You've Got Mail represents the tail end of the golden era of romantic comedies, during which writers and directors were trying to get an angle that would work for a more cynical movie-going public. Nora Ephron, with her rapier wit which she often hid within a cinematographic soft glove, was one of the more successful filmmakers of the later period. This film is a remake of The Shop Around the Corner from an earlier rom com era, so there are layers to the references in this movie, and if you catch them all, some of them are quite ironic. Especially the unintended ones, though. The script updates the story of the big retailer putting the small retailer out of business even as the two proprietors fall in love by recasting the retail stores as bookstores (this was actually a very big deal in the 90s) and the pen pals are corresponding via email rather than snail mail this time around. Looking at this film all these years later, you can't help but marvel at the fact that the filmmakers had written a romance about a big box bookseller winning the girl by utilizing a tool that was destined to put him out of business one day. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan both have a great deal of personal charm individually and solid chemistry together, so the movie works on that level. Some aspects of the film aged less well than others. For example, the opening scenes that show Hanks and Ryan seeing their lovers off to start their days, and then sneaking back to their laptops to emote at each other via email, are played as cute hijinks, when today their actions would be recognized as an emotional affair. It's immediately clear that neither one is involved with a suitable lover, and then those lovers very conveniently (and somewhat ironically) develop a connection with each other, but still. This movie is somewhat of a time capsule, and still worth a watch with that in mind. Hanks and Ryan do a better job of selling the idea that these two can overcome his rampant trampling on her livelihood through their personal connection to each other much more successfully than the script manages to do.

What I liked most about Sleepless in Seattle was its wit, humour and charm. You've Got Mail has the charm and the humour evident in the performances and chemistry of the actors, however it just lacks the wit of Sleepless in Seattle. Both Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan give excellent performances, and their chemistry is believable. The supporting performances from Greg Kinnear, Jean Stapleton and Parker Posey are also impressive, if careful not to overshadow the two leads. The music is lovely, and the backgrounds of New York are especially nice to look at. The direction is good, if lacking the extra bit of sparkle that was used in Seattle, and sometimes the script and story is a tad underdeveloped. But as a romantic comedy, I really liked it, it is very sweet and good natured and it makes me feel good. So I will give it a 7.5/10. Bethany Cox

Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) runs a small neighborhood children's book family store handed down to her from her dead mother. Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) runs a large corporate box store about to put her out of business. Unbeknownst to either one of them, they are the best of internet friends. But in the real world, they can't stand each other.

Director Nora Ephron rejoins with her 'Sleepless in Seattle' leads. The biggest difference is that the magic isn't there this time around. Sleepless doesn't let them get together until very late in the movie. Yet the radio talk show phone calls allow more magic in the story than the tippy tappy quippy internet correspondence. This time around, the forced separation really damages the movie. Having them involved with different people does nothing but drag out the movie. It does improve markedly when they are together after the closing of the store. This is not a special rom-com but it's reasonably acceptable.