User Reviews

The stagnant echoes of a long-distance fantasy: A 2.0-star "narrative void" of rhythmic failure.2011 (2.0)I watched "Sleepless in Seattle" in 2011, and it remains a disappointing 2.0-star record in my archive—a film that failed to provide a visceral "revelation" despite its status as a 1993 romantic classic. Encountering this story nearly two decades after its release, the narrative rhythm felt incredibly "stagnant" and mechanical, lacking the "chewy" intellectual depth or the "raw" emotional stakes I require for a higher rating. While it attempted to depict a "vivid" and fate-driven connection, the execution felt "pathetic" and reliant on coincidences that failed to shatter the fourth wall of my skepticism. The 95% preservation of my memory is dominated by a sense of "silent frustration" as the plot followed a predictable, rhythmic crawl toward the Empire State Building, offering no "sensational" payoff for my time. Unlike the high-tension genius of "Fermat’s Room" or the "vivid" soul of "Hairspray," this experience provided no meaningful emotional payoff, leaving me in a state of detachment rather than "hororong." It stands in my 2011 record as a "stagnant" artifact of 90s sentimentality—a "pathetic" encounter with a "vivid" concept that felt more like a dated exercise in cliché than a "raw" journey of the heart. This 2.0-star entry left no permanent, "sensational" scar on my soul, serving only as a rhythmic reminder of how "raw" romance can feel hollow when it lacks a truly "sensational" and high-tension soul.

Perfect. No notes. I don’t even mind that she stalks him a bit. Love is crazy!

It's a shame Sleepless in Seattle droops down into the slums of a typical romantic comedy formula somewhere in the second act, because up to that point it had been a surprisingly delicate, open-hearted perspective on the mourning process. Tom Hanks, who effectively flexes his solemn-face muscles for most of the picture, is the titular "Sleepless," a widower who doesn't believe in love after loss and can't close his eyes without getting tangled in painful memories. When his son convinces him to sit in on a call to a self-help radio program, he gains fame among the desperate middle-aged set. Mixed in among that pack is a not-quite-ready-to-be-married Meg Ryan, who obsesses over him to a worrying degree. It would be curious to see this play out with the roles reversed today - would it be dubbed a timeless romance or a dark dose of suspense? I was on the hook for that first act, but when the tone shifted to allow for more punchlines, it lost its way and bucked me into the dirt. Mildly funny soap opera material for the most part, it's disappointing Hanks and Ryan didn't have a chance to revisit the chemistry they'd first sparked in Joe Versus the Volcano - the two charismatic stars only share the screen for a few moments.

Sleepless in Seattle is an exceptionally tender portrayal of a love story. While fate plays a significant role, the romantic story of the male and female leads is deeply moving, like a breeze filled with Comrades: Almost a Love Story that brings them together.

Equally charming leads doing all the heavy lifting in a uniquely setup rom com.

Quirky romantic dramedy uses its star cast well. While the screenplay is decent I found the leaps in logic from the plot to be a little too much! Still it was a fun watch in 2023.

Decent romance movie. It was kind of cheesy in a lot of parts in the movie. Overall though not bad. It's a classic a deserves to be seen at least once.

Sam and Annie only meet in person just 2 minutes and 5 minutes if you include the scene when Annie seeing Sam and Jonah in the beach and on the road, but the movie still be really good and leave me personally satisfying, why?, because they making both Sam and Annie personal life interesting, added with Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, and Ross Malinger amazing performance, Sleepless In Seattle is incredible.

Es una buena comedia romántica con Tom Hanks y Meg Ryan; es muy recomendable.

That's your problem. You don't wanna be in love, you wanna be in love in a movie. Rummaging through the movies that really helped me at my lowest points, You've Got Mail was the first one that came to mind. So instead of giving it a rewatch (I do hate it when movies don't live up to my first viewing of them), I thought it was a sign I should finally get around to the other Hanks/Ryan Nora Ephron film. Again, this one proves how exceptionally good Ephron was at balancing out the gooeyness of her far-fetched romantic stories with some sincere dialogue that grounds a story about a star-crossed lovers in reality. The premise of two people who have never met and live on opposite ends of the country become infatuated with each other seems destined to leave viewers incredulous. But at its core, it's a story about a man (Sam) overcoming grief after losing his wife, instantly thawing the cynicism of a woman (Annie) once she hears on a radio about his "magical" love story he once had. Consequently, Annie goes to great lengths to meet Sam while grappling with the idea of leaving her strait-laced fiancé in the process for fear of leading more of a satisfactory life rather than a genuine one. That's why Annie's storyline proved more interesting to me, and Meg Ryan did an amazing job at expressing this kind of a dilemma Annie goes through from the moment she's crying while listening to the radio to the very end. She managed to express a myriad of troubling emotions that can only be inferred because of the lighthearted nature of the film. The chemistry between her and Hanks is once again undeniable despite, sadly, sharing very few scenes together. Crammed with humorous cynicism and self-awareness, Sleepless in Seattle also elicits more than its fair share of chuckles, whether coming from its endless movie references (with An Affair to Remember being at the top of them) or Hanks's sweet interactions with his on-screen son. Definitely not near as tightly-scripted as You've Got Mail, as its plot sometimes may feel like is stretched-out to death. Plus, despite being perfectly paired with some scenes, the soundtrack is full of on-the-nose choices. Nevertheless, Sleepless in Seattle is just the mood-booster I wanted right now.

A Necessary Nap. Sleepless In Seattle Ephron is a believer in simplicity. More importantly, she is a believer. Her entire film whispers to be it, her characters and her arc of the film, everything trying with full effort with all its heart. And on the other hand, her world is pragmatic as ours, often gullible and often mature, this is what keeps the film grounded. This culmination of two different tone sets the film in balance. There isn't too much manipulative melodrama nor too little of the sincerity that it requires. And armed with a dream cast like such, Nora Ephron; the co-writer and director, teases her audience with a panache that you are practically giddy up for more. With dreamy eyes and goofy body language Annie, (Meg Ryan) is born to be a rom-com actress, she is having doubts on her engagement, she has a best friend that is there to settle the scoreboard with humor and she is a believer. But what makes her stand alone is her love for the film, "An Affair To Remember", in fact every female character in here goes on and on with their references, from someone who doesn't even show up to little girls. And man-spreading the boyish charm is Sam (Tom Hanks) who cries while even talking about "The Dirty Dozen". His character falls under the sort of pity category and still Ryan's silliness steals the show, probably because she seems more honest and unfiltered than him. Ross Malinger as a sassy kid is utterly convincing in his cloak and plays a major part on getting these two lead characters together. The humor is not overdoing it, but subtle and satisfying and often relied upon other characters that are not part of the film. Sleepless In Seattle is dreamy but not that satisfying as your usual romcom, there is a maturity in its speech this time.

Sleepless in Seattle features great performances by Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Their chemistry on screen is so lovely and natural, and it really elevates the movie to a whole other level. The script is a little simplistic, but you'll fall in love with these two characters and the honesty of their scenes, that you'll forget all about the script's flaws.

A funny and cheesy piece of entertainment, Sleepless in Seattle is a timeless romance starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Though the duo rarely share the screen, the moments they do and the moments they do not are filled with the air of being of a classic Hollywood romance. With two well matched leads and the film fully aware of its status as being a far-fetched Hollywood romantic film, Sleepless in Seattle is an irresistibly adorable film that is always entertaining. Striking a balance between grieving, romance, and comedy, it is clear that this film is by a woman, Nora Ephron. With the romance being found in the words, not in the looks, the film is a romantically written depiction of the true meaning of love. In my review of Carol, I discussed the power of a look. In that film, Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara share a look that makes it feel as though time has stopped. The look in their eyes make it appear that all of their questions have been answered. Sleepless in Seattle contains a look of the same quality. With just fleeting moments of Sam (Tom Hanks) and Annie (Meg Ryan) sharing the screen, Ephron casts aside words. Instead, the power of love is found in a look and a touch. From there, magic happens and the romance in the film is cemented as being nothing less than magical. However, equally important are the words. Hearing Sam, grieving from the loss of his wife, on a radio show, Annie is moved to tears by his words about his wife. Ephron's writing captures what women want: a man who loves them. Sam loved his wife and was not ashamed to admit it or tell the whole world about that love. Simple statements such as asking how long he had to explain what he loved most leave Annie and women across the country in a sea of tears. While the film can be a bit sexist as it shows women as being emotional wrecks and men as emotionally distant, it works because these moments are so exquisitely written from a romance standpoint. Ephron does not hide that she is trying to emulate classic 1940s/1950s romance films such as those with Cary Grant with repeated references to An Affair to Remember. Instead, she fully embraces the cheesiness and over-the-top romantic nature of those films. With audacious romantic set pieces such as the Empire State Building, absurd coincidences, and repeated references to fate, Sleepless in Seattle is cheesy as all hell. Fortunately, cheese is often delicious and this film certainly fits that bill with a gooey center that leaves you feeling happy. The dialogue in the film emphasizes that cheese with the characters merely dropping words that women would kill to hear from, apparently, any man. The film's comedy is great, especially the running gag regarding An Affair to Remember. However, as always, Hanks is an able comic with great delivery of his various comedic lines. Ryan receives less comedic lines, but when given the chance, she nails the line. Yet, the biggest fault of the film is its treatment of Walter (Bill Pullman). Though romantic and funny, Walter is cast aside because he commits the cardinal sin of men: being boring. He is boring. He is allergic to everything, sure, but he is also boring. He is safe and hardly exciting. He may love Annie and be engaged to her, but she quickly loses interest purely through hearing Sam. There is no magic between her and Walter. However, the film seems to go out of its way to make you see how boring Walter is, even by picking on his name and serious nature. By the end, when Annie dumps him, he is so boring he just lets her go. He understands and allows her to leave. Walter may be a good guy who does not want to restrict her, even if he loves her, but man is he boring. By the end of the film, Sleepless in Seattle seems to want you to understand that Annie is not a bad person for emotionally cheating on Walter, but we know the truth. Your partner being boring is not an excuse to cheat on them, even if you did not do anything sexually to cheat on them. Just be upfront from the beginning and do not lead them on. The funny part is she was fine with Walter until she sensed a better option being available. Here, the film really struggles and fails to justify putting its leads together. Fortunately, Sleepless in Seattle is a funny, romantic, and subtle piece of 1990s rom-com entertainment. With two well matched leads, the film is a vintage Hollywood romance film, even if it lacks scenes between the lovers and a great kiss finale. Through the lack of these, the film feels oddly authentic, even if its plot is absurd. Yet, Sleepless in Seattle is able to find realism by capturing the look, feel, and sound of true love from the very beginning of the film.

In fact, Ephron and fellow writers Jeff Arch and David S. Ward have conspired to make “Sleepless in Seattle” as purposefully schmaltzy as one can imagine, in a manner that’s almost cynical — as if audiences can’t be trusted to buy into a good, old-fashioned romance without trappings like skies replete with shooting stars. That said, there’s inherent appeal in the set-up, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan fare considerably better than their last pairing (for the record, the sputtering “Joe Versus the Volcano”), and young Ross Malinger is one of the most appealing and real moppets since Justin Henry — whom he resembles — in “Kramer vs. Kramer.” The biggest problem may be the leisurely pace Ephron pursues in getting to an outcome that’s such a foregone conclusion. Sam (Hanks) is still grieving over the death of his wife (Carey Lowell, seen in flashback) when his son phones a late night radio call-in show saying he thinks the solution is for dad to remarry. Sam reluctantly gets on the line and ends up spilling his guts, showing such sensitivity that thousands of women write in offering to cure his sorrowful insomnia. Among those listening is Annie (Ryan), a just-engaged newspaper reporter whose husband-to-be Walter (Bill Pullman) is sensible but not very exciting. She finds herself increasingly obsessed with “Sleepless in Seattle,” Sam’s on-air designation, fearing that she may be settling for “OK” on the romance scale instead of actually finding “magic.” The movie pursues a parallel structure, with Sam’s friends and son Jonah (Malinger) pushing him toward opening up while Annie voices her own doubts only to her co-worker Becky (Rosie O’Donnell) and creating a strain on her relationship with her fiance. There are some extremely amusing explorations of dating mores, plus more somber moments — providing Hanks an opportunity to strut his dramatic stuff — delving into Sam’s almost tangible grief. Yet for all the enjoyable flourishes, and there are many, Ephron keeps pausing to remind us, through various contrivances, that this is a movie, making it hard for anyone to really get lost in the story. And since the big question isn’t “if,” but “when” and “how,” the film loses considerable momentum about two-thirds through before rallying for a heart-tugging finale. More than anything else, “Sleepless” may be a boon to 20th Century Fox, spurring rentals of “An Affair to Remember,” which is used not only as a key plot device but as a running gag throughout — demonstrating a movie whose squishy romantic elements appeal to women more than men. In fact, it’s precisely that emphasis here that may prevent “Sleepless” from being quite the sleeper it could have been. Hanks certainly figures to increase his stock as a well-rounded actor and not just a comic, while Ryan essentially plays the same character as “Sally,” with pleasing if predictable results. Other supporting roles are generally strong, though Pullman is a bit less annoying than he should have been to prevent audiences from feeling undue sympathy toward his character near the finish. On the tech side, Sven Nykvist’s camerawork does the romance justice, while Marc Shaiman’s music and the carefully chosen song score evoke their share of laughs but at times prove overbearing. Tuned-in viewers may also feel the editing by virtue of the truncated appearances by some supporting players, though it’s also clear “Sleepless” is as long as it needed to be.

Sure, with the genius of Nora Ephron, Sleepless in Seattle is exactly what a romantic-comedy should be. For some reason, audiences always go back to this one. Perhaps, it is the strong connection it has to An Affair to Remember.

Romantic comedies are very difficult to get right. This “old classic” signed Nora Ephron is a good example of everything that can go wrong. Built on the success of “When Harry met Sally”, we have cute heroine Meg Ryan playing one of her romantic leads roles, inclusive of tics and weirdness that were her trademark. She could easily be a slightly older version of Sally, with a worse haircut. This time, her character is called Annie and she lives in Baltimore. Annie is engaged to Walter, whose main defect is being dull. This must be a terrible crime in Ephron’s book, since Walter is treated with zero respect. One night, Annie listens to Sam’s phone call to a radio station. Sam is a young widower, living in Seattle with his son Jonah. Just listening to his story Annie fells for him. Many criticized this idea of falling in love, which however is not the worst point of the movie. People fall in love for lots of different reasons, so I could buy Annie falling for Sam and trying to meet him. What I do not buy is the artificiality of all the events presented after that. Annie is a journalist and manages to be sent to Seattle to meet Sam, but somehow manages not to do so, even if she sees him twice (and he sees her too, managing to fell in love at “first sight”). They do not exchange words, even if she could have waited for him and introduced herself in a normal way. But that would have been way too dull for Ephron. Then there is a letter which makes unbearable Jonah instantly like Annie. Jonah tries to push Sam to meet Annie on top of the Empire State Building on Valentine’s Day. This is contrivance at the highest level, built in the script together with many references to the movie “An affair to remember”. Since neither Sam nor Annie live in New York, this “romantic” meeting on Valentine’s is supposed to prove that “love at first sight” does exist and can even be the basis for a long lasting relationship….. or whatever. What I got instead, is an overlong, unfunny movie where the two leads meet only at the end, which is certainly not the way I like onscreen romances to go.

This movie seems to just be a cute movie about love and Tom Hanks but realistically it is a horror story of people hunting down men with kids and stalking them to the beach.

Besides being a romantic movie, it's actually quite good. The only problem was the pacing, as sometimes it was a little dull but it always picked up. It's not meant to have any suspence, violence, explosions or anything else, but it is one of the movies you're like 'Well, okay, not bad." Tom Hanks is great as always. Diagnosis: See it with your boyfriend/girlfriend. Pros: Wonderful acting. Cons: Can be a bit too slow.

The movie feels cheesy at moments made from a well established recipe that aims to lure you in. But when it is a prefabricated as this then it is all anticipated and there is no suspense.

touching and lovely movie -