depressingly realistic, but too much fuss about marriage

Rating: 8/10 (1 May 2001)

I loved this movie from the start, and even after the sixth time watching it's still great. The main theme of the movie, Harry's point that men and women can't possibly be friends, is bitter and really a problem. Harry and Sally, who at first are little attracted to each other, develop an intense platonic relationship, but when finally "the sex part gets in the way", all seems lost at first.
There's one thing that I dislike much about this movie as well as about other stories that tackle the same topic: it's that marriage is depicted as the summit of love. The interludes with couples telling the stories of their relationships and how long they've been married already could be meant ironically since love doesn't always play a great role, but altogether the movie seems to hold that when two people love each other there's only one more thing to be done: get married; instead of just being happy to have found each other and to fit perfectly together.
In a way the movie plot both supports Harry's theory and provides a way out: keep away from the other sex, or if you can't, marry the person of your interest. ouarg!
But nevertheless: for all its absolutely great dialogues (Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal play their parts very well) it's really worth watching.