress, and plays the character’s slow loosening up really well. Bill Crystal’s portrayal of Harry’s evolution from this crass dickhead to a softie is also really believable and authentic. It never felt contrived. Which sometimes these things do.
But by the third chapter they are extremely cute together and you start rooting for them. I’m obsessed with the chemistry they had throughout.
I like the trope of a guy who gets a girl by progressively getting under her skin. It’s pretty prevalent in some older movies but not so much anymore I guess.
Some other notes, I like movies from this time period because of how they look. I like the clothes they wear, I like their hair, I like the tech they use. I liked seeing Carrie Fisher whip out a rolodex, I like seeing them use the landline phones in bed. Something about it is very cozy.
Maybe people my age understand this; growing up in the 2000s all o this was this world that just existed, right before you existed, but its artifacts were strewn around you; we grew up with the old landline phones around, maybe in a garage or something, but not plugged in. We saw the old boxy CRTs and beige computer rooms and our paren’t filing cabinets. To your parents it wasn’t all that long ago; to you it’s a world that is intimately close yet inaccessible. That’s how a movie like Home Alone feels. It feels how it does when you know your parents are downstairs watching a late show or movie you can’t join in, but you know it’s what they’re doing, and you sleep with the comfort that they’re still awake.
Something about the movie I notice is that Meg Ryan’s friends are trying to set her up. People should do that more.
The supporting cast in general is very good. I really liked Bruno Kirby and was surprised to find that he didn’t have a lot of other similar roles. He was so likable.
Finally, I like the ending and the I liked the music. The use of “Let’s call the whole thing off” was sweet and nice. Beautiful movie and one that I will doubtless rewatch probably every year. It’s one of those kind of films.