I Watched When Harry Met Sally For The First Time, And It Made Me Realize There’s One Rom-Com Trope I Desperately Want To See More

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As a lifelong cinephile who’s seen more romantic comedies than I can count, I must confess that “When Harry Met Sally” has long been a glaring gap in my cinematic repertoire. However, after finally watching this iconic film, I can wholeheartedly say that it has earned its place among the greats. The slow-burn, friends-to-lovers trope is something I’ve always found more relatable and captivating than the instant love stories that have dominated the genre for too long.

In fact, if you had told me a few years ago that I would be rooting for two characters to get together after a decade of dancing around each other, I would’ve laughed it off as absurd. But here I am, completely smitten with the will-they-won’t-they tension between Harry and Sally! It’s a testament to the film’s writing, directing, and acting that they managed to keep me hooked for an entire decade without resorting to gimmicks or contrived plot devices.

I’m not saying that I want every romantic comedy to follow this formula, but it would be refreshing to see more films take inspiration from “When Harry Met Sally” and explore the complexities of long-lasting friendships and the slow-building romance that can develop over time. Perhaps in 2026, we’ll see a resurgence of these types of movies, but until then, I’ll be content rewatching this timeless classic whenever I need a reminder of why friendship is the foundation for any great love story.

Oh, and if you’re still not convinced that slow-burn romances are worth your time, just remember: it took Harry and Sally ten years to realize they were made for each other… so maybe give it some time!

I’ve always avoided watching “When Harry Met Sally,” despite being known as one of the greatest romantic comedies ever made by Nora Ephron. However, I finally gave it a chance and was delighted to find myself captivated by the story featuring Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal. In truth, I found the movie so charming that it sparked my longing for more movies in the vein of slow-building, friends-to-lovers romcoms.

1989’s movie opens in 1977 as college grads Sally Albright (Ryan) and Harry Burns (Crystal) choose to travel together to New York City, starting their adult journeys with just one common acquaintance. Their car trip is far from smooth, and they part ways without exchanging contact details. Fast forward five years, they find themselves on the same flight, but again, they don’t exchange any details before going their separate ways.

Five years after initially meeting, Harry and Sally find themselves single simultaneously. They elect to give friendship a try instead of diving headfirst into a romantic relationship. Over the course of an entire year, they tiptoe around one another before eventually giving in to their feelings and sleeping together, adding complexity to their bond. In a fortunate twist for fans, director Rob Reiner altered the original ending, resulting in Harry and Sally admitting their love for each other at a New Year’s Eve celebration.

In modern cinema, a movie spanning ten years is quite rare, particularly within the romantic comedy genre. Most popular rom-coms from the recent past have their stories unfold over just a few days or weeks at best, creating intense, swift relationships with dramatic scenes and high tension. On the other hand, slow-building friendships turning into romance are more prevalent in TV series, such as “One Day” on Netflix or even “Abbott Elementary,” due to the evolving relationship between Janine and Gregory.

It’s understandable that TV shows have the luxury of time to delve into romantic relationships due to their extended format. However, the enduring popularity and impact of films like “When Harry Met Sally” on modern audiences demonstrates that there is still a strong demand for slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romances.

From my perspective, I find character development through friendship before love to be far more convincing compared to the typical “love at first sight” movies that have been prevalent for quite some time. It’s challenging for me to accept the idea of two strangers falling deeply in love instantly. Therefore, stories that establish characters as friends initially and then develop their romantic relationship resonate with me more. Additionally, there is a greater sense of anticipation when two characters are caught in a “will they, won’t they” dynamic, particularly when this dynamic extends over a long period like a decade.

Sure, it can be frustrating watching two people dance around each other when it’s clear that they’re made for each other, but it’s the fun kind of frustrating. And it makes the pay-off when they finally get together so much more worth it.

Having spent countless hours engrossed in the world of romantic comedies, I firmly believe that more aspiring writers should delve deep into the masterpiece that is “When Harry Met Sally.” As someone who has watched this timeless classic multiple times, I can’t help but admire its slow-burn, friends-to-lovers narrative. While it might take a while for the trend to pick up in 2025 film releases due to the lengthy production process, I remain hopeful that we’ll witness a resurgence of such movies by 2026. After all, who wouldn’t want to see more stories unfold with the charm and wit that “When Harry Met Sally” embodies?

Unfortunately, it seems that “When Harry Met Sally” isn’t available for streaming right now, but you can rent it on Apple TV or Prime Video. If you’re curious to find out if slow-building romances are more appealing than instant love connections, I recommend giving a watch to Ephron and Ryan’s other film, “Sleepless in Seattle.” In fact, I watched it for the first time last year.

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2025-01-03 01:07