guest blogger: You've Got Mail

Today I have a guest blogger. She knows a lot more about romantic comedies than I do! Let's just call her "bumblebee", and she has the buzz on romantic comedies!

For my first guest review on The Buzz, I had to review a romance comedy classic: You’ve Got Mail.
You’ve Got Mail has all of the right elements. It is romantic and funny. Nora Ephron (the romantic comedy queen) produced, wrote and directed. (Her works include Sleepless in Seattle, Bewitched and Julie and Julia.) It is set in New York City. The on-screen chemistry between Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks is undeniable. There is even a Christmas scene! What more could you ask for from a romantic comedy, right? Wrong. The movie has an extra element of whimsy that you don’t often see in similar movies. Its clever writing and brilliant tone add extra sparkle and make this movie a class above the rest.
For example, Kathleen Kelley, the movie’s heroine, has flawless taste and is adorable. It is throughout the entire movie. Just watching her clothes, her store and her apartment makes you want to know the character, or even be her. The movie even unnecessarily mentions it. It is weirdly inspirational.
Perhaps my favorite part of the movie is the AOL Instant Messaging. You’ve…Got…Mail. It forever captures the wonder of the nineties as the internet makes its way into every home.
The movie’s premise is one that we’ve seen before, but it is done well. A big bookstore mogul seeks to take out a small bookstore “The Shop Around the Corner.” The owners fall in love online through chatting (without giving away their identity). Professionally (and in person), they are battling. Eventually, their identities are revealed and they struggle to separate business from life and family. They find themselves through the process…and they find each other.
If you love romantic comedies, you have to see this one. It is sweet, fun and refreshing. Even if romantic comedies aren’t your thing, it is worth seeing. I think that you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
4 out of 5 hearts