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When Harry Met Sally

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 15, age appropriate for kids over 16; suggested age 15.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Wit- and charm-filled romantic comedy classic.

Themes in this movie include:   dating/crushes, friendship, honesty
updated 11.09.09

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 15–16

The good stuff

  • Role models:

    Harry and Sally have their individual quirks about love, relationships and dating, but they are essentially good people.

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    The short vignettes highlight long-lasting, loving relationships. May create unrealistic romantic expectations for teens, though.
  • Violence:

    Not an issue.
  • Sex:

    No sex depicted, but many references to sex and a simulated orgasm.
  • Language:

    A few choice words including "f--k."
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.

What Parents Need to Know

This review of When Harry Met Sally was written by Elisabeth Chaney

Parents need to know that this movie, while set against the background of a strong friendship and filled with great romantic role models, contains many references to sex. Though no sex is actually shown, about a quarter of conversation revolves almost completely around the topic. The most famous scene in the movie is a simulated orgasm at a New York deli.

Families Can Talk About

Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
  • Families can talk about friendships and how people can change over time, premarital sex, and the role sex plays in adult relationships, both marriage and otherwise.
  • Is Harry correct in his theory that men and women can't be friends?
  • How realistic is the outcome of their relationship?
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More on When Harry Met Sally

What’s the Story?

Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Meg Ryan) meet for the first time while sharing a ride from Chicago to New York City. Sally is an uptight, optimistic, and intelligent person, while Harry is a thoughtful, sex-crazed chauvinist. Over a period of 10 years, they bicker, become best friends, and eventually fall in love, answering the age-old question, "Can a man and a woman be friends, without sex getting in the way?"

Is It Any Good?

Producer Nora Ephron and director Rob Reiner make delightful, timeless romantic classics, and this is their best-known work. Many have tried, but none has succeeded in capturing the charm, wit, and chemistry between Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan shown onscreen in this classic romantic comedy. Every element of this film possesses strength, including the script that (supposedly based on Rob Reiner and Nora Ephron's true-to-life on again/off again relationship).

Who can forget such memorable lines as, "Oh, but 'baby fish mouth' is sweeping the nation?" and of course Rob Reiner's mother's declaration of, "I'll have what she's having." This film has a timeless quality that transcends decades, meaning that teenagers may not automatically write it off as an "old movie." As relevant and entertaining today as it was in 1989 and probably still in 2039, WHEN HARRY MET SALLY is one movie not to be missed. Suitable for older teens and up.

Movie Details

Studio: Columbia Pictures Entertainment, Director: Rob Reiner
Run time: 96 minutes
Theatrical release: 6/12/1989, DVD release: 1/9/2001
MPAA Rating: R for sexual themes and language

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    I rate this title on for age 15 and give it 4.0

  2. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Colorado
    I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it 5.0

    One of the Greats!

    I love this movie with every ounce of my being, and as I've gotten older, it has taken on new meaning every time I watch it. The whole movie is so perfect--the actors, the dialogue, and the message. Still, after watching it again last night, I know that it isn't something I'd let my 11 year old watch. It's not that he wouldn't understand, and he probably would think it's funny, but the sexual dialogue is just too much. And as far as this movie creating unrealistic expectations about romance--the thing is, most of the time, the guy does not show up on New Year's Eve to profess his love, but sometimes, it does work out that way. It's a lot of fun to believe in happily ever after!

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