Meg Ryan is a romantic comedy legend. The actress has a roster full of blockbuster rom-coms that span decades, cementing her status as one of the leaders of the genre since the '80s.
Her chokehold on romance has resulted in numerous recognizable films like "Sleepless in Seattle" and the Oscar-nominated "When Harry Met Sally" but also dramas like "Prelude to a Kiss." Ryan's likability and pure charisma are why she's dominated the genre for so long. After her major hits and directorial debut "Ithaca" in 2015, the actress took an eight-year break from the industry. She told People Magazine that as her fame grew, she felt like she had to step back from the spotlight.
“I took a giant break because I felt like there's just so many other parts of my experience as a human being I wanted to develop,” she said which included being a mom to her kids, actor Jack Quaid of "The Boys" fame and daughter Daisy. “It's nice to think of it as a job and not a lifestyle. And that is a great way of navigating it for me," she said.
But the actress is back in full force as an actor and director in a Nora Ephron-style rom-com called "What Happens Later," released Nov. 3 and co-starring David Duchovny.
Here's a look at Ryan's greatest romantic films that led to "What Happens Later."
1
"When Harry Met Sally" (1989)
This late '80s classic would be the game-changer for Ryan. Directed and written by the unbeatable duo, Rob Reiner and Nora Ephron, the film's premise is simple — men and women can't be friends because sex always gets in the way. That thesis is put to the test through two strangers Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Ryan) whose relationship phases shift from strangers, acquaintances, and best friends to eventual love interests.
The film was such a hit with audiences and critics that it made more than $90 million at the box office, it was nominated for best screenplay at the Oscars and earned Ryan her first Golden Globe nomination. Not only was the movie popular for its time, but it remains relevant more than three decades after its release. If you look up the best rom-com of all time, "When Harry Met Sally" is always at the top of the list, mainly due to the undeniable chemistry between Ryan and Crystal and the whip-smart dialogue written by Ephron and stunning direction from Reiner.
Ultimately, the film means a great deal to me as a writer and also a super fan of the rom-com genre. Arguably, it is Ryan's magnum opus. It will stand the test of time because of its exploration into what it means to be a person longing for connection, longing to be seen by their friends and loved ones.
2
"Joe Versus the Volcano" (1990)
Ryan's first time collaborating with long-time friend and co-star Tom Hanks is in their film "Joe Versus the Volcano." The rom-com which heavily relies on the comedy part of this genre focuses on its lead character, Joe. At the beginning of the film, Joe has just been diagnosed with a rare, fatal disease and accepts an offer to voyage to a Pacific island and throw himself into a volcano for the Native Pacific islanders and their superstitions. During his travels and adventures on the island, he falls in love with Patricia (Ryan) who is his travel guide. The pair of course fall in love during their tumultuous travels and stay on the island.
The film was met with some mixed critical reviews but it has turned into a cult classic film because of its themes of love and morality. But most importantly, the film introduced the world to the undeniable chemistry between Hanks and Ryan.
3
"Prelude to a Kiss" (1992)
The body-switching romance fantasy film directed by Norman René is based on the play of the same name and stars Alec Baldwin, Ryan and Sydney Walker. It follows a conservative book publisher Peter (Baldwin) who meets and falls in love with a free-spirted liberal part-time bartender Rita (Ryan). The pair find solace within their connection, bond over this and get married. But soon after their vows, the couple is approached by an elderly stranger, Julius (Walker) who asks to kiss Rita.
Immediately after the kiss, their souls switch places. Rita is now in the form of an elderly man, and Rita's physical body houses Julius. Peter spends the film making peace with the fact that the woman he loves is in the body of an old man.
Critics didn't necessarily like the film adaption from the play but some appreciated the charm of its body-switching-trope and the actors' performances.
4
"Sleepless in Seattle" (1993)
Ryan and Hanks' second hit pulls the heartstrings of the lonely broken hearts all over the world. The Nora Ephron-directed and written classic inspired by 1957's "An Affair To Remember" is a tale about journalist Annie who falls in love with the widower architect and father Sam (Hanks) over the airwaves through a radio show — without ever having met him. After the death of his wife, Sam moves with his son Jonah (Ross Malinger) to Seattle to start a new life. But Jonah calls into a radio show and convinces his dad to talk about his late wife. One of the listeners is Annie, who is engaged but feels like something is missing in the relationship. She writes a letter suggesting that Sam meet her on the top of the Empire State Building just like in "An Affair to Remember."
Eventually, a young Jonah flies to New York City to meet Annie on behalf of his father. Sam realizes Jonah has left and follows. On Valentine's Day, Sam and Annie meet for the first time at the Empire State Building.
The film is lauded as "a feather-light romantic comedy" with a spark-filled chemistry between Ryan and Hanks even though they only share a few scenes together, mostly without dialogue.
5
"You've Got Mail" (1998)
Yet another Ryan and Hanks classic, "You've Got Mail" is a movie for the internet age. The film is a love letter to finding love through the internet. It's like Nora Ephron predicted the digital dating age before she even got to see it fruition herself. But in this late '90s rom-com based on the play and then film "The Shop Around the Corner," Ryan plays an independent bookstore owner Kathleen who is AOL messaging a penpal named Joe (Hanks), whom she doesn't realize is one of the family members who runs a mega bookstore chain called Fox Books. In real life, Joe and Kathleen are enemies — Joe is a corporate suit who is essentially running Kathleen out of business when a new Fox Books opens around the corner from Kathleen's family bookstore.
In capitalistic fashion, Kathleen has to close her bookstore because of Fox Books but ironically she forms a friendship with Joe. Joe also figures out that Kathleen is his pen pal on AOL but continues to be her friend. Slowly but surely, the pair fall in love, and in one of the rom-com's best lines, Kathleen tells Joe, "I wanted it to be you" at the 91st Street Garden.
"You've Got Mail" is controversial for its plot – in which many viewers felt Joe deceived Kathleen and is rewarded with a happy ending – but again the chemistry between Hanks and Ryan shines so bright it's easy to forget the problematic aspects of storytelling in this film. It's why it's one of my favorites.
6
"Kate & Leopold" (2001)
Ryan's most recent, traditional rom-com, "Kate & Leopold," tells the story of a 19th-century man Leopold (Hugh Jackman) and a 21st-century woman Kate who falls in love. Kate is a modern woman driven to succeed in a male-dominated corporate world, while Leopold is a Duke who is brought to the 21st century by one of his descendants who is Kate's ex-boyfriend. Kate and Leopold, who are respectively wrapped up in their careers and societal expectations, are both cynical about love until Leopold is thrust into present-day New York City. Everything changes for the pair when they meet each other, the potential for an old-fashioned romance is here and ready for them.
Jackman's performance in the rom-com landed him a Golden Globe nomination even though the film was met with mixed reviews from critics. But the film is a fun, whimsical foray into the fantasy aspects of the rom-com genre that is engaging for audiences.
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