Big Picture Big Sound

The Film

Let's get this out of the way right up front. You've Got Mail is a lightweight, fluffy, and inconsequential bit of romantic comedy from Nora Ephron, reigning queen of the Chick Flick.

And I'm perfectly OK with that.

When it comes to romantic comedies, few pairings have more likability or an easier, palpable chemistry than Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Although Sleepless in Seattle may be the film that springs to mind for most viewers who hear the phrase "Tom and Meg," Sleepless can't hold a candle to their previous outing, Joe Versus the Volcano, if you ask yours truly. And while nothing can top the exotic beauty of Waponi Woo, New York's Upper West Side in the Spring certainly comes close.

In Nora Ephron's charming remake of the Jimmy Stewart film, The Shop Around the Corner, Tom Hanks stars as Joe Fox, heir to the throne at retail juggernaut Fox Books. Like many neighborhood book stores, The Shop Around the Corner (wink wink) - a quaint children's book store owned by Kathleen Kelly (Ryan) - is struggling to remain afloat in the shadow of Joe Fox's discount-rich cappuccino oasis. And like many attractive, single New Yorkers presumably did in 1998, Joe and Kathleen turn to this new thing called the Internet (or at least an America Online chat room) in hopes of finding business advice, and maybe even a little romance.

As always, it's hard to find fault with the effortlessly cute Meg Ryan; her royalty status within the pantheon of romantic comedy is well deserved. Hanks, however, doesn't do nearly enough comedy - and oh how I wish he would. Everything about him,  from his delivery to his facial expressions, is supremely entertaining in this film and Godfather fans will certainly get a kick out of his intermittent Brando-isms.

In addition to the Tom and Meg factor, the film's exceptional soundtrack coupled with Ephron's talent for writing clever dialogue ("Patricia makes coffee nervous") and assembling a top-notch supporting cast - one that includes Dave Chapelle, Parker Posey, Greg Kinnear, and a scene-stealing Dabney Coleman - provide reasons aplenty to check out You've Got Mail. You needn't be Nostradamus to see where this one's going to end up - but that's sort of the point with this type of film, isn't it?

The Picture

Warner brings You've Got Mail to Blu-ray Disc in modest but respectable fashion, complete with new and improved cover art that finally deep sixes the terribly airbrushed, doll-like face of Tom Hanks. My wife's aging DVD has been floating around the house for years, and it's always amazed me how terrible Hanks looks on that cover.

Thankfully, that doll-like appearance of Tom Hanks' skin is nowhere to be found on this Blu-ray Disc. Warner's high definition transfer retains a veneer of film grain throughout the film's nearly 2-hour run time, and while the video quality is hardly what I'd call noteworthy, it does stand as an improvement over the previous DVD. Overall the image appears relatively flat and soft, with respectable skin tones and a warm, natural palette.

When we first see Kathleen open her book store, an improvement in detail is apparent, as I can now more easily read the titles of the assorted books she has on display. Black levels don't fare as well though, as there tends to be a crush of detail in darker areas of the picture. While Greg Kinnear's Frank is busy showing Kathleen his third typewriter, Kathleen is milling about the kitchen in a charcoal gray sweater over a black shirt with a matching black skirt - a trifecta that's almost impossible to discern at times. Similarly, when Kathleen removes her all-black coat at the store, the coat's glossy black buttons often get lost amongst the coat's fabric.

The Sound

Warner gives You've Got Mail a 5.1 channel lossless DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack, and it's a perfectly enjoyable affair. As is the case with most dialogue-driven romantic comedies, this isn't a demo track for surround sound capabilities, but the film's many great songs do fill the room nicely. Dialogue is largely clear and intelligible throughout.

The Extras

It pains me to say it, but Meg Ryan is one of those actors I now prefer to watch on film only, but not in the bonus material. She used to be a major crush of mine, but one or more botched facial surgeries appear to have taken their toll on the once-adorable star. My wife and I could only watch ten minutes of "Delivering You've Got Mail" - an interview with Tom, Meg and Nora - before turning it off and feeling a bit depressed.

Also on disc you'll find a number of other small featurettes, a theatrical trailer, and a great music-only track. (I highly recommend the soundtrack on CD if you're ever in need of a pick-me-up.) However, the real treat with this package is Warner's wise decision to include a bonus DVD of Jimmy Stewart's The Shop Around the Corner. If you don't already own it, this is a great way to see the film that inspired You've Got Mail.

Final Thoughts

For some inexplicable reason, the romantic comedy genre has devolved over the years, to the point where nowadays the best we can hope for is a Kate Hudson and/or Matthew McConaughey flick that sucks a little less than the previous one. However, when you've got likable stars with believable chemistry and you've got a well-written script from a capable director, that's when you've got, well, Mail.

Product Details

• Actors: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Parker Posey, Dave Chapelle, Greg Kinnear, Dabney Coleman, Jean Stapleton, Steve Zahn
• Director: Nora Ephron
• Audio/Languages: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (English), Dolby Digital 5.1 (French)
• Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Region: A
• Number of Discs: 1
• Rating: PG
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• Blu-ray Disc Release Date: February 1, 2011
• Run Time: 119 minutes
• List Price: $19.98
• Extras:
  • Bonus DVD: The Shop Around the Corner
  • Commentary with Nora Ephron and Lauren Shuler Donner
  • Featurette "Delivering You've Got Mail"
  • Featurette "You've Got Chemistry"
  • HBO First Look: "A Conversation with Nora Ephron"
  • Featurette "Discover New York's Upper West Side"
  • Music video: "Anyone at All"
  • Music-only track
  • Theatrical trailer