You've Got Mail Review

Disclaimer: Contains spoilers!

Plot Summary: Through much shenanigans, two people fall in love after corresponding back and forth through email.

Review: Well, it's the month of love as Valentine's Day approaches. Although I loathe the concept of a mindless, materialistic holiday such as V-day, I have vowed to review a romance movie each year. Who knows...maybe I'll even cover two! I also mentioned in the past that I thoroughly enjoy this movie probably more than I should. Ehh...it's a guilty pleasure, but you gotta love that nostalgia, baby. Come on, those early days when the internet was hitting every household and AOL dominated the market; hell, this is a glorified advertisement. But beyond the shameless product placements, there's a moving story about trying to find that one person in the world you connect with on a deeper level. On top of that, this film showcases that curiosity many of us felt with the introduction of chatrooms, instant messenger, and email in general. It may be hard to imagine for the youngest and oldest generations, but it was as if we were all a bunch of kids coming outside to play for the first time. We were hesitant but oh so intrigued by the friends, or lovers, we could meet. Now the internet has become a wretched hive of scum and villainy--overwhelmed with trolls, shills, attention-seeking crybabies, tools wanting to be e-celebs, and skanks posting selfies. Just blow this world up already.

Wait, what was I talking about again? Oh right, "You've Got Mail!" So apparently this is a semi-remake of a play that has been turned into a movie more than once; minus the email aspect of course. This was heavily pitched back in the day as the long awaited reunion between Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan who play the main characters, Joe and Kathleen, respectively. I think the story could have easily worked without them, but they turn in commendable performances--better than "Sleepless in Seattle" to me. With that said, I'm sorry, but Meg Ryan never plays a character I can envision myself romancing as I watch along. Maybe it's that pouty face or that her last name is Ryan, but she's not working for me. If anything, her involvement, and my enjoyment nonetheless, should be a testament to the story.

Speaking of the story, it's made overly complicated with many subplots, but I think these aspects enhance the sense of realism; in other words, the main characters have many people in their lives and they have problems too. Ignoring the details, the primary story is fun especially if you can relate to the era. Even if you can't, the notion of falling in love through a correspondence is a timeless idea. The times when Joe and Kathleen are emailing each other are classic. Of course there needs to be drama--so when the two meet in person for the first time, not knowing one another's internet identity, they become enemies. As it would turn out, Joe owns a big chain of bookstores while Kathleen owns a small, localized bookstore. Although there are numerous instances of shenanigans, Joe eventually puts Kathleen out of business which furthers the animosity between the two while bringing the email relationship between them closer. Ironically, the internet is what has killed bookstores in real life! Joe discovers that Kathleen is the girl he has been falling in love with through email and decides to try and woo her in reality. I think this is when the movie really picks up, unfortunately, this is when there's only a half hour or so left. Joe and Kathleen become close, but Kathleen is still in love with the idea of her mystery internet man. Since this is a movie, of course Kathleen is dying when she realizes that her internet loverboy and Joe are one and the same. The film ends with the two kissing as we can assume they live happily ever after. I do want to note that when Joe is wishing he and Kathleen had met under different circumstances, right before she goes to meet internet man, this was a powerful scene. Especially when Joe touches Kathleen's shoulder and she's all hot and bothered--practically orgasms!

I don't know how to describe why I love this film so much. It simply resonates with me. That longing to be together usually gets to me, as I've mentioned before, and I almost didn't want them to be together just so that sensation would be heightened. But I am still pleased with the sappy, predictable, Hollywood ending. There are instances of shallowness where they discuss the hope that the person they're talking to would be attractive, but both characters acknowledge that the looks wouldn't matter much. It's great that the two love the other's personality, connect to one another, and that their relationship is based upon meaningful (to them) conversation; I feel a lot of relationships nowaday fail because the couples have no real connection (plus, that narcissism is a bitch). Of course I would hope to have some endless, across time and space, through heaven or hell kind of love, so it's enjoyable to behold what is intended to be that kind of a romance. Whether or not that was successfully achieved in this film is up to the viewer, but I feel as though they accomplished their goal.

Okay, this review has been mostly incoherent, so I would like to throw out a few observations. The main detriment to this story was the idea that Joe and Kathleen were sort of cheating. I'm okay with the film giving the two preexisting love interests but those should have been dropped significantly earlier into the story. I get that they were meant to be portrayed as shallow relationships on their last leg, but, still, it would have made the characters more innocent. Why was Dave Chappelle wasted here? I mean, come on, make use of Dave! And why was Joe, this rich dude, walking around, shopping, and hanging out like a regular person? Give me a break; he'd have a minion doing his bidding. I have been dying of laughter reading various comments regarding the "Rooftop Killer." My goodness, I guess they dropped the ball on that little subplot. My favorite was that Birdie was the killer! Another interesting theory I read was that perhaps Joe's grandfather was actually Kathleen's father...or her father was the Rooftop Killer! Finally, let's face it, this movie needed a cybering scene. Yeah, yeah, they discuss the topic, but let's be real...there should have been a moment where Joe and Kathleen acknowledged it.

Okay, I've been all over the place here, but this is a great movie. Is it corny, sappy, and a cliche-ridden romance flick? Of course, but that doesn't mean you can't be pleasantly entertained to watch the love story unfold. The comedy isn't as abundant as you may think, but that's not necessarily a bad thing as I prefer more emphasis on the romance anyway. If you experienced the "you've got mail" phenomenon of the late '90s, you will be that much more engrossed in the story. True enough, parts of the story needed polish and the best parts of the romance are a tad rushed, but this is one of only a handful of romance films that engages me. This V-day, I definitely recommend this as an agreeable viewing for all the wives, girlfriends, spouses, lovers, mistresses, favorite prostitutes, Rooftop Killers, etc. out there. Enjoy!

Notable Moment: When they interview Joe for the news and edit what he said. Besides being hilarious, it's a spot on representation of media manipulation. Seriously, mainstream news can rot in hell.

Final Rating: 7.5/10