Hands down the greatest romantic comedy of all time

Rating: 10/10 (23 June 2008)

Romantic comedies are perhaps the most formulaic movies around. Some are better than others (such as While You Were Sleeping and Sleepless in Seattle) and some are weaker (such as License to Wed and others), but they all follow a rather familiar plot. Boy meets girl and after a series of improbable and funny situations, they ultimately fall in love. So how does "When Harry Met Sally" feel so original and fresh every time I watch it despite following this same basic premise? Two major reasons stand out which make this film a one of a kind: Firstly, the screenplay is undoubtedly one of the five funniest I've ever seen. It's similar to Juno (which people were divided on; I personally loved it) in terms of it's wittiness and while most people don't talk quite like this, it is a joy to hear the actors perfectly pull it off. Secondly, the actors are perfect. This is essentially a four person movie, and it is perfectly cast; Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan have the best chemistry that I've ever seen on screen and Bruno Kirby and Carrie Fisher have some of the funniest lines as the best friends of Harry and Sally ("you made a woman meow?!) Each scene is a little gem, from Harry and Sally's first conversation about sex on their way to New York to their chance encounter in an airport to Sally's famous fake orgasm in a restaurant. The movie is also peppered with hilarious tidbits from random couples about how they met and fell in love ("At that moment I knew. I knew the way you know about a good melon.") I am not the kind of guy who hates all romantic comedies, branding them as chick flicks which bore me to tears. In general, they are not my favorite genre, but if done correctly, I enjoy them. "When Harry Met Sally" sets the bar for romantic comedies. It is sensational from start to finish and after over a dozen viewings of it, I love it more than ever. "When Harry Met Sally" is a perfect movie. 10/10!