While many films have dealt with the whole man/woman relationship issue, few have done it more successfully or humorously than "When Harry Met Sally." As directed by actor-turned very successful director Rob Reiner ("Stand By Me," "The American President") and sharply written by Nora Ephron (the writer turned later director of films such as "Sleepless in Seattle" and "Michael"), the film's main thrust (no pun intended), is whether men and women can just be friends (as can straight members of the same sex) without sex entering the picture and convoluting and/or messing up the friendship.
It's the sort of tale that Woody Allen and TV's "Seinfeld" have tackled both before and after this 1989 release, and while it will forever be best known for the outrageously funny but perfectly executed "fake orgasm" scene, the overall picture is an astute observation of the mating game. Of course, without the right people in front of and behind the camera, the film easily could have been some sleazy and/or sophomoric production.
Fortunately, for most viewers at least, it's not and both Reiner and Ephron apply just the right touch to make the film both wittily informative - equally targeting both sexes - and near always entertaining. It certainly doesn't hurt that the filmmakers were bright/fortunate/lucky enough to cast Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan in the lead roles.
Crystal, then fresh off the success of TV's "Saturday Night Live" and several feature films, perfectly plays the epitome of the sensitive, but still man's man, with the typical guy's attitude toward relationships and sex. Ryan, starting off what would be a string of romantic comedy characters in later films such as "Sleepless in Seattle" and "You've Got Mail," is a perfect foil as his antagonist, friend and/or lover (depending on when and where one jumps into the film).
Mainly a two-person show, the sparks (romantic and otherwise) generated by the two is off the charts, and a great deal of the enjoyment of watching them and the film is seeing the transition that occurs between them. Supporting performances from the likes of Bruno Kirby ("City Slickers") and Carrie Fisher ("Star Wars") as their two best friends are good, but there's no doubt this is the Crystal/Ryan show.
Nor is there any question that this is most definitely a "chick flick," although it does have enough male oriented humor and observations to keep men interested and entertained. Although the film may be more than a decade old now, and while the plot doesn't really deviate too far from the standard romantic comedy formula - despite a few interesting and amusing variations that are thrown in - the film is just as insightful and entertaining today as when it was first released. We highly recommend it.
As far as the disc itself is concerned, the video and audio deliver exactly what's expected of them, while the supplemental materials (including the always favored director's running audio commentary) should keep fans of the film pleased and busy for some time.
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