When everything changed...

Rating: 7/10 (18 August 2005)

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.