You’ve Acquired Mail, one of many greatest romantic comedies of all time, is a film that I’ve watched greater than absolutely anything else through the years. No joke, I’ve spent numerous hours watching Joe Fox and Kathleen Kelly go from enemies to lovers, and it by no means actually will get previous. However, after watching the 1998 rom-com directed by the late Nora Ephron for just like the 152nd time, I feel there’s one change that might make this all-time nice romance story even higher.
No, I wouldn’t recast Tom Hanks or Meg Ryan, or change the music, or make any modifications to the story (it may very well be shorter, however that’s for an additional day). As an alternative, I’d make a small but main change to one thing that occurs very early on within the film.
You have Acquired Mail Has And All the time Will Be One Of My Go-To Consolation Movies
Although the film has some issues right here and there, You’ve Acquired Mail has at all times been one among my go-to consolation movies and legitmately one of many greatest ‘90s films. It’s just about the cinematic equal of a heat comforter proper out of the dryer or a bowl of sizzling soup on a chilly winter day. Listening to or studying these three little phrases – you’ve obtained mail – brings a lot pleasure to my coronary heart.
Going via a foul breakup? Go to You’ve Acquired Mail. Feeling like crud with the Flu? Placed on You’ve Acquired Mail. Don’t know what to observe after spending an hour going via all the most effective streaming companies searching for one thing new? You guessed it… You’ve Acquired Mail. From the primary time I noticed it with my dad and mom to the latest with my spouse and daughter, this film has at all times been there for me.
And, that’s why I really feel form of unhealthy for what I’m about to say…
However I Assume Having The Credit Begin After Kathleen’s ‘You have Acquired Mail’ Monologue Would Add So A lot
You realize the entire opening credit sequence that travels via a 3D-animated New York Metropolis earlier than ending at Kathleen Kelly’s West Aspect residence? Nicely, if I had been making a brand new reduce of this traditional, I’d take away that total two-second opening and maintain off on the title sequence till simply after Shopgirl reads her monologue about her correspondence with NY152 (Joe Fox):
I activate my pc. I wait impatiently because it connects. I am going on-line, and my breath catches in my chest till I hear three little phrases: You have obtained mail. I hear nothing. Not even a sound on the streets of New York, simply the beating of my very own coronary heart. I’ve mail. From you.
In my splendid model, the You’ve Acquired Mail title would pop up on the display screen simply as Kathleen says these “three little phrases” whereas The Cranberries’ “Goals” swells within the background. The credit would seem because the digicam jumps from Kathleen to Joe and again to Kathleen as they stroll via the streets of New York Metropolis. This scene, already implausible as is, could be even higher with the credit, and I feel the film could be higher due to it.
The Animated Intro Is Iconic At This Level, However It Actually Hasn’t Aged That Nicely
I do know, I do know, the You’ve Acquired Mail opening credit sequence is iconic at this level and units the tone with the 2 leads falling in love with each other over the web. However… this sequence is ugly. Even again in highschool and school, I assumed this a part of the film suffered from the identical issues as different late ‘90s films that carried out 3D know-how. It simply hasn’t aged nicely. Not all nostalgia is nice, you realize?
I imply, the entire first scene within the film the place they sneak round their important others to speak to a stranger on AOL units the time and place already, so that you don’t really want that animation to start with. However hey, that’s simply me.
Don’t let this small critique make you imagine that I feel much less of You’ve Acquired Mail, as a result of I’ll defend this film till the day I die – even when I’ve to clarify AOL and dial-up web to my children.