Are you one of those people who has never seen When Harry Met Sally? If your answer is yes, I say what are you waiting for? They say that laughter is the best medicine, and this movie is worth a few laughs. Yes, it’s a chick flick about male/female relationships, but it pokes fun at both genders—in a good way! A collaborative effort by the hilariously talented duo Nora Ephron (writer) and Ron Reiner (director) during their marriage, this film presents many insights into the thoughts, feelings and behaviors that drive men and women either closer or further apart.
It’s 1977, and Harry and Sally meet because they both need to drive from Chicago to New York for college. Sally is immediately annoyed by Harry’s personal philosophy of life; he brags that he reads the last page in a book so he’ll know how it ends, in case he dies before he gets to finish it. Harry’s first impression of Sally is that she’s high maintenance; when ordering at a restaurant, Sally always has specific instructions for the waiter involving many things being served “on the side”. Then Harry kills any chance of a budding friendship when he reveals his version of the truth about whether or not men and women can be friends. They survive the drive and shake hands, thinking they’ll never deal with each other again. Five years later, they meet again when taking the same flight. Harry’s now engaged to be married and Sally’s in a new relationship that’s getting serious. As they chat on the plane, Sally soon realizes that she’s still annoyed by Harry, and can barely wait to exit the airport when they land. Skip ahead another five years, and we see Harry and Sally meeting again in a New York bookstore. Harry’s getting divorced and Sally has just broken up with her boyfriend. This time, they find a connection, a friendship forms, and after a few funny ups and downs, they fall in love.
This movie has something for everyone. My husband rolls his eyes every time I bring home a chick flick, but When Harry Met Sally has some clever, enjoyable dialog that gets him chuckling and keeps him glued to his seat. My parents may not be able to quote it like I can, but they both declare it a fun film. So I think it passes the test for a fairly wide audience. Just be sure to serve it up with popcorn—on the side.