I've had my fair share of online connections, and I'm curious - have you ever met someone online and then met in person? Maybe you've even found a lifelong friend or the love of your life through the internet?
Meet Joe Fox and Kathleen Kelly, the stars of the movie 'You've Got Mail', who met online in the early days of email (before the rise of messaging apps). They're just like all of us who've ever connected online - unsure of where this connection will lead.
It's a low-pressure way to get to know someone, and it's easy to end things at any moment (kind of like sharing stories with a stranger you'll never see again, but somehow feeling more genuine).
It's weird that in online conversations, we often talk about trivial things rather than the important stuff. But for me, those trivial things meant more than many important things.
And before you know it, this non-committal online chat starts to feel like flirting.
Joe writes to Kathleen: I wish I could've sent you a bouquet of sharp pencils if I knew your address.
Joe's words are like a gentle breeze on a summer day - they make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Kathleen writes back to Joe:
My heart starts racing as I walk, and my breath gets warmer in my chest, until I hear two short words: 'Your letter.' Nothing else - not even the sounds of New York City. Just the beat of my heart. I got a letter. From you.
And it would've been fine if it weren't for two things:
Joe and Kathleen both have significant others (is it love or just a desperate attempt to escape loneliness?)
Joe and Kathleen are competitors in the book business (she has a cozy little bookstore inherited from her mom, where every nook feels like a soul, and he has a family-owned chain of Fox bookstores)
And, of course, they have no idea what's going on. In real life, neither Joe nor Kathleen suspect that they're the mysterious strangers they've been chatting with online.
This is where things get really interesting. Throw in some 90s New York vibe, the charm of a young Tom Hanks, and the understated allure of Meg Ryan - and you've got a movie that's guaranteed to leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. I'd go so far as to say it's my favorite romantic movie of all time.
Yes, the heroes in this movie are a bit naive (although Joe is definitely more down-to-earth than Kathleen when it comes to business, but when it comes to love, he's just as clueless). But they're also incredibly romantic. Their online flirting is sweet and innocent, like a genuine heart-to-heart conversation. And their in-person banter is hilarious.
You should really get to know me better.
I already know you pretty well: instead of a brain, you've got a cash register, and instead of a heart, you've got a financial report.
– You know, sometimes I find myself wondering...
– About what?
– Well... if I weren't a Fox Books and you were a Bookstore on the Corner, and we just... you know, met...
I love how Joe and Kathleen's online correspondence is like a love story that gives you butterflies – it's genuinely endearing to watch them, and every time it feels like you're falling in love with them all over again (with life, with love, with the flirting, with your partner). That's what makes this film so special – it's the genuine emotions, the romance at its most thrilling. It's infectious, it makes you fall in love!
I've gotta say, Joe and Kathleen's lives are like a never-ending game of cat and mouse. They're constantly running into each other, and before they know it, they're getting closer – maybe even falling for each other? The thing is, they can't quite admit it to themselves. And those mysterious pen pals they've been corresponding with seem like the perfect partners... until you realize that real-life partners aren't exactly off the table. It's a total love life mess, if you ask me.
Now that I've hopefully piqued your interest in my favorite love story, let's talk about what else makes this film so special.
The Narrator's Voice
The way the characters read their letters aloud, sharing their thoughts and feelings, really draws you into their inner world and creates a super intimate atmosphere. If they didn't do that, we'd never get to see the depth of their characters and emotions.
And the narrator's voice – it's like having the author's own voice guiding us through the story. Our protagonists, Joe and Kathleen, are total bookworms, and they own a bookstore to boot. So, what better way to immerse us in their love of books than through the narrator's voice? Sometimes, it feels like we're not watching a movie, we're reading a novel.
The Enchanting New York City
But what really gets me is the way the film captures the romance of falling in love in a big city like New York. A city where it's hard to find that special someone among millions of people. But you can't help but want to fall deeply in love and stroll hand in hand through the streets of New York.
Being alone together
Meanwhile, Joe and Kathleen are stuck with their 'perfect' partners, but the thing is, they're just not happy. So, exchanging messages with strangers becomes a breath of fresh air - it feels like this person is closer to them than their current partner.
- Don't you love me?
- But we're just meant to be together!
I've been there too - you think someone's the one, but deep down, you know it's not the real deal. The relationship's going great, so why rock the boat, right? Maybe you'll never find 'the one.' That's how life goes on until... you meet the real thing. Lucky you if it happens to both partners at the same time, but more often than not, it's not like that. You've got to have the courage to leave your comfort zone and take a chance on someone new, leaving behind the familiar and predictable life you've built. Will our heroes take the leap? Watch 'Love Letter' to find out;
Strangers with a Twist
In online chats, people often feel more comfortable opening up to someone they'll never meet in person. Maybe they think their partner in real life won't understand them, or their friends and family won't get it either. But with someone hiding behind a username like 'Seller' or 'NY152,' it's easy to talk about anything and everything without judgment.
Joe and Kaitlin share sweet observations about life, like two philosophers in their own right.
I've noticed that places like Starbucks exist mainly for people who can't make up their minds. They offer six different sizes of coffee, with or without caffeine, and with or without cream. It's like, for $3, you can buy a coffee and feel like you're being individualistic, even if you have no idea what you're doing.
Joe gives Kathleen some advice to draw wisdom from 'The Godfather':
'The Godfather' is like a book of change. It's a collection of all the wisdom you need. It's the answer to every question. What to pack for a summer vacation? 'Leave the gun, take the cannoli.' What's the day of the week? 'Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Wednesday.'
Kathleen shares her vulnerability:
– But nothing personal.
– God, I'm so tired of hearing that phrase: 'Nothing personal.' ...And what's wrong with taking it personally?
– Nothing.
– Because everything in life starts with taking it personally.
I often find myself pondering life. My life may not be fancy, but it's mine, and I'm grateful for that. I wonder why I do the things I do – is it because I actually enjoy them, or am I just too afraid to try something new? Everything I see around me seems to echo the stories I've read, and shouldn't it be the other way around?
Correspondence with friends can bring people closer together, and that's exactly what happens in this film. Meanwhile, we're all on a quest for answers:
Will Joe and Kathleen ever meet in real life, or will they remain just acquaintances from their online exchanges? Should they take the leap and arrange a meeting?
Or maybe the animosity between them, as rivals in life, will eventually give way to love, and the love they shared online will be left to wither away?
Will they ever realize that they're the ones on the other side of the screen?
Or will they just leave things as they are, and each go their separate ways?
"Вам письмо" - отличный фильм, если вы ищете романтичное американское кино в стиле 90-х. I loved the way this movie unfolded at its own pace, letting me fall in love with New York and the story itself. The romance is palpable, and the leads are like two people from different worlds who somehow find common ground. They get two chances to connect - through life and through letters. Will they seize the opportunity, or will they let it slip away and go back to their old lives?
Watching this movie was like reliving my childhood memories of the early days of email and online connections. I remembered when I first got an email account in the early 2000s. We'd call each other on our landlines, meet up at cafes, and even try online dating. It was a simpler time, and this movie brought back all the nostalgia.
I've always had a soft spot for foreign films from the 80s and 90s - there's something about the romance that just takes me back to my youth.
I genuinely recommend 'You've Got Mail' to all romantics out there - it's a truly special, charming, and heartwarming film about unexpected love.