You've Got Mail

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You've Got Mail

PG

Released Dec 18, 1998

1h 59m

Romance

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

70%

Tomatometer

89 Reviews

73%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Struggling boutique bookseller Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) hates Joe Fox (Tom Hanks), the owner of a corporate Foxbooks chain store that just moved in across the street. When they meet online, however, they begin an intense and anonymous Internet romance, oblivious of each other's true identity. Eventually Joe learns that the enchanting woman he's involved with is actually his business rival. He must now struggle to reconcile his real-life dislike for her with the cyber love he's come to feel.

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Critics Consensus

Great chemistry between the leads made this a warm and charming delight.

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Lisa Alspector

Chicago Reader

The coincidences that make the destined lovers' paths cross aren't contrived with much finesse, but the characters get in some decidedly clever lines.

May 27, 2011

Full Review

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Predictable-but-sweet romantic comedy.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 29, 2010

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Geoff Andrew

Time Out

The clumsily loaded characterisation not only treats almost every other figure as dispensable, but doesn't even bother to make Meg and Tom properly sympathetic.

Feb 9, 2006

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Laura Bradley

The Daily Beast

As I’ve gotten older, my affection for the story still lingers.

Dec 5, 2022

Full Review

Hanif Abdurraqib

4Columns

The most worthwhile tension in You've Got Mail lies in the simple but pure ecstasy of receiving an email from a person you are excited about. Long live the parts of the film that refurbish the excitement of our sometimes-misguided yearnings.

Oct 2, 2020

Full Review

Danielle Solzman

Solzy at the Movies

What Nora and Delia Ephron do is update The Shop Around the Corner for the digital era. Or at least how the era looked in the mid-1990s.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 9, 2020

Full Review

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Audience Member

One of the best of the cozy genre. Every turn around the corner is perfect.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/23/25

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Gabrielle O

The ending of this movie was terrible. He drove her out of business, lied to her, and then they just get together? Entirely unrealistic and unfair to her story.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/16/25

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Sol M

There were books, love, anonymous mail, and "Pride and Prejudice" references: what a wonderful combination. It was sweet, with cute and funny little moments. A rom-com you won't regret watching.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/03/25

Full Review

Shanna W

It’s like getting a warm hug from an old friend every time I put this film on. Perfection from start to finish. A charming story played out by a wonderful cast of characters. By the end of the film I’m always teary eyed with a smile I can’t seem to wipe off my face.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/29/24

Full Review

Bill C

I was touched by this movie. And that is rare for me. The actors and writers are top-notch. The music, especially the Harry Nilsson tunes, resonate. I think it’s wrong to dismiss the film as simply a rom-com, a too sugary rom-com, or whatever. What’s different about this movie is the juxtaposition of people in love with people simply living together and the delineation between the two. Kathy Kelly (Meg Ryan) and Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) fall in love with each other online, but they really don’t know one another. This leads to complications. One is that each is in a serious relationship with someone with whom they’re not in love. Another is that Fox drives Kelly’s bookstore out of business. Speaking of books, the literary references add sparkle, especially those to Elizabeth Bennett and Mr Darcy. Fortunately, the obstacles of the roommates with benefits fall away, and, hardly a spoiler, the lovers come together like magnets. But it’s not predestined. There are hurdles. These enhance the ending as does Nilsson’s beautiful rendition of “Over the Rainbow.” If this film does not touch you, you are probably dead.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/29/24

Full Review

Julian S

A love letter to New York City.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/07/24

Full Review

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Nora Ephron

Director

Tom Hanks

Joe Fox

Meg Ryan

Kathleen Kelly

Parker Posey

Patricia Eden

Greg Kinnear

Frank Navasky

Jean Stapleton

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Synopsis

Struggling boutique bookseller Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) hates Joe Fox (Tom Hanks), the owner of a corporate Foxbooks chain store that just moved in across the street. When they meet online, however, they begin an intense and anonymous Internet romance, oblivious of each other's true identity. Eventually Joe learns that the enchanting woman he's involved with is actually his business rival. He must now struggle to reconcile his real-life dislike for her with the cyber love he's come to feel.

Director: Nora Ephron
Producer: Nora Ephron, Lauren Shuler Donner
Screenwriter: Miklós László, Nora Ephron, Delia Ephron
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Warner Brothers
Rating: PG
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 18, 1998, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 1, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $115.7M
Runtime: 1h 59m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Digital

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