Discovering Love: A Review of When Harry Met Sally...
When Harry Met Sally... centers on the enduring question: In prior years women and men are friends but they cannot contain themselves so it became a necessity to include sex. The story revolves around Harry and Sally from when they both get in the car after graduation to travel to New York to when they have shared ten years of their lives. It plays out in the style of an overall romantic comedy that infuses humor into deeper dramatic experience and seeks for the philosophical in the ordinary and the banal. Crystal’s Harry has a sarcastic sense of humor while Ryan’s Sally is cheerful and pretty. The characters they both create take what appears to be a normal love story and turn it into a deeply touching tale of relationships.
Shining through his brilliant direction is comedy interpolated with moments of profound romanticism that blends into a beautiful love story that always leaves a profound impact on the audiences when watched under Rob Reiner’s direction. This turned out to be his greatest strength in The Green Mile : maintaining focus on the evolvement of the relationships as well of keeping the spirit of the music alive. It enriches the plot with the notes of aesthetic originality to the revealed emotional experience. Kind of cinematographic originality of New York as the setting for the drama contributes to the understanding of romantic city experience. Every frame feels carefully curated for an aesthetic experience.
The movie captures the New York of the late 80s in every detail, be it fashion or interior design, and thus depicts the time well.
While there are fantastical elements, they are not the focus of the movie despite being a part of the plot, which is more character-driven.
The storytelling passionately transitions between time-frames in the development of Harry and Sally’s relationship, This is good because people do not lose interest in the main characters’ development.
Also, Reiner does not rush with the pacing and intently works through funny gags and reflections at the right time. This allows for realization of deeper themes and concepts not to overshadow the overall breeziness of the film.
The script of the film is full and quick-witted with memorable and honest dialogues. While Ephron’s brilliant screenplay says much about love and friendship, and the nature of men and women as social beings, the later may seem quite primitive to today’s viewer. However mishmash of genre and some aspects of dark comedy overshadowed by good performances of the leading pair and Ephron’s spirited script.
When Harry Met Sally… is a charming, old-fashioned picture about friendship and love with a talent for comedy and romance. It does this in a way that stays with you if you ever ask yourself questions about relationships at all. With captivating storyline and memorable performances, the movie remains one of those that enamor audience, despite the long interval on the screen.
