A classic romantic comedy with a semi modern twist.

Rating: 7/10 (3 April 2017)

Can men and women be friends without sexual tension? Well, let me rephrase. Can straight men and straight women be friends without sexual tension? That's what the screenplay of this modern classic asks, pre cell phone era, where relationships of the friendship and romantic kind depended on people having conversations without a gadget in their hand. People had to take the time to really get to know each other, and often, relationships of the romantic kind started off as relationships of the friendship kind. This is two old pros of romantic comedy at their best, although it is obvious that Billy Crystal is simply playing Billy Crystal, not that that's a bad thing.
Meeting as travel partners, Crystal and Meg Ryan do not quite hit it off. Although their initial meeting is less than stellar, they don't soon forget each other. Five years go by before they see each other again, and then another few. The third meeting is the charm as what she initially saw him as a freak has turned into something more concrete. It's friendship, not romance however, and being inseparable, certain emotions take over, twisting their initial thoughts about each other into something completely different. As he insisted that women and men can't simply be just friends, will she be proved wrong, or will the romantic bug not bite?
Charming and simple, this features some very funny moments and a fantastic supporting cast. Famous for the fake orgasm sequence featuring director Rob Reiner's mother Estelle, this has some allegedly real couples off the street describing their own romantic pasts. Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby offer sage advice hysterically as the best friends, while Michelle Nicastro (the very first "Les Miserables") plays Ryan's pal involved in a non ending liplock with Crystal in the opening scene, followed by soap hunk Steven Ford missing Ryan at the beginning of Ryan and Crystal's second meeting. Harley Kozak, rising up from soap heroine to film actress, has a brief appearance as Crystal's ex-wife. (Between these three and soap vet Ryan, this had a bit of soap power in its often comic soapy storyline). While Ryan obviously is not a singer (quite rancid actually singing a showtune), she is funny, and next to Tom Hanks, Crystal is her best on screen partner.