MovieChat Forums > Sleepless in Seattle (1993) Discussion > This is what ruined the movie for me

This is what ruined the movie for me

posted 8 years ago by safard
16 replies | jump to latest

After looking up Sleepless in Seattle, I saw that it held positive reviews and was a popular romance movie. I'm a young gay male and I love a good chick flick. There were a lot of things to enjoy about this movie: Megan Ryan was charming, Tom Hanks good as always, Rosie O'Donnell was in her prime in the 90s, etc. But I could not get past how unrealistic this movie was. One user review on IMDb said the following:

The movie's plot starts to stretch plausibility at the end, but not to the point where it destroys the entire film.

I have to disagree with that user because I could not get past the idea that Meg Ryan would break off her engagement with a kind, successful, mostly flawless man in search of "magic" that she might find in some guy who lives across the country that she heard on a radio show.

Is it possible that Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks would end up falling in love and live happily ever after? Yes, but that's an incredible risk to take on a man in Seattle she knows nothing about. I suppose there are a couple of ways to interpret this movie. If things did't work out for Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks after the movie ends, and you don't simply denounce Meg Ryan as a fool for breaking off her engagement, then maybe you could argue that it would be better for her to be alone than to be with someone she has to settle for. But should we really spend our whole lives chasing "magic"? In my view, Meg Ryan's character broke off her engagement with a really good man in search for an angel. Her fiance made her happy, but not happy enough.

Though most of us long to find a lover to spend our lives with, do you believe we search and search and not stop until we find the one who makes us feel "magic"? Or should we learn to set realistic expectations and just take the best of what life gives us?

[–] HorrorFanatic24 8 years ago

I agree it was far fetched

[–] rizdek 8 years ago

Far-fetched. I used to kind of like it, but don't watch it anymore. But I think she was essentially cheating since she went off to look for this guy without letting her fiance know.

[–] troytx76576 8 years ago

With respect, I think both of you are taking this film WAY too seriously. I am currently watching the movie on the PBS station in Buffalo,NY and it's simply the type of fluff, featherweight film that would have come out in 1993. Also keep in mind this was the last feature film that Hanks did before winning back to back Best Actor Oscars for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump.

[–] synergy273 8 years ago

I think it was just a common theme in the 90's for movies.

[–] Fully_Loaded 8 years ago

for me it was when an 8 year old boy travels from Seattle to New York City all by himself and sits on the top of the Empire State building

it makes good story telling though

[–] shredder08 8 years ago

As soon as he realized everything that she had done: stalked him, jilted her perfectly nice fiance (who did not deserve that treatment), he would have ditched her. She was nuts.

[–] purplenad2004 8 years ago

He saw her in the airport in Seattle while he and Jonah were waiting for Victoria and was mesmerized by her and started following her, then lost her. He sees her again standing in the street when his brother and sister in-law visited and they say hello to each other. I don't think he would ditch her.

[–] purplenad2004 8 years ago

After telling Walter about Sam, she also tells him that it's not him (meaning Sam), it's her. I'm guessing that she just wasn't feeling Walter anyway so when she hears Sam on the radio, she finds his story interesting and soon is unable to stop thinking about him.

[–] tessany 8 years ago

I think it's come down to one simple question. Do you believe in soul mates? If you don't, I can see how you would have problems with this movie. And if you REALLY want a movie that will be having you yelling come on! At the screen, then you should try SERENDIPITY with John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale. :)

[–] !!!deleted!!! (64820750) 8 years ago

I don't think Meg Ryan was seriously in love with Bill Pullman. I think she loved the idea of him. Maybe she did love him but not head over heels in love with him. Yes, her idea of chasing magic from across the country was a little unrealistic but I don't believe it's not possible. You can tell they shared an instant connection when they first saw each other. Even Tom Hanks said he felt like he knew her from somewhere. Also, when Annie was listening to them on the radio, she said the word "magic" with him. So I think there was chemistry before they even really knew each other. Some people have a better connection with someone they just met compared to someone they've known for years.