When Harry Met Sally... (1989)

The review praises the perfect teaming of Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal in this romantic comedy about whether men and women can be friends without sex. It highlights the glitzy New York locations, beguiling soundtrack and expert, irresistible escapist entertainment.

The critic declares the film perfect and Nora Ephron’s finest work, praising its flawless script, central performances, New York photography and jazz soundtrack. Everything works in this pitch-perfect romantic comedy.

Director Rob Reiner and screenwriter Nora Ephron deliver a witty, affectionate look at modern romance and marriage through sparkling dialogue and character growth over 11 years. The film stands out as the summer's unqualified delight with its hopeful tone and memorable scenes.

The film is a sunny, witty love story about two people who take 12 years to realize they are meant for each other. It benefits from strong chemistry between Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan and Nora Ephron's sharp dialogue.

The review calls the film a cynically lovely and whip-smart archetype for the modern rom-com that remains fresh despite countless imitators. It singles out Ephron’s playful script exploring contradictions in romance and the intimate, lived-in performances.

The critic admires Nora Ephron’s acerbic writing and Rob Reiner’s intimate, sympathetic direction of the central characters. She highlights the film’s playful nostalgia for classic Hollywood romances alongside its 1980s melancholy and the memorable fake-orgasm scene.

The critic calls the film a 1989 gem that re-invented the metropolitan romantic comedy by blending sharp dialogue with emotional literacy. The famous fake-orgasm scene and the script’s handling of sex, dating and friendship are singled out as highlights that still make it a treat.

The critic notes that the film's central theme is not pushed far enough to be gripping and questions the believability of the central friendship and chemistry between leads. That said, Reiner is praised as an un-neurotic filmmaker and the film is celebrated for its New York setting and enduring appeal as a funny, cheerfully vulgar romantic comedy that frames the sexual dilemmas of its era.

Rob Reiner's film is a cute, sentimental sitcom-like version of a Woody Allen romance, full of amusing lines but hollow and reliant on deja vu. It romanticizes the lives of neurotic New Yorkers while debating whether men and women can be friends.

The movie inflates a screwball idea into a shallow, self-satisfied sitcom that strings together shtick instead of delivering genuine craft or plot. It reaches for sincerity but ends up phony, with characters left underdeveloped despite the cast's efforts.

The critic calls the film a beautiful, brainy, touching and lilting romantic comedy that should touch the heartstrings of lovers everywhere. Reiner’s direction is praised as gracefully and powerfully accenting Ephron’s script, with strong praise for the performances of Crystal and Ryan.

Nora Ephron's script cuddles up to audiences with unrelenting cuteness about platonic friendship turning romantic, aided by Rob Reiner's deft direction. The material engages until plot mechanics make it feel shapeless, with the only unpredictability being the long wait for the couple to connect.

The critic praises Ephron's realistic dialogue and the natural chemistry between Crystal and Ryan as they portray a decades-long friendship turning romantic. The iconic deli scene and the film's timeless New York love story are highlighted as enduring strengths.

The critic calls it quite simply one of the best romantic comedies ever made, praising its sharp script, strong lead chemistry, and memorable scenes like the deli fake orgasm.