You've Got Mail

Plot synopsis:
An updating of 1940 The Shop Around the Corner and the1949 musical version, In the Good Old Summertime, to the Internet Age, You've Got Mail follows the squabbling and romance of two competing book retailers on Manhattan's Upper West Side.Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) awakens to the latest comments by her newspaper columnist boyfriend Frank Navasky (Greg Kinnear) on how computers are ushering in the fall of civilization. Once she has made quite sure Frank has left for the day, Kathleen starts her computer and goes on-line. She doesn't want Frank to know that she's exchanging e-mails with a man she's never met, Joe Fox (Tom Hanks). He is also keeping this a secret from his own girlfriend, publishing executive Patricia Eden (Parker Posey). Kathleen and Joe avoid discussing anything that might reveal their identities to each other, keeping to such subjects as pets, the changing seasons, and the charm of New York. They know each other only by their Internet handles "Shopgirl" and "NY152".Joe is an important executive in his family's business, Fox & Sons, a bookstore chain. Currently, he is readying a new "Superstore" (like a large Borders or Barnes & Noble). He has a bit of trouble attending to work rather than musing on Shopgirl's latest e-mail, but friend and subordinate Kevin (Dave Chappelle) finally gets him to focus. Joe says that although the locals won't think they want a big chain store, he knows he can seduce them with discount prices and cappuccino. Joe decides it's time to put up signs announcing that the Superstore is coming.Meanwhile, Kathleen starts a new day at her charming little children's bookstore, "The Shop Around the Corner", a long-time local landmark. She has doubts about her on-line relationship and discusses with cyber-savvy employee Christina (Heather Burns) whether it counts as cheating on Frank. Ultimately, she decides there's no real problem because "It's nothing."At Fox Books corporate HQ, Joe reports on the new store's progress and potential competition (including The Shop Around the Corner) to his father (Dabney Coleman) and grandfather (John Randolph). The latter revels that Kathleen's store was founded by her mother, with whom he had briefly exchanged letters and found her "enchanting". Another piece of news: Joe's father is planning to marry his taste-challenged girlfriend Gillian (Cara Seymour), the mother of his four-year old son Matt (Jeffrey Scaperrotta). This becomes another item to share in an e-mail to Shopgirl, who responds with anecdotes of her own.Kathleen's employees are dismayed to see the "Fox Books Superstore coming soon" sign on a building only half a block from The Shop Around the Corner. However, Kathleen is confident that her store's vastly superior service will prevent this from damaging her business. She ignores the ominous words from staffer George (Steve Zahn), "But they discount." Boyfriend Frank is quite supportive of Kathleen's optimistic assessment, but entirely oblivious to her uncertainties about whether running the store is really all she wants to do in her life. These are sentiments she can only share with NY152.One day, Joe is left in charge of his half-brother Matt and his Aunt Annabel (Hallee Hirsh), who is Joe's grandfather's ten-year-old daughter. In search of ways to keep them entertained, he takes them to a reading at The Shop Around the Corner, where he finally meets Kathleen in person. Joe is determined not to spoil a pleasant encounter by revealing that he's her competitor. The kids seem determined to spill the beans (Matt shows off the only word he can spell - FOX), but Joe laughs this off, manages to change the subject, and leaves with his secret intact. Still unknown to either of them is the bigger secret that they are each other's e-mail correspondents.The Superstore finally opens and is a big hit. The effect on Kathleen's sales is immediate and sharp. She claims this is just because the Fox store is new and that things will soon be back to normal, but she seems to be trying to convince herself. She and Frank attend an author friend's party, where she runs into Joe. He tries to preserve his anonymity, but is soon unmasked. His earlier attempts at secrecy now completely backfire, as Kathleen is convinced that Joe was spying on her. Her accusations, and her apparent contempt for big stores like Joe's, provoke him to belittle her shop as "insignificant but full of its own virtue." Late that night, Joe has trouble sleeping because he regrets some of the nasty things he said to Kathleen, but he can only reveal this to his confidante, Shopgirl. She admires his ability to come up with deflating comments on the spot, something she's never been able to do. From this point on, relations between Kathleen and Joe become icy, and they usually avoid acknowledging each other when they happen to meet, which occurs surprisingly often.After further discussion with longtime friend and store bookkeeper Birdie (Jean Stapleton), Kathleen admits that the problems at her store aren't going to solve themselves, and writes to NY152 for advice. Since she won't reveal to him that she's in the book business, he gives her general business advice summed up in the Godfather quote "Go to the mattresses". He explains this as meaning "Fight to the death" and also gives her his mantra "It's not personal, it's business". Kathleen accepts this advice and starts an anti-Fox Books campaign, including media coverage, a neighborhood rally, and picketing at the Superstore. This, particularly Kathleen's TV interview where she twists some of his words to suit her purposes, is aggravating to Joe, but ultimately doesn't have any impact on her sales problem.Finally, Kathleen decides that to get the support she needs in this crisis, she should meet NY152 in person. The on-line friends, still not exchanging names, arrange to meet at Cafe Lalo. Joe brings Kevin along and has him check out who's there (with the agreed upon identifier, a book with a rose). Kevin recognizes Kathleen from her TV interview and lets Joe know. Resenting that Shopgirl turns out to be someone he dislikes, he threatens to leave, but finally enters the cafe. However, rather than revealing that he's NY152, he pretends he has again merely bumped into her. He makes cynical comments about her book, Pride and Prejudice, and the fact that someone has apparently stood her up. As their arguing progresses, Kathleen finally comes up with a dig that succeeds in hurting Joe, "You are nothing but a suit". He leaves, and at first seems unwilling to continue their on-line exchanges. After he reads an e-mail expressing how she values NY152, plus her regrets for being cruel to the unpleasant person who was there instead of him, he resumes the correspondence.Changes in the characters' lives quickly follow. Kathleen decides to close her store. She and Frank admit they aren't in love, and part amicably. Joe has an epiphany on a stuck elevator and leaves Patricia, moving to his boat. Although it involves no immediate financial hardship, the store closing is painful for Kathleen, as it ends a connection she had to her mother. Joe's dad breaks up with Gillian, who has started a relationship with Matt's nanny (Katie Finneran). While discussing this with Joe, he mocks the notion of ever finding "the one person who fills you with true joy" - at which Joe appears to come to a realization.Still not revealing that he's NY152, Joe makes a concerted effort to become friends with Kathleen. He brings her flowers when she has a cold and accepts her criticism of his "It's not personal, it's business" philosophy. When she reveals that she only knows the man she was expecting at Cafe Lalo from e-mail, he encourages her to meet him. Joe gently stops Kathleen as she's about to make a crack he knows she'll later regret, and they are both surprised by the intimacy of the moment. On following days, he manages to spend more time with her, showing that he can be amusing and supportive. Kathleen mentions that she is making progress as a children's author and that NY152 had given her the idea to try. One day, she tells Joe that she in finally going to meet NY152 later that afternoon. Joe expresses his regrets about the hostility at the beginning of their relationship, and says if it hadn't been for this, he would have asked her out "for as long as we both shall live". Kathleen is moved, but has to leave for her rendezvous. This time there are no tricks, and when she sees Joe and realizes what this means, she tells him "I wanted it to be you." They kiss - a bit awkwardly at first, but then with conviction.

Tags: romantic, boring, psychedelic, comedy, sentimental

Review:
Romantic comedies are not everyone's cup of tea; after all, who would want to watch unrealistic stories about ordinary people 'coupling' when we are offered such wonderful everyday experiences as ten car pileups, hordes of people being slaughtered in a hail of bullets while shopping, goblins, explosions, vampires and intergalactic spaceships?But the majority of women, and many of those men who do not see themselves as the Governor of California will surely find much to like in this charming eye-moistener.Tales of this ilk can easily be mawkish, but this one largely avoids the trap, thanks to an intelligent script, the believability of the lead pair (as well as the supporting cast) and good pacing that leaves the denouement until the closing shot..
In films like You've Got Mail, where you can almost predict how it's going to turn out as soon as the opening credits appear, then it is up to the writers, director, and actors, to get us to enjoy the journey to the end credits.
Tom Hanks is believable as the head of a gigantic bookstore chain, as is Meg Ryan as the owner of a small children's bookstore shop.
As the guy who is putting Meg out of business by opening a chain store close to her little shop, Tom Hanks character comes across as the arrogant person who only goal seems to open as many bookstores as he can, and make as much money as he can in doing so.
Kathleen's vulnerability and pride in her mother made me cry and Joe's sensitivity and devious behavior were so very sweet.I didn't think that Tom Hanks & Meg Ryan could pull off a romance better than they did in Sleepless In Seattle but I am happy to be mistaken..
Three-quarters into the movie I was wondering how they would ever pull off a romantic and yet believable ending, but the scene at the garden was one of those perfect moments in filmmaking.
Mail is a clever story, cleverly acted by Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks.
Let's talk about this movie: I'm gonna be honest with you, this isn't Forrest Gump or The Green Mile, but it is romantic, special, wonderful and it made me smile and wish for them to get together in the film, and in the end I was just happier then before!
Pleasant, undemanding fluff reworks 1940's "The Shop Around the Corner" (remade initially in 1949 as the musical "In The Good Old Summertime") and reteams Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan for the second time in genial plot about rival bookstore owners.
Despite the lack of laughs, it was as feel good as it gets.The movie was blessed with two great actors, a creative idea, excellent writing and directing.
If the movie is trying to make a social statement about big book chains with no personality (like Hank's Fox Books) greedily driving the little stores with charm (like Ryan's Shop around the Corner) out of business, how is it that the filmmakers chose to put every other scene in a Starbucks?
If you must indulge in such romantic piffle, you can see essentially the same movie by renting "When Harry Met Sally." But then you would also get the added bonuses of performances that aren't so paint-by-numbers, some actual humor, and a few likeable supporting characters..
Or, perhaps Mr. Hanks really wants to be feeling and genuine and Ms. Ryan would love to have brass balls beneath her kilted skirt that swung out so far it could smash the men who got in her way?
tom hanks and meg ryan (who have amazing chemistry and are wonderful, evocative actors) are charmed with each other based on the words they say, not something superficial like looks.
Each character is great - even the children - and You've Got Mail truly explores and portrays (with comedic but not in-your-face stereotypes) the different people that inhabit Manhattan: the intellectual, the businessmen, the rich families, the struggling young adults, the idealists...
Hell is indeed other people, if they're Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan (and a Nora Ephron marathon on infinite repeat in the background).
We've seen Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan doing this before; they work well together, and it's fun to see them at it again.On the other hand, the other story going on - the conflict between the small corner bookstore and the big chain - gets in the way of the obligatory happy ending.Now suppose the roles had been reversed; would anybody perceive this as being a happy ending, and the movie containing this story as a fun romantic comedy - or would all the attention be focused on the business battle?The implied message here is that love is more important to women than their career.
WRONG.If there's a lazier, more pleased-with-itself, predictable, trite, non-urgent movie than this, I'd like to know--so I can avoid it too.If you go in expecting the Nora Ephron of WHEN HARRY MET SALLY or SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE, you'll be disappointed.
Tom: Oh, I ruined your business but I guess I love you anyway.Meg: Now I'll be a good little girl and go to work for you.The movie is loooooooooong, stupid, boring and did I mention long?
This film starts out in a promising way, small bookstore owner Meg Ryan is about to be put out of business by mega-store guy Hanks, with the twist being that they are also anonymous e-mail friends.
It was a good premise for a romantic comedy, and Hanks and Ryan have done well together in the past, but the storyline becomes contrived and implausible, and the whole thing falls apart.
You've Got Mail runs way too long, and I really had a problem with Ryan's increasingly warm feelings towards Hanks, who is trying to put her out of business.
Meg Ryan, the small business owner, has her bookstore driven into the ground by Tom Hanks and his Borders type mega-store but all is forgiven in the name of love.
Hanks, as a cold-blooded, ruthless mega-book store owner/developer wipes out Ryan's beloved family bookstore, with a "so what" its "only business, not personal," attitude, plays her for a total fool with his knowledge of her and her not of him in their email exchanges, rips her life totally apart and then has the unmitigated gall to go after her to complete his heart...and she falls for it.
The third of the three films Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks starred in together, You've Got Mail is my favorite of the three.
Joe Versus the Volcano was a great and quirky adventure, but Sleepless In Seattle was merely OK, having made the mistake of keeping Ryan and Hanks apart for too long, as the greatest appeal of their films is the two's chemistry.
You've Got Mail manages to brilliantly find a way to keep them apart and together at the same time.Kathleen Kelly and Joe Fox are internet pen pals, frequently sending e- mails to one another, not knowing each other's real name and leaving out specifics that would give away their identities.
As the two clash in their real lives they continue to communicate and develop a relationship through their e-mails, not knowing their rivalry.As previously mentioned, the greatest part of the film is the chemistry between Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks.
If you're a fan of either Meg Ryan or Tom Hanks, or both (like me), you'll definitely enjoy this film..
It has a great story, great dialog, great characters played by great actors (not only Hanks and Ryan, but the supporting cast as well does an excellent job), and a great city showed in all seasons with each giving a distinctive feeling.
"You've Got Mail" is a third pairing of Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in a romantic comedy.
Who can ignore the charm of a young vivacious Meg Ryan, I can't, neither does James Fox. A simple but lovely romcom with the right chemistry between Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan makes this movie beautiful.
I love watching the movies of Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, and together they just light up the screen.
However, I think the movie was a little too long and the Tom Hanks character spent too much time stringing Meg Ryan's along after he discovered the secret.
Not only is the entire movie a shameless plug for AOL that happens to be in the form of Sleepless in Seattle, but Tom Hank's love ode to Starbucks?
They're just lucky they got such respected and talented actors such as Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.
While Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks appear to be genuinely nice people, this film is nothing but a disguised attempt to make sexism and multi-national corporations look good.Meg Ryan owns a small store that gets put out of business by a chain book store with severely uneducated clerks who earn very little money.
What will happen to their happily ever after ending when she sees him do this to another person, except this time he does it with more "compassion?"  Because Hanks' character didn't truly change (he would have had to denounce his family's business practices), the message is clear: Give in, submit to big business.Even the very set-up of this film is sexist.
(Btw, I'm a man and I saw this sexism from the get go.)This film, in the simplest terms, is a thinly disguised sexist pro big business fairy tale that's supposed to make us feel better about our losing a way of life -- the "shop around the corner" where everyone knows your name, knows the products and isn't out to screw the small guy..
On the contrary, Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan and Nora Ephron can be counted on to perform very well.
This movie may have Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks together again, but in no way is it a duplicate to the '93 hit "Sleepless in Seattle".
Maybe it's Tom Hanks and his ever smug niceness, which is really blinding us from seeing his real evil.Whatever is wrong, I don't know...this movie is just not right.
The amazing chemistry between Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in "Sleepless In Seattle" made me eager to see this film, and I really thought I would like it, but unfortunately it fell short of my expectations.
The best things about this film were Meg Ryan's adorable wardrobe and the amazing New York City scenery.
To those who are wont to put forth the proposition that `They don't make em like they used to,' I have a rejoinder:  The two best romantic comedies ever made, EVER, have come our way since 1998; one of them is `You've Got Mail,' an absolute delight of a movie directed with heart-felt care and finesse by Nora Ephron.
It's the story of two people who meet in a chat room on the Internet; Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) is the owner of a chain of bookstores, and Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) is the owner of a small, independent children's book store called `The Shop Around The Corner,' whose continued existence is threatened by the  Fox superstore which offers discounts and cappuccino.
This is a great story, with outstanding performances by all, the dialogue is crisp and witty, and it's all put together and delivered so well, and with such style and class by Ephron that it makes `Sleepless In Seattle,' (an excellent movie in it's own right) seem like a mere warm-up for this team.
The musical interludes, which set Hanks and Ryan at different stages of their relationship against the backdrop of New York City, are entirely effective; the city comes alive during these scenes and adds further character to the overall ambience of the movie.
`You've Got Mail' is quite simply the second best romantic comedy ever made, and it should have walked away with a basketful of Oscars, especially for Meg Ryan's performance.
I don't want movies to lose Meg's qualities.Tom Hanks, too, plays an excellent role.
The dialog is witty, the story is charming, NYC has never looked better, and Meg Ryan, Tom Hanks are at their best.
Plus I think the Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan were so good for the roles like if they had anyone less "nice" than Tom Hanks you wouldn't feel sorry for him when she is mean to him and people wouldn't "like" him and that would screw up the whole feel of the movie.
I've been a Meg Ryan fan for years, even though I still think that "Harry & Sally" was the best movie she ever did, this one comes second.
While "Sleepless in Seattle" was too  fixed on this other movie that I have never seen and I could not relate to the 'why' they fall in love (I know that can't be explained), the storyline of "You've Got Mail" really touched me.
That's just the reason why I watch movies with Meg Ryan.
This two hour advertisement for Starbucks and AOL was not only predictable and boring, I found myself utterly frustrated with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks' chemistry.
(There is no need to mention but Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan again make a nice couple.)I haven't seen the movie for more than a year now but it still reminds me of newly sharpened pencils.
Tom Hanks was slightly less flaky than his too cute to be worth the six bucks I paid to see this movie counterpart, Meg Ryan.
The best thing I got out of this movie was a nap and a few good laughs at the fact that people still actually enjoy mindless, less than awful romantic comedies that leave you thinking, "Is this a joke?" Sorry, but think my dog could have done better..
We all know real romances are never going to be as beautiful and perfect as they are in a movie but when I see this kind of film I still feel my heart beating faster.
The chemistry between Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan is definitely impressive and we could see that in "Sleepless in Seattle".
So if you are hopelessly romantic this film is a must and if not you can still have a good time watching the funny situations in which Meg and Tom get involved..
If you liked Sleepless is Seattle, you will love this movie!.
You know that a movie starring both Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan is going to be great.
You know that a movie starring both Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan is going to be great.
SEEING MEG RYAN AND TOM HANKS TOGETHER AGAIN WAS A WISH COME TRUE.
Sounds pretty retro to me.Although I have always sort of liked Tom Hanks (how can you not) for some reason I have always been deeply suspicious of Meg Ryan (except in When Harry Met Sally - wasn't that her in some other life?) She's made a career of appealing to men's befuddled desire for a woman who is childishly cute and very non-threatening and, let's face it, not very real.
Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks are charming.
Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks are charming.
If you are either a fan of Tom Hanks or Meg Ryan, you will have a good time.
Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are at their snarky and sentimental best in this classic romantic comedy where opposites attract via a love of books and social media.
When it come to romantic couple in the movie, ryan and hank is the best.
The stars both Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks are in the centre of their disguises in this movie with their lives being based here in their work.
Tom Hanks is one of most charismatic actors of his generation, I've spent most of the 90's deeply in love in Meg Ryan and I'm obviously naive enough to fall on pattern Hollywood pathetic, cause I cried over at least quarter of a movie.
Small time book owner Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) is living in the Big Apple and must compete with the opening of the new Fox Books run by the high profile Joe Fox (Tom Hanks).
Well, this isn't a masterpiece that i would watch again & again to ponder about, but it is surely a good piece: The actors are excellent; maybe Ryan & Hanks will be remembered only for those romance castings, but they get the feeling for it, the chemistry between them and in a career, it is better to have one memorable label than no label at all.
They make contact on the internet but she doesn't know her true identity and she doesn't know his.This is supposed to be a romantic comedy in the vein of Sleepless in Seattle but Hank's character is not likable.
I didn't like this movie much for that reason.Meg Ryan is just getting too old to play these parts any longer.
She certainly has been cute in previous movies but now her wrinkles are showing.Tom Hanks is just too good an actor to play these slight roles anymore.
The film leaves you awed and feeling happy for our two united lovers, just like any good romantic comedy should.Sure, it's different than Sleepless in Seattle, but in terms of achievement, Nora Ephron hasn't lost any points yet.dan.
Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks really work good together..
Nora Ephron did it again - she put Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan together with a wonderful script and created magic.
And some romances have begun on the internet, a phenomenon explored in You've Got Mail.Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan with writer director Nora Ephron last teamed in the hugely  popular Sleepless In Seattle.
Another smash for Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.
Meg Ryan actually outshines Tom Hanks in this one but both stars are good.
This is a pleasant movie, with winning performances by Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks.
The film is hampered by the fact that Ryan and Hanks have little screen time together until the last thirty minutes.
This film is not nearly as good as Ryan's best romantic comedy, WHEN HARRY MET SALLY.