Wonderful romantic comedy, but with a disclaimer

Rating: 7/10 (20 March 2006)

This is a fabulously entertaining romantic comedy, one of my sister's favorite movies ever. (However, I personally have a 'difficulty' or two, and I suspect so might she.) Meg Ryan (Sally) is cute and fresh, and Billy Crystal (Harry) charming and funny. The movie asks that age old question...can two people of opposite gender remain just friends, or will sex intrude upon the friendship?
The couple in question, Harry and Sally, meet right after college while sharing a car trip. During the drive, they bicker and take an immediate dislike to one another, concluding that they have nothing in common. Five years later when their paths again cross, Harry is engaged and Sally has a businessman boyfriend. After another five years, they meet again; Harry's wife has just left him, and Sally's boyfriend is out of the picture. The two become great friends, sharing witty barbs, ideas and opinions, confidences and support.
Then one night, Harry and Sally sleep together. Will their friendship survive? Will it develop into a deeper relationship? Will he still respect her in the morning or will he bolt? The last part of the movie answers these questions, with a wonderful humdinger of a romantic New Years Eve ending. It's a really fun, amusing, witty, touching, feel good comedy romance. Wonderful endearing stars with great chemistry together, whether as enemies, friends, or eventually lovers. HOWEVER...
Sadly, it reflects the morality of our times. No more friendship, love, marriage, and sex in that precise order. Now it's perceived as novel that Harry and Sally enjoy such a lengthy friendship before having sex. Well, I guess that's preferable to just rushing the newly acquainted couple straight to bed, as is the general case in modern cinema (and life). It's a cute story, but let's just not hold it up as the ideal. One reviewer noted that Harry and Sally had to sleep together before cementing a romantic relationship, in order to determine whether or not they were sexually compatible. I'll let that pass, other than to voice disagreement.
Also, the legendary restaurant scene where Sally fakes a orgasm. Okay, yes, I suppose it might be considered (marginally) funny, but it simply made me wonder whether the screenplay writers had been watching too many shampoo commercials.
Can two people of opposite sexes remain just friends? According to this movie, apparently not...but I'm not convinced.