While You Were Sleeping Movie Review (1995)

I’ll admit I have a soft spot for romantic comedies that Sandra Bullock stars in. I think that’s probably because she really is the queen of romantic comedies and can do the feel good stuff in a way other actresses don’t. While You were sleeping was one of her early ones and although it drags on a bit, is really a genuinely warm fun movie mainly because it combines three great things. One, it has romance-and plenty of it. Two, the characters are both fun and funny and very human in a way that many characters in movies such as this aren’t. The people in While You were Sleeping are all so adorable without being larger then life or unrealistic. I liked that.

Third, this movie is wittier then you might expect and every so often a line would be thrown in that actually had me roaring, which I didn’t expect. I knew this would be complete feel good stuff just from the previews but I didn’t expect the wit. And the funniest lines come so unexpectedly. I like romantic comedies that can do witty and feel good simultaneously. I also like screwball comedies much more then slapstick and this movie is built around that so it appealed to me.

The movie is predictable as anything but interestingly even those I know who don’t like romantic comedies seem to be charmed by this. I’m not sure why that is except maybe because there’s such a likability about everyone in this movie and the premise was so original and Pullman(who I really like a lot as an actor) and Bullock are so natural together that the movie just appeals to many, even many of those who don’t normally like romantic comedies.

I was drawn to each and every character and liked the way everyone was developed-even Peter for the brief time he actually wasn’t sleeping managed to have a developed personality and some really funny scenes. This movie isn’t going to win any Oscars but for what it is, it’s very much worth watching.