The camera the grandmother had was called a Kodak Instamatic. She was played by Glynis Johns who was the mother in Mary Poppins. It had individual flashcubes and took about 16 pictures per roll of film. I had one. I also agree that this was a movie that just happened to take place at Christmas as there was nothing in the plot to tie it to Christmas. Die Hard is a Christmas movie because John McLean would not have been in Los Angeles if it had not been for Christmas to see his children and his wife at the Nakitomi Tower.
@@awkwardashleighAshleigh!I WAS a newspaper delivery girl,I LOVE eggnog and I use tinsel i feel picked on😂.also a 900 number was a number you paid by the minute for the dirty talk of your choice!
I really appreciate the fact that after he was a good man who just happened to be boring and didn't do anything wrong to push Meg Ryan away in Sleepless in Seattle (hashtag JusticeForWalter), Hollywood righted things and actually made HIM the love interest. Bill Pullman is great. Highly recommend the movie Ruthless People to see one of his best, funniest, and most underrated performances.
While You Were Sleeping is not only one of the best romantic comedies in the last 40 years, its also a great Christmas movie. It is also more proof that the 1990s is one of the greatest decades in film history
The father is played by Peter Boyle. He played the father in Everyone Loves Raymond. He also played Frankenstein in the Mel Brook's Young Frankenstein.
I’m a male and this is in my Top 2 of romcoms ever. It could’ve been so stupid, slapstick and cliche like most romcoms, but there’s just something about the writing, music and performances that makes it feel real and just sucks you right in.
I got to see this with my wife and kids as part of a test audience. We not only got to see two movies that day but we enjoyed it more than the movie we paid to see.
I'm a male and there are several romcoms I actually like, just because they are good movies, with good plots and writing, believable and relatable characters, stuff like that. I think as with any movie genre, there are a few good ones, and a lot of duds.
This movie has one of the most accurate family dinner conversations I've ever seen. Every time I think about it, it makes me laugh. "I never said Guy Lombardo was short!"
Bill said it best about what makes this so good: "She's likable". And she really is. Lucy is someone I could imagine myself easily falling in love with. There's a detail that makes this a Christmas movie... The only reason Lucy was working the day she saved Peter is because it was Christmas and everybody else had a family to be with except her. Presumably, on any other day, standard schedule would apply and anybody could be the one standing there on that booth, but on Christmas day, she was the one.
Hospital chapels are not usually for weddings. They are generally for family praying for their loved ones. But, since they exist, they can also be used for weddings.
My ex-wife was a nurse so I would bring our kids in on the weekends during her shift when they were still little and we would go to Mass in the chapel every sunday.
any building can be used for weddings you just need a priest or such to wed you. You can get married in a barn. Hospital chapels are just that, hospital chapels.
My dad went very ill and I was alredy engaged to my now wife, dad had a stroke and we didn't know if it was going to survive so we got married in the hospital chapel, first time they ever had one. It was cute. And my dad recovered
Two years ago when I was home for Christmas I showed my parents one of your videos. They were instantly hooked. Two years later and a common conversation topic is, “Did you see Ashleigh’s latest video?” Thanks for all the laughs!
I got my parents to watch Ashleigh a couple years ago too and now her videos are a staple to gather round the TV and watch together too. Laughter is best when shared. Glad to see the trend continuing :)
My mom has a big crush on Bill Pullman too, and coincidentally one of my family members went to college with one of his kids, so Bill Pullman was at the graduation, sitting just a few rows ahead of us. My mom got to stare at the back of his head for the whole ceremony. She just about pissed herself with joy. His whole family was very attractive and very stylish.
@@audraross3012 She was in some big films, like Flashdance, What Lies Beneath, Mask, etc. but always kind of an also-ran. Never a star of anything. Didn't even start acting until she was in her 40s. Which, you know...good for her.
@@Widdershins. Oooh yeah, he was the one that just wanted to see the ballgame. But big difference in his appearance! I had to check back which juror he was!
Other commenters have made the points I was going to mention, so I'll just say that I liked Lucy's boss, played by the late Jason Bernard. It was kind of refreshing to have a boss character who is a friend rather than an adversary. Jason Bernard is probably best known as the exasperated judge in "Liar, Liar".
Someone’s probably explained already, but 900 numbers are the phone sex numbers. Also, for another ‘they tried to make Sandra Bullock homely’ movie, I recommend Love Potion #9. It’s so underrated imo. Also also - I do consider this a Christmas movie but it’s on the light side. Kind of the same way Sleepless in Seattle is a Valentine’s Day movie
Erg, Love Potion #9 is such a skeevy movie. SPOILERS AHEAD The potion makes the guys irresistable, which means anyone who becomes attracted to them/sleeps with them is doing so only because of the drug's influence on them. That's not exactly giving consent, is it? So gross.
My mom put the tinsel on one strand at a time, and the reflective lighting effect from the tree lights was wonderful. She also removed it one strand at a time, and saved it for the next year. I guess this is what a Depression Era childhood gets you!
Love this movie, it is my favorite Rom-Com. I disagree with you that it is not a Christmas movie. One of the most important parts, is the scene where Lucy is at the house and the family is giving her presents and putting up a stocking with her name on it, showing how the family instantly takes her in, and how desperate Lucy is to have a family. This would not have worked on just any old random holiday.
Thank you for not skipping the Paperboy Incident™. It's very short, and has no bearing whatsoever on the story, but, being an ex-paperboy myself, I'm glad to see an ancient injury has been immortalized in film.
From IMDb: Trivia In a transition scene, a paper boy is shown slipping off his bike. This was actually an accident, but they decided to keep it in the movie. In fact, the paper boy actor broke his wrist.
Two things could possibly make it an entry for a Christmas movie - that she was working alone because it was Christmas and therefore was the person to save him, and that the family hadn't celebrated Christmas and thus, a reason for her to join the family so quickly. But those are technicalities. lol
Didn't she say Die Hard was a Christmas movie. By her logic, a terrorist could have seized the building at any party. This one is a Christmas movie. Your reasoning is a great argument for it being a Christmas movie.
exactly, not to mention the festivisties that Lucy was able to attend, giving her a chance to meet Jack and fall for him and the fam... very christmassy to me.
If this isn't a Christmas movie, when are you most likely to watch it except at Christmas time when the decorations are up? _While You Were Sleeping_ wasn't filmed at Christmas, so I guess some people don't get Christmas-y vibes. I have seen this movie at other times of the year, but I always come back to the fact that it's set during Christmas time (which lasts until January 5) and it feels right to watch it during Christmas, not Easter or July 4th or Thanksgiving (for Americans in particular).
@@gaynor1721 I get what you are saying. I'm not taking a position on whether it does or does not qualify as a Christmas movie. Yes, it's set during Christmas, but it doesn't explore any Christmas themes. This is also true of Die Hard, which I do think is a Christmas movie so maybe... Stop putting me on the spot!!! lol
I'm not into romcoms. This is one of my favorite movies, full stop. I can quote it as if I was in it. Favorite scene: the paperboy. I'm glad you liked it, and while I respect your opinion, I consider it a Christmas movie. And you can't stop me.
Sandra Bullock is very pretty and charismatic, and she does "awkward" well. So she's virtually always good in a film. As for the script, the whole miscommunication, difficulty admitting to a lie sort of thing, all of that can be fun. So this was a fun movie, very light, with some feels. A decent rainy day popcorn flick. As for it being a Christmas movie ... it has that family gathering and wish fulfillment aspect. Not a lot of caroling or whatever, but it doesn't contradict Christmas at all.
My sister watches this movie every Christmas and my family likes quoting it randomly. We love the family banter in the movie with multiple conversations going at once.
I remember seeing this with my then gf, who by that time lost her parents, and she was adopted, and she was from the other side of the country, so she was in a similar emotional place as Sandra Bullock.From her perspective, it wasn't just a rom-com, it was like Sandra said, she didn't just fall in love with the guy, it was his whole family, and they loved her! It was great they all showed up for the proposal too! It is indeed CRAZY how many films Sandra Bullock is in having to prove how beautiful she is, LOL!! If ending up with her is "settling", let me settle! Two must sees are "Miss Congeniality" and it's sequel. For more Bill Pullman, another vote for "Ruthless People" and "Sibling Rivalry"!!!
This is definitely a Christmas movie for me and I watch it every year at Christmas. This movie gives me warm fuzzies every time. Sometimes its not about being a rom-com so much as it is just a feel good story. And, yes, Bill Pullman definitely can get it. Peter was far too self-centered. You know that right off when she sees that he carries pictures of himself in his wallet- I was shaking my head in agreement with you when you said, who carries pictures of themselves? A narcissist.
@@beckbabej right?? On top of which we get to hear at least three Christmas songs! For some reason it never really struck me about whether or not it's a Christmas movie but reading everyone's arguments I can totally see it -- perhaps we could refer to it broadly as a winter holiday movie 😁
Wow, Ashleigh. You posted this reaction just six days before "Grandma Elsie" (Glynis Johns) passed away at the ripe old age of 100. Good timing. Crazy to think she was the elderly matriarch in a movie 29 years ago. A major role in "Mary Poppins" nearly 60 years ago. A rich life. God speed, Glynis!
Glynis Johns is the grandmother. Incredibly cute and charming in her time. She is still with us, just turned 100 years old. No Highway in the Sky 1951 or The Sundowners 1960 or Mary Poppins 1964 are good films to catch her in.
Girl, I feel you on Bill Pullman in this movie! There was a time in my life when I was OBSESSED with this movie. I watched it so many times I can still remember the specific places our VHS tape skipped (which tells you how old I am ;) )
I think the holiday angle is key to the plot, in that needing a family and feeling lost figure big (and being stuck working on a family-oriented holiday because you lack one). So I would feel the timing may not be atmospherically established but the plot makes it Christmas movie by default.
The paperboy thing was definitely real, it's just that most people stopped having newspapers delivered to their homes once everyone had the internet where they could get news for free. Some older people still get the newspaper, and it's probably delivered by some sort of courier, and maybe even still by some random person like a paperboy, depending on the company. It's just pretty rare to see these days. Also, many people will just grab a newspaper at the grocery store or gas station instead of having it delivered. Similar to the milkman. I think Oberweis and maybe a few smaller companies will still deliver milk, but it's largely stopped being a thing (I think just due to milk being more available in grocery stores and able to keep for longer - and they probably just don't want to pay for people to do that job when it's not necessary). Also similar to payphones, now that I think about it. Payphones used to be everywhere, but now we all have cellphones. Every house would have a landline phone (older houses especially will still have the actual landline, just without a phone attached if you choose not to get one for that purpose), and when you were out of the house, you could call someone from a payphone, and they were literally like *everywhere*. It was strange growing up and one day realizing that all the phone booths were gone, and wondering who took them down and the logistics of all that. In my memory, it seems like it happened almost overnight. There were at least tens of thousands of them all over the country, and then they were gone - though I'm sure a few still exist somewhere, just for propriety's sake.
@@LukeLovesRose Yeah, a few years back, the Chicago Tribune was offering a year's subscription for $1, so I figured might as well get that, and I would get the paper delivered on Sundays. I wondered what that was going to look like, and if I remember right, it was a van that had the Tribune logo on it that delivered the paper. Since then, I've also seen people in cars throwing newspapers out of their windows toward the front doors of houses. I'm sure they work for a courier company and just use their own cars (same as Uber). But if the companies are willing to offer a subscription for as little as a dollar, you know they can't be making a profit if they're also paying someone to come deliver it to you (at least when millions of people no longer get the paper), so it's just not feasible to have that service anymore - nor is it really feasible for a physical newspaper to exist anymore.
This is totally a Christmas movie and one I watch every year, it's one of my favorite films period. I saved watching it this year to watch it with you and loved it, Bill can totally get it!
12:06 - I'm SOOOO happy you included this moment (not even a scene, really) in your reaction. I can't remember if it was planned or an outtake that they kept in, but it's just so random, not a part of the story, and so freakin' hilarious. This is, truly, one of my favorite movie moments ever.
This is my fav romcom! Despite being a slightly ridiculous scenario, it's so sincere and heartfelt that it feels real. And it's funny! Sandra and Bill had great chemistry, and this movie ignited my girl crush on Sandra and my crush on Bill when I was a teen when i saw it in the theater. The leaning scene still makes me swoon. 😂
@Ashleigh, breaking news!! Glynis Johns has passed away at 100 years old (January 4th, 2024). Another of her very funny roles was in The Ref. And a wonderful older movie with Jimmy Stewart in No Highway In The Sky.
This is a near-perfect movie except I always thought the best ending would be if SHE went into the family estate business (she'd be so sweet with managing grief, etc.) Jack could sell his furniture and she'd be hanging with dad.
…side note…I am a 51 yr old guy and have always loved rom-coms, halmark movies, and anything that hits me in the feels. It’s why I get a lot of dates! 😂
@@glennjpanting2081 34 is the youngest but I usually date around my age or older…pay for a lot less when dating up…also I can’t help that I’m cool AF 😂
So glad you liked this film. It’s one of my favorites, one I watch repeatedly. And I’m SO not a rom-comer. Not that I hate them, they’re just not my go-to. I always cry during Lucy’s wedding speech and did so even watching your clips. BTW, the father is played by Peter Boyle, most well known (well, to me) as the Monster in Young Frankenstein. The grandmother is the great Glynis Johns, who was making movies back when Jimmy Stewart was just getting to be a star. She’s also the actor Sondheim wrote Send in the Clowns for. And Jack Warden, the uncle, also had a long career. So it’s a great cast.
So the guy who looked familiar but wasnt Bill Pullman is Peter Gallagher. He's the dad in The O.C, not sure if youre familiar with that. The grandpa who you thought was from a sitcom is Peter Boyle. He was in Everybody loves Raymond. Also Frankenstein's mosnter in Young Frankenstein. Also the grandmother is the mother in Mary Poppins. She is still alive at 100 years old.
For me this is a Christmas movie because of the way it depicts the feeling of being with family at Christmas. That scene with Lucy so happy and contented to sit watching the family exchange gifts, not even curious what’s in hers. The feelings that shot evokes are what Christmas means to me; so, it’s absolutely a Christmas movie in my book🎁😊
I’m not a rom-com girl either but I LOVE this movie. It is just a cute little movie. Plus I tear up every time I watch it. It’s just SWEET without being sappy.
I agree totally. Bill Pullman is adorable in this picture & I had such a crush on Aidan Quinn back in the day. Aidan was such a snack back then. Aidan blue eyes are dangerous 💕 Phillipa 🤗
16:44 - back in the pre-internet era, 900 numbers were commonly used by phone sex services. Also, Jack and Peter's dad was played by Peter Boyle, who was the Monster in "Young Frankenstein". Still hope you'll watch some old school films like "Silver Streak" with Gene Wilder or "What's Up Doc" with Barbara Streisand
And those 900 numbers were not cheap. They could be as much as $8.00 a minute in some cases. If you wanted to get your money's worth, you needed to be efficient.
That's a Chicago style hot dog. Vienna beef dog, steamed poppy seed bun, mustard ( NO KETCHUP!), onion, relish, dill pickle, tomato and either hot sport pepper or mild pepperoncini. That's called dragged through the garden. Love them! Okay, now I need one.
I'm a heterosexual male who loves romcoms, but yes, there are many that totally suck. This one doesn't suck. Everyone in it gives a good performance, and the story works and is interesting. It's been a very long time since I've seen the movie, and I usually don't have a problem making the decision, but I think this one sits right on the edge of being a Christmas movie. The Christmas season is a big part of the motivation that gets the story moving, but it continues well past Christmas, and it's never really specifically about Christmas. So yeah, I guess I'll let it fall into the Christmas movie column. Recommendation: The Dream Team (1989), with Peter Boyle (the father in law that you said looks familiar). He was the Monster in Young Frankenstein, and he was the father on Everybody Loves Raymond. (Be careful, there are some other movies also called "Dream Team".)
A well-made Romcom is awesome! This is one of my favorite stories. And THAT is really the whole deal. This is just plain good storytelling. Then add Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman (who is criminally underrated) and the family of supporting casts - Gold!
Completely agree Bill Pullman is criminally underrated! For an easily cast 'likable guy' he fought against type-casting a good few times as well. He's quite different in David Lynch's 'Lost Highway'!
I don't know if weddings at hospitals happen often enough to have chapels, but most hospitals do, in fact, have chapels that are open 24/7 to allow family members a space for prayer and meditation for their loved ones who are there for treatment.
While You Were Sleeping is my favorite movie, I grew up on it. It was one of my dad’s favorite movies, too. It’s always felt more special to me, too, and I think it has to do with the family and her getting integrated into it. The dialogue is also really quippy and not cheesy. And because I grew up on it, I always thought Bill Pullman was a heartthrob, it surprised me when that wasn’t a truth universally acknowledged. He gave me unrealistic expectations.
If you look very carefully during the church scenes, you can use x-ray vision and see through the back wall behind the Cross and see across the alley to the brownstone walk up I lived in while they were filming this movie. Yes I was an El train commuter and they ruined service on the brown line for a couple weeks. Jack Warden (Uncle Sal) plays a similar type role in Heaven Can Wait starring Warren Beatty.
My favorite Jack Warden role is the doctor in Donovan's Reef. Donovan's Reef is kinda sorta a rom com, but it's mostly a love letter about Polynesia. It's easy to overlook Jack's role in the movie because he is frequently overshadowed by John Wayne and Lee Marvin. Filmed in Hawaii, the movie is often breathtaking.
"I got big feelings for Bill Pullman" - girl, I feel that. I watched a lot of Bill Pullman during my formative years (I'm about 11 years older than you). I remember watching "Dave" and "While You Were Sleeping", and developing the BIGGEST crush on him. He is such an underrated actor. I think the FIRST thing I saw him in was "Spaceballs", but I loved him in "Independence Day" and "Casper", too.
I caught him not long ago in a 1986 film called 'Ruthless People' with Danny DeVito and Bette Midler. He plays a completely hilarious dimwitted himbo who video-blackmails people. Incompetently. Just his expression and his ridiculous hair in the movie pretty much elicits a laugh from me everytime he appears on screen. Anyway - yes, underrated! He can even be scary, as in Lost Highway!
It is most definitely a Christmas/New Year’s movie. It happens that whole week. I watch it every Christmas. Like I always watch Independence Day on the 4th of July.
I’ve always considered this a Xmas movie. Primarily because Lucy was without a family during a traditionally family oriented holiday & this accident gave her that family. It wasn’t about her unrequited imagined love life, but about how she needed a family. She just happened to find her true love within that family she became a part of. The utter chaos of the holidays with a loud & crazy family is just what she needed. It’s what we all need, even if we don’t believe it. That’s why I see it as a true Xmas movie. But - that’s just my opinion. Happy New Year Ashleigh! Here’s to another year of great movie reviews! Luv ya 💜
This was mine and my mom’s favorite Christmas movie, we watched it every year. Since she passed away the week before Thanksgiving this year, I was dreading watching it for the first time without her. Thank you for making it a little easier😊 Happy New Year and looking forward to your videos in 2024❤
R.I.P. Glynnis Johns. She was awesome in The Ref. Fun fact: When she came to Hollywood to be in Mary Poppins, she thought it was for the title role, not Mrs Banks.
My mom has a habit of adopting anyone without family into our Christmases. I always made the stockings and every year I end up making a new one with a new name on it (because a stocking that says "guest" just isn't right). All the grandkids take up the fireplace (this year we added the oldest grandchild's fiancé) and the rest line the walls of the entrance. The most we ever had was 37 stockings.
"The Court Jester" (1955) features a young and beautiful Glynis Johns (the grandma with the heart condition and the 'weird' camera). Glynis was also Mrs. Banks in "Mary Poppins." She turned 100 years old in October of this past year, and is still with us! "The Court Jester" also features a young and beautiful Angela Lansbury!! WELL worth a watch!!
I grew up with 2 younger sisters, so I was always outvoted when we got to pick a movie to watch. I ended seeing way more Rom-Coms than a boy should, but While You Were Sleeping was one of the few I still enjoy.
4:46 - The above-ground train is called "The El." Elevated train. It's pretty much the commuter's way around Chicago. It does go underground in some places, but is mostly elevated above the streets, all through and around the city.
The best bit of this film is that Bill Pullman was the one who got the Girl. Usually, he was the man who nobly gave up the girl so she could get her true Happy Ending - case in point, 'Sleepless in Seattle'.
This film does affect me in a lot of ways partly because I grew up watching it in the 90s but also I had a falling out a couple years ago, twice in fact, and so knowing that she doesn’t have a large family of her own and seeing the scene at the very end, where she’s about to marry The other guy and fess up to his family and telling them that she got adopted into a new family. It always makes me cry because of everything that I went through.
Ashleigh, if you want a great Bill Pullman movie, check out the often overlooked and underrated independent film "Zero Effect" (1998). It's a neo-film noir comedy / drama with Pullman playing a sort of modern Sherlock Holmes. It also starts Kim Dickens, Ben Stiller, and Ryan O'Neal. It's one of my favorite films.
In case no one else mentions it, the Grandmother was the Mom in the Disney "Mary Poppins" movie. And the father was the monster in "In Young Frankenstein". Great review girlfriend!
@@awkwardashleighI’m sorry what? Ashleigh you have to explain yourself. How in the entirety of your existence not even when you were a little child did you not ever watch the Julie Andrews classic Mary Poppins?
I absolutely love this movie, its my go to feel good movie. I watched it just a week ago. I remember seeing this when it came out and I got the butterflies in my stomach with Bill Pullman, still do on the many rewatches. So glad you got to watch it.
2:35 Just like a lot of big cities have their own signature pizza style, they also have a signature hot dog style. The Chicago Style hot dog is topped with mustard, sweet relish, tomato slices, diced onion, a kosher pickle spear, sport peppers, and a sprinkle of celery salt. There's also a Maxwell style that has mustard, grilled onions, and sport peppers. People like to joke that if you ask for ketchup on your hot dog in Chicago, people are going the get mad at you. 4:40 That's the L. It's an elevated railway system that runs through the city. 5:15 The L does have a charged rail and it is possible to get electrocuted. 16:44 900 numbers numbers were used by companies and services. You payed a certain amount for the first few minutes and then they charged you per minute. It was used for some legit stuff, like tech support and radio contest lines, but it was also used for stuff like chat lines, date lines, psychics hotlines, and phone sex..
I guess I consider it a Christmas movie as it's one of my favorites to watch in December. It's gears me up for the season. Sandra is a natural beauty than glamorous but she's still lovely. And yes. PULLMAN can definitely get it. He was a honey for sure. His brother was played by Peter Gallagher. He has been on lots of TV series alot which is why he looks familiar.
I absolutely love this film. I watch it every Christmas. I'm not a rom-com woman at all but this film has such humour and charm about it, the cast are all fantastic and the chemistry between Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman is magnetic.
I watched this movie with my mom and dad when it first came out and we still watch it together from time-to-time. This one and Return to Me are two that my dad likes to re-watch whenever he can talk Mom into watching them again. I recommend Return to Me if you haven't seen it yet. Same heartwarming vibes with regards to the side-characters and likeable main characters.
One of my favorite movies! I used to watch this over and over again when I was little and saw it with my mom and grandma in theatres when it came out ❤ So glad you enjoyed it!
This movie CAN be considered a Christmas if you buy into the fact that ultimately the main character's motivation is to be part of a real family ... esp. to replace the one she lost when she was young. An unusual take, and it really helps if you are emotionally invested into her journey.
I knew you'd love this one. Now, if I could only get you to watch Murphy's Romance with Sally Field and James Garner. I think Sally produced the movie as well. You would LOVE it so much!
Gotta love Sandra!! This was her first leading role after Speed. If you want to see a live movie kinda like this but more drama and serious I suggest you to react to a movie, Sommersby starring Bill Pullman, Jodie Foster, Richard Gere and James Earl Jones. Great performances, great storyline. But no matter what you decide to watch I always look forward to. Hope you had a great Christmas and a better New Year. - Gene A.
That camera was a 110-style camera that was popular in the 70s and 80s. The advantage was the film cartridge that made loading/unloading, and transport for developing easier.
Definitely one of my favorite rom coms. I would call it a sort of Christmas movie. 😂 the first thing you see of Bill Pullman is his boots and my sister saw the boot and said “oh yeah” before we even saw his face. We both had a crush on him in this movie. They had great chemistry.
You have no idea how much I needed this today! This movie is one of my favorite movies of all time and it is my go-to when I want a happy movie to watch. So glad you enjoyed it as much as I do.
4:40 Yes, Chicago has elevated trains. In Vancouver, we have an elevated train system that is completely automated called "SkyTrain". Yes, there are no drivers; and yes, it was first built in the '80s; and yes, it is expanding to my hometown.
I'm definitely not a fan of RomComs, but this works, because it's more of a ComRom. They put the funny misunderstandings and the awkwardness ahead of the burgeoning romance, and I think that's what makes it work. Now, as far as it being a Crimmit movie, I think it is, because of the whole "belonging" at Christmas with the Callaghans part. Yeah, Peter coulda fell on the tracks on the second Tuesday in September, I get it. But the vibe wouldn't have been the same, especially since Lucy has that mini-rant about always being the one working on holidays because she's alone. Well, YMMV, ain't no big thang.
Girl, having feelings for Bill Pullman is an utterly natural reaction. In the 90s both men and women were attracted to him, either from this romcom or from Independence Day. Look at that twinkle in his eyes, how could anybody resist?
I normally am not a big fan of romcoms but this one just works for me. For me, it's the great chemistry between not only Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman but between all the characters. I found myself loving each character, even Ashley Bacon was hilarious with how over the top she was and Joe is just quirky and obviously clueless aobut women. I love Peter and Jack's family, they are all so relatable yet such the ideal family everyone wants to be a part of.
I have seen this movie multiple times, and until I watched this just now, I never noticed how much the man at the beginning playing her father in the flashback looks like Peter.
When I was a kid, I actually saw Sandra Bullock play Tiger Lily in her University's Drama school production of Peter Pan! She was so charming and funny and who knew I was watching a Legend in the making! Coincidentally, I also later met someone who went to that drama school with her and he said she was one of the nicest and sweetest people he'd ever met. She's indeed beautiful, inside and out.
As a disabled and legally blind person, I sometimes appreciate someone getting the button for me in an elevator. It gives people something kind to do for those who have issues.
No, this is absolutely a Christmas movie. it not only takes place at Christmas, but Christmas is part of the plot. She saves peter because she is working on Christmas day because she's the only without family. he speaks to her for the first time ever to say "Merry Christmas." And most importantly, this movie was originally released in theatres at Christmas. unlike Die Hard, which was a summer tent pole movie. and p.s., yes, chicago has what's call an "L" train, which is slang for elevated train that runs above ground.
I’m an action movie girl all the way but, Since the rom-com door has been opened, just a crack, I think you would absolutely love Working Girl. Late 80s, all star cast, vintage hair and fashion. It’s not your sappy Hallmark romance. It’s amazing and one of my very favorites!!
The camera the grandmother had was called a Kodak Instamatic. She was played by Glynis Johns who was the mother in Mary Poppins. It had individual flashcubes and took about 16 pictures per roll of film. I had one. I also agree that this was a movie that just happened to take place at Christmas as there was nothing in the plot to tie it to Christmas. Die Hard is a Christmas movie because John McLean would not have been in Los Angeles if it had not been for Christmas to see his children and his wife at the Nakitomi Tower.
I AGREE WITH THIS.
Oh my GOD!!!! That IS Jane and Michael's mother!
Thank you, that has been bugging me where I knew her.
@@awkwardashleighAshleigh!I WAS a newspaper delivery girl,I LOVE eggnog and I use tinsel i feel picked on😂.also a 900 number was a number you paid by the minute for the dirty talk of your choice!
Glynis Johns just turned 100va few weeks ago.
Girl, I saw this in high school and Bill Pullman made me all swoony. This movie still makes me feel that way all these years later!
I really appreciate the fact that after he was a good man who just happened to be boring and didn't do anything wrong to push Meg Ryan away in Sleepless in Seattle (hashtag JusticeForWalter), Hollywood righted things and actually made HIM the love interest. Bill Pullman is great. Highly recommend the movie Ruthless People to see one of his best, funniest, and most underrated performances.
He's gorgeous and charming in the most unassuming way
Same!
While You Were Sleeping is not only one of the best romantic comedies in the last 40 years, its also a great Christmas movie. It is also more proof that the 1990s is one of the greatest decades in film history
The father is played by Peter Boyle. He played the father in Everyone Loves Raymond. He also played Frankenstein in the Mel Brook's Young Frankenstein.
Just clarification: Peter Boyle played the monster. Gene Wilder played Frankenstein
And the grandmother is Glynis Johns who played the mother in Mary Poppins.
@@imdguin It's pronounced "Fronken-STEEN!" And his grandfather's work was DOO-DOO!
@@davidwalter2002 Such a great script.
"Frau Blücher" .. . . WHINNEE NEIGH
@@imdguin Genius performances, too. The best rendition of Putting on the Ritz ever filmed.
I’m a male and this is in my Top 2 of romcoms ever. It could’ve been so stupid, slapstick and cliche like most romcoms, but there’s just something about the writing, music and performances that makes it feel real and just sucks you right in.
What's the other one?
Bet it's When Harry met Sally!
@@BsaGoatRider Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
I got to see this with my wife and kids as part of a test audience. We not only got to see two movies that day but we enjoyed it more than the movie we paid to see.
I'm a male and there are several romcoms I actually like, just because they are good movies, with good plots and writing, believable and relatable characters, stuff like that. I think as with any movie genre, there are a few good ones, and a lot of duds.
This movie has one of the most accurate family dinner conversations I've ever seen. Every time I think about it, it makes me laugh. "I never said Guy Lombardo was short!"
It is almost word for word how my family talks at dinner lmao it's hilarious to have new people "experience" the chaos
Bill said it best about what makes this so good: "She's likable". And she really is. Lucy is someone I could imagine myself easily falling in love with.
There's a detail that makes this a Christmas movie... The only reason Lucy was working the day she saved Peter is because it was Christmas and everybody else had a family to be with except her.
Presumably, on any other day, standard schedule would apply and anybody could be the one standing there on that booth, but on Christmas day, she was the one.
Hospital chapels are not usually for weddings. They are generally for family praying for their loved ones. But, since they exist, they can also be used for weddings.
My ex-wife was a nurse so I would bring our kids in on the weekends during her shift when they were still little and we would go to Mass in the chapel every sunday.
any building can be used for weddings you just need a priest or such to wed you. You can get married in a barn. Hospital chapels are just that, hospital chapels.
Just takes a big enough donation to use it for a wedding
My dad went very ill and I was alredy engaged to my now wife, dad had a stroke and we didn't know if it was going to survive so we got married in the hospital chapel, first time they ever had one. It was cute. And my dad recovered
@@eolsunderNot in the UK.
Two years ago when I was home for Christmas I showed my parents one of your videos. They were instantly hooked. Two years later and a common conversation topic is, “Did you see Ashleigh’s latest video?”
Thanks for all the laughs!
That's so cute ♥
I got my parents to watch Ashleigh a couple years ago too and now her videos are a staple to gather round the TV and watch together too. Laughter is best when shared. Glad to see the trend continuing :)
I tried to share her with my daughter and she's was like mom you are late lol
My mom has a big crush on Bill Pullman too, and coincidentally one of my family members went to college with one of his kids, so Bill Pullman was at the graduation, sitting just a few rows ahead of us. My mom got to stare at the back of his head for the whole ceremony. She just about pissed herself with joy. His whole family was very attractive and very stylish.
His son Lewis is an actor, too. It's in the genes. Lewis was great in Bad News at the El Royale and as "Bob" in Top Gun Maverick.
All the parents in this movie were HUGE stars in their day. This really is a cute film.
What is the mother from that is well known? I don't remember her? The dad, the grandma and godfather I know.
She might remember Jack Warden from 12 Angry Men.
@@audraross3012 She was in some big films, like Flashdance, What Lies Beneath, Mask, etc. but always kind of an also-ran. Never a star of anything. Didn't even start acting until she was in her 40s. Which, you know...good for her.
@@Widdershins. Oooh yeah, he was the one that just wanted to see the ballgame. But big difference in his appearance! I had to check back which juror he was!
@@Widdershins. Thank you!
Other commenters have made the points I was going to mention, so I'll just say that I liked Lucy's boss, played by the late Jason Bernard. It was kind of refreshing to have a boss character who is a friend rather than an adversary. Jason Bernard is probably best known as the exasperated judge in "Liar, Liar".
I also love him as Steve Martin's blind best friend in "All Of Me" (1984).
I still remember him as the trivia genius boss from "Herman's Head"
Wasn't he in "Batteries Not Included"?
I had a Boss EXACTLY like that wonderful guy! In fact, he gave me away at my Wedding.💐💒🍀
Someone’s probably explained already, but 900 numbers are the phone sex numbers. Also, for another ‘they tried to make Sandra Bullock homely’ movie, I recommend Love Potion #9. It’s so underrated imo. Also also - I do consider this a Christmas movie but it’s on the light side. Kind of the same way Sleepless in Seattle is a Valentine’s Day movie
Don’t forget about Miss Cleo, and the Psychic Friends Network. 😂
Oh my gosh, I totally forgot about that movie!
Erg, Love Potion #9 is such a skeevy movie. SPOILERS AHEAD The potion makes the guys irresistable, which means anyone who becomes attracted to them/sleeps with them is doing so only because of the drug's influence on them. That's not exactly giving consent, is it? So gross.
I agree, it's a gross movie, better forgotten.
I totally forgot about love potion #9..that was such a good movie..I have to find it now 😊
Bill Pullman played Geena Davis’s husband in A League of Their Own. I think he’s underrated as an actor. You should check him out in Independence Day.
Don't forget he played Lone Star in "Space Balls".
I think Ashleigh already has.
@@gaynor1721 Yes, she has. :)
My mom put the tinsel on one strand at a time, and the reflective lighting effect from the tree lights was wonderful. She also removed it one strand at a time, and saved it for the next year. I guess this is what a Depression Era childhood gets you!
Love this movie, it is my favorite Rom-Com. I disagree with you that it is not a Christmas movie. One of the most important parts, is the scene where Lucy is at the house and the family is giving her presents and putting up a stocking with her name on it, showing how the family instantly takes her in, and how desperate Lucy is to have a family. This would not have worked on just any old random holiday.
Thank you for not skipping the Paperboy Incident™. It's very short, and has no bearing whatsoever on the story, but, being an ex-paperboy myself, I'm glad to see an ancient injury has been immortalized in film.
From IMDb:
Trivia
In a transition scene, a paper boy is shown slipping off his bike. This was actually an accident, but they decided to keep it in the movie. In fact, the paper boy actor broke his wrist.
The paperboy was a real incident. The kid really fell and the director kept it in.
Two things could possibly make it an entry for a Christmas movie - that she was working alone because it was Christmas and therefore was the person to save him, and that the family hadn't celebrated Christmas and thus, a reason for her to join the family so quickly. But those are technicalities. lol
Didn't she say Die Hard was a Christmas movie. By her logic, a terrorist could have seized the building at any party. This one is a Christmas movie. Your reasoning is a great argument for it being a Christmas movie.
exactly, not to mention the festivisties that Lucy was able to attend, giving her a chance to meet Jack and fall for him and the fam... very christmassy to me.
Families gather for days at Christmas and not so much other times. I agree, this is a Christmas movie
If this isn't a Christmas movie, when are you most likely to watch it except at Christmas time when the decorations are up? _While You Were Sleeping_ wasn't filmed at Christmas, so I guess some people don't get Christmas-y vibes. I have seen this movie at other times of the year, but I always come back to the fact that it's set during Christmas time (which lasts until January 5) and it feels right to watch it during Christmas, not Easter or July 4th or Thanksgiving (for Americans in particular).
@@gaynor1721 I get what you are saying. I'm not taking a position on whether it does or does not qualify as a Christmas movie. Yes, it's set during Christmas, but it doesn't explore any Christmas themes. This is also true of Die Hard, which I do think is a Christmas movie so maybe... Stop putting me on the spot!!! lol
I'm not into romcoms. This is one of my favorite movies, full stop. I can quote it as if I was in it. Favorite scene: the paperboy.
I'm glad you liked it, and while I respect your opinion, I consider it a Christmas movie. And you can't stop me.
I’ve watch this several times. It is fabulous. I fell in love with Bill Pullman because of this movie as well.
I'm with you - I generally find rom-coms utterly idiotic - but this movie (and *Hitch*) are two of my favorites.
I love Hitch!!!@@charlesmartinjr3971
Films that happen at Christmas are Christmas films!
This is me as well. I generally do not like rom-coms, but this is one of my favorite movies.
Sandra Bullock is very pretty and charismatic, and she does "awkward" well. So she's virtually always good in a film. As for the script, the whole miscommunication, difficulty admitting to a lie sort of thing, all of that can be fun. So this was a fun movie, very light, with some feels. A decent rainy day popcorn flick.
As for it being a Christmas movie ... it has that family gathering and wish fulfillment aspect. Not a lot of caroling or whatever, but it doesn't contradict Christmas at all.
My sister watches this movie every Christmas and my family likes quoting it randomly. We love the family banter in the movie with multiple conversations going at once.
I remember seeing this with my then gf, who by that time lost her parents, and she was adopted, and she was from the other side of the country, so she was in a similar emotional place as Sandra Bullock.From her perspective, it wasn't just a rom-com, it was like Sandra said, she didn't just fall in love with the guy, it was his whole family, and they loved her! It was great they all showed up for the proposal too!
It is indeed CRAZY how many films Sandra Bullock is in having to prove how beautiful she is, LOL!! If ending up with her is "settling", let me settle! Two must sees are "Miss Congeniality" and it's sequel. For more Bill Pullman, another vote for "Ruthless People" and "Sibling Rivalry"!!!
Yes! Ruthless People!
And let us not forget his immortal speech as President in Independence Day.
This is definitely a Christmas movie for me and I watch it every year at Christmas. This movie gives me warm fuzzies every time. Sometimes its not about being a rom-com so much as it is just a feel good story. And, yes, Bill Pullman definitely can get it. Peter was far too self-centered. You know that right off when she sees that he carries pictures of himself in his wallet- I was shaking my head in agreement with you when you said, who carries pictures of themselves? A narcissist.
I agree with you, and yet... How many selfies does the average person keep on their phone? Peter was just ahead of his time maybe 😂
@@RicardoRandom691 well, that is true these days, 🤣 but for its time, it was definitely a nod to Peter's personality.
It feels to me like if they buy/ drag home/ decorate a tree during the movie then it's a Christmas movie.
@@beckbabej right?? On top of which we get to hear at least three Christmas songs! For some reason it never really struck me about whether or not it's a Christmas movie but reading everyone's arguments I can totally see it -- perhaps we could refer to it broadly as a winter holiday movie 😁
And I remember seeing a framed portrait of himself in a scene when she's in his apartment.
Wow, Ashleigh. You posted this reaction just six days before "Grandma Elsie" (Glynis Johns) passed away at the ripe old age of 100. Good timing. Crazy to think she was the elderly matriarch in a movie 29 years ago. A major role in "Mary Poppins" nearly 60 years ago. A rich life. God speed, Glynis!
She had one of the best lines in the movie...about "more room in his jockey shorts"...
Glynis Johns is the grandmother. Incredibly cute and charming in her time. She is still with us, just turned 100 years old. No Highway in the Sky 1951 or The Sundowners 1960 or Mary Poppins 1964 are good films to catch her in.
She was very cute in "The Court Jester", with Danny Kaye.
I love her in another underrated Christmas movie - The Ref!
RIP to Glynis, who just passed away. Glad that Ash got to this movie while we still had her.
This was the unofficial sequel to Sleepless in Seattle, where Bill Pullman finally got the girl he missed out on in that one
Girl, I feel you on Bill Pullman in this movie! There was a time in my life when I was OBSESSED with this movie. I watched it so many times I can still remember the specific places our VHS tape skipped (which tells you how old I am ;) )
I think the holiday angle is key to the plot, in that needing a family and feeling lost figure big (and being stuck working on a family-oriented holiday because you lack one). So I would feel the timing may not be atmospherically established but the plot makes it Christmas movie by default.
The paperboy thing was definitely real, it's just that most people stopped having newspapers delivered to their homes once everyone had the internet where they could get news for free. Some older people still get the newspaper, and it's probably delivered by some sort of courier, and maybe even still by some random person like a paperboy, depending on the company. It's just pretty rare to see these days. Also, many people will just grab a newspaper at the grocery store or gas station instead of having it delivered.
Similar to the milkman. I think Oberweis and maybe a few smaller companies will still deliver milk, but it's largely stopped being a thing (I think just due to milk being more available in grocery stores and able to keep for longer - and they probably just don't want to pay for people to do that job when it's not necessary).
Also similar to payphones, now that I think about it. Payphones used to be everywhere, but now we all have cellphones. Every house would have a landline phone (older houses especially will still have the actual landline, just without a phone attached if you choose not to get one for that purpose), and when you were out of the house, you could call someone from a payphone, and they were literally like *everywhere*. It was strange growing up and one day realizing that all the phone booths were gone, and wondering who took them down and the logistics of all that. In my memory, it seems like it happened almost overnight. There were at least tens of thousands of them all over the country, and then they were gone - though I'm sure a few still exist somewhere, just for propriety's sake.
I laugh so hard at that paperboy falling. Every time.
I used to be a paperboy. We just stopped throwing papers from bicycles
@@LukeLovesRose Yeah, a few years back, the Chicago Tribune was offering a year's subscription for $1, so I figured might as well get that, and I would get the paper delivered on Sundays. I wondered what that was going to look like, and if I remember right, it was a van that had the Tribune logo on it that delivered the paper. Since then, I've also seen people in cars throwing newspapers out of their windows toward the front doors of houses. I'm sure they work for a courier company and just use their own cars (same as Uber).
But if the companies are willing to offer a subscription for as little as a dollar, you know they can't be making a profit if they're also paying someone to come deliver it to you (at least when millions of people no longer get the paper), so it's just not feasible to have that service anymore - nor is it really feasible for a physical newspaper to exist anymore.
Broken bones resulted in real life from that stunt
This is totally a Christmas movie and one I watch every year, it's one of my favorite films period. I saved watching it this year to watch it with you and loved it, Bill can totally get it!
12:06 - I'm SOOOO happy you included this moment (not even a scene, really) in your reaction. I can't remember if it was planned or an outtake that they kept in, but it's just so random, not a part of the story, and so freakin' hilarious. This is, truly, one of my favorite movie moments ever.
This is my fav romcom! Despite being a slightly ridiculous scenario, it's so sincere and heartfelt that it feels real. And it's funny! Sandra and Bill had great chemistry, and this movie ignited my girl crush on Sandra and my crush on Bill when I was a teen when i saw it in the theater. The leaning scene still makes me swoon. 😂
@Ashleigh, breaking news!! Glynis Johns has passed away at 100 years old (January 4th, 2024). Another of her very funny roles was in The Ref. And a wonderful older movie with Jimmy Stewart in No Highway In The Sky.
50 yo male, I totally hate romcoms, but I totally love this one. It's great that you reacted to it!
This is a near-perfect movie except I always thought the best ending would be if SHE went into the family estate business (she'd be so sweet with managing grief, etc.) Jack could sell his furniture and she'd be hanging with dad.
What a lovely idea!! This is now canon.
Could very well have happened after she & Jack came back from Florence!
Thank you! This is now head-canon for me. Perhaps Jack's dad helps them furnish their first home and something develops from there.
Thank you for making a great epilogue for us!
It all the years of my 💕 this movie that never occurred to me. Nice alternative ending 😁
…side note…I am a 51 yr old guy and have always loved rom-coms, halmark movies, and anything that hits me in the feels.
It’s why I get a lot of dates! 😂
@@glennjpanting2081 34 is the youngest but I usually date around my age or older…pay for a lot less when dating up…also I can’t help that I’m cool AF 😂
@@glennjpanting2081 I can’t help I’m cool AF…and my friend group is mostly between 40-65 and my current gf is 57.
It’s just normal jargon.
So glad you liked this film. It’s one of my favorites, one I watch repeatedly. And I’m SO not a rom-comer. Not that I hate them, they’re just not my go-to. I always cry during Lucy’s wedding speech and did so even watching your clips. BTW, the father is played by Peter Boyle, most well known (well, to me) as the Monster in Young Frankenstein. The grandmother is the great Glynis Johns, who was making movies back when Jimmy Stewart was just getting to be a star. She’s also the actor Sondheim wrote Send in the Clowns for. And Jack Warden, the uncle, also had a long career. So it’s a great cast.
As one of your "male demographic," While You Were Sleeping is one of my all time favorite movies.
So the guy who looked familiar but wasnt Bill Pullman is Peter Gallagher. He's the dad in The O.C, not sure if youre familiar with that. The grandpa who you thought was from a sitcom is Peter Boyle. He was in Everybody loves Raymond. Also Frankenstein's mosnter in Young Frankenstein. Also the grandmother is the mother in Mary Poppins. She is still alive at 100 years old.
For me this is a Christmas movie because of the way it depicts the feeling of being with family at Christmas. That scene with Lucy so happy and contented to sit watching the family exchange gifts, not even curious what’s in hers. The feelings that shot evokes are what Christmas means to me; so, it’s absolutely a Christmas movie in my book🎁😊
we ALL have big feelings for bill pullman when watching this
I’m not a rom-com girl either but I LOVE this movie. It is just a cute little movie. Plus I tear up every time I watch it. It’s just SWEET without being sappy.
Such a sweet reaction! :) Bill Pullman in this movie is everything, like Aidan Quinn in Desperately Seeking Susan and Practical Magic
I agree totally. Bill Pullman is adorable in this picture & I had such a crush on Aidan Quinn back in the day. Aidan was such a snack back then. Aidan blue eyes are dangerous 💕 Phillipa 🤗
16:44 - back in the pre-internet era, 900 numbers were commonly used by phone sex services. Also, Jack and Peter's dad was played by Peter Boyle, who was the Monster in "Young Frankenstein". Still hope you'll watch some old school films like "Silver Streak" with Gene Wilder or "What's Up Doc" with Barbara Streisand
And those 900 numbers were not cheap. They could be as much as $8.00 a minute in some cases. If you wanted to get your money's worth, you needed to be efficient.
“Chicago! I’ve never been there… A whole pickle in a hotdog! I don’t know what that’s called…” It’s a Chicago Dog. 😂
1:37 “we’re gonna just raw dog it”😅😂
That's a Chicago style hot dog. Vienna beef dog, steamed poppy seed bun, mustard ( NO KETCHUP!), onion, relish, dill pickle, tomato and either hot sport pepper or mild pepperoncini. That's called dragged through the garden. Love them! Okay, now I need one.
I agree, minus the onion.
I'm a heterosexual male who loves romcoms, but yes, there are many that totally suck. This one doesn't suck. Everyone in it gives a good performance, and the story works and is interesting. It's been a very long time since I've seen the movie, and I usually don't have a problem making the decision, but I think this one sits right on the edge of being a Christmas movie. The Christmas season is a big part of the motivation that gets the story moving, but it continues well past Christmas, and it's never really specifically about Christmas. So yeah, I guess I'll let it fall into the Christmas movie column.
Recommendation: The Dream Team (1989), with Peter Boyle (the father in law that you said looks familiar). He was the Monster in Young Frankenstein, and he was the father on Everybody Loves Raymond. (Be careful, there are some other movies also called "Dream Team".)
The subway in Chicago is called the "El" as in elevated train.
A well-made Romcom is awesome! This is one of my favorite stories. And THAT is really the whole deal. This is just plain good storytelling. Then add Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman (who is criminally underrated) and the family of supporting casts - Gold!
Completely agree Bill Pullman is criminally underrated! For an easily cast 'likable guy' he fought against type-casting a good few times as well. He's quite different in David Lynch's 'Lost Highway'!
I don't know if weddings at hospitals happen often enough to have chapels, but most hospitals do, in fact, have chapels that are open 24/7 to allow family members a space for prayer and meditation for their loved ones who are there for treatment.
While You Were Sleeping is my favorite movie, I grew up on it. It was one of my dad’s favorite movies, too. It’s always felt more special to me, too, and I think it has to do with the family and her getting integrated into it. The dialogue is also really quippy and not cheesy. And because I grew up on it, I always thought Bill Pullman was a heartthrob, it surprised me when that wasn’t a truth universally acknowledged. He gave me unrealistic expectations.
Love that so much and totally agree. Bill Pullman is honestly a pretty underrated actor -- and quite handsome! 😅
Sleepless in Seattle and Casper and A League of their own 😊
If you look very carefully during the church scenes, you can use x-ray vision and see through the back wall behind the Cross and see across the alley to the brownstone walk up I lived in while they were filming this movie. Yes I was an El train commuter and they ruined service on the brown line for a couple weeks. Jack Warden (Uncle Sal) plays a similar type role in Heaven Can Wait starring Warren Beatty.
I hope some reaction channel finally does Heaven Can Wait. Jack Warden was always one of my favorite actors.
@@Johnny_Socko he was seen on this channel in 12 Angry Men
He was great in that movie.
My favorite Jack Warden role is the doctor in Donovan's Reef. Donovan's Reef is kinda sorta a rom com, but it's mostly a love letter about Polynesia. It's easy to overlook Jack's role in the movie because he is frequently overshadowed by John Wayne and Lee Marvin. Filmed in Hawaii, the movie is often breathtaking.
"I got big feelings for Bill Pullman" - girl, I feel that. I watched a lot of Bill Pullman during my formative years (I'm about 11 years older than you). I remember watching "Dave" and "While You Were Sleeping", and developing the BIGGEST crush on him. He is such an underrated actor. I think the FIRST thing I saw him in was "Spaceballs", but I loved him in "Independence Day" and "Casper", too.
Who was Bill Pullman in Dave? Wasn’t that Kevin Klein?
I caught him not long ago in a 1986 film called 'Ruthless People' with Danny DeVito and Bette Midler. He plays a completely hilarious dimwitted himbo who video-blackmails people. Incompetently. Just his expression and his ridiculous hair in the movie pretty much elicits a laugh from me everytime he appears on screen. Anyway - yes, underrated! He can even be scary, as in Lost Highway!
It is most definitely a Christmas/New Year’s movie. It happens that whole week. I watch it every Christmas. Like I always watch Independence Day on the 4th of July.
My grandma showed me this movie around 2004 - 2005 and still holds a special place in my heart. Very lighthearted and cute film
I’ve always considered this a Xmas movie. Primarily because Lucy was without a family during a traditionally family oriented holiday & this accident gave her that family. It wasn’t about her unrequited imagined love life, but about how she needed a family. She just happened to find her true love within that family she became a part of. The utter chaos of the holidays with a loud & crazy family is just what she needed. It’s what we all need, even if we don’t believe it. That’s why I see it as a true Xmas movie. But - that’s just my opinion. Happy New Year Ashleigh! Here’s to another year of great movie reviews! Luv ya 💜
This was mine and my mom’s favorite Christmas movie, we watched it every year. Since she passed away the week before Thanksgiving this year, I was dreading watching it for the first time without her. Thank you for making it a little easier😊
Happy New Year and looking forward to your videos in 2024❤
R.I.P. Glynnis Johns. She was awesome in The Ref.
Fun fact: When she came to Hollywood to be in Mary Poppins, she thought it was for the title role, not Mrs Banks.
My mom has a habit of adopting anyone without family into our Christmases. I always made the stockings and every year I end up making a new one with a new name on it (because a stocking that says "guest" just isn't right). All the grandkids take up the fireplace (this year we added the oldest grandchild's fiancé) and the rest line the walls of the entrance. The most we ever had was 37 stockings.
"The Court Jester" (1955) features a young and beautiful Glynis Johns (the grandma with the heart condition and the 'weird' camera). Glynis was also Mrs. Banks in "Mary Poppins." She turned 100 years old in October of this past year, and is still with us!
"The Court Jester" also features a young and beautiful Angela Lansbury!!
WELL worth a watch!!
I grew up with 2 younger sisters, so I was always outvoted when we got to pick a movie to watch. I ended seeing way more Rom-Coms than a boy should, but While You Were Sleeping was one of the few I still enjoy.
I grew up with two older sisters so I completely understand.
@@Endigo_Vandane "So this is what it's like when doves cry." - Milhouse
Not sure if she has seen it yet, but "Serendipity" starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale was another RomCom Christmas movie that I liked.
@@johnlloyddy7016 Such a great movie! I fell in love with John Cusack all over again because of that movie.
WYWS is one of my top 5 favorite Sandy movies. Watched it many times and it's still enjoyable and funny. I wish it would get a Blu-ray release.
4:46 - The above-ground train is called "The El." Elevated train. It's pretty much the commuter's way around Chicago. It does go underground in some places, but is mostly elevated above the streets, all through and around the city.
The best bit of this film is that Bill Pullman was the one who got the Girl. Usually, he was the man who nobly gave up the girl so she could get her true Happy Ending - case in point, 'Sleepless in Seattle'.
This film does affect me in a lot of ways partly because I grew up watching it in the 90s but also I had a falling out a couple years ago, twice in fact, and so knowing that she doesn’t have a large family of her own and seeing the scene at the very end, where she’s about to marry The other guy and fess up to his family and telling them that she got adopted into a new family. It always makes me cry because of everything that I went through.
I worked with Bill Pullman and I can tell you your swoon over him is fully warranted. He’s extremely charming, funny, friendly. I was smitten myself.
I envy you a lot
Ashleigh, if you want a great Bill Pullman movie, check out the often overlooked and underrated independent film "Zero Effect" (1998). It's a neo-film noir comedy / drama with Pullman playing a sort of modern Sherlock Holmes. It also starts Kim Dickens, Ben Stiller, and Ryan O'Neal. It's one of my favorite films.
In case no one else mentions it, the Grandmother was the Mom in the Disney "Mary Poppins" movie. And the father was the monster in "In Young Frankenstein". Great review girlfriend!
omg I need to get to Mary Poppins
@@awkwardashleigh You really do!!
@@awkwardashleighI’m sorry what? Ashleigh you have to explain yourself. How in the entirety of your existence not even when you were a little child did you not ever watch the Julie Andrews classic Mary Poppins?
You also need to see Julie Andrews in her other big movie of the 1960's The Sound of Music@@awkwardashleigh
And she recently turned 100!
If you haven’t yet you need to watch her in The Net. It’s a great little thriller.
I second that.
Ooh, that is a FUN one! I think she'd get a kick out of the early computer technology.
I absolutely love this movie, its my go to feel good movie. I watched it just a week ago. I remember seeing this when it came out and I got the butterflies in my stomach with Bill Pullman, still do on the many rewatches. So glad you got to watch it.
2:35 Just like a lot of big cities have their own signature pizza style, they also have a signature hot dog style. The Chicago Style hot dog is topped with mustard, sweet relish, tomato slices, diced onion, a kosher pickle spear, sport peppers, and a sprinkle of celery salt. There's also a Maxwell style that has mustard, grilled onions, and sport peppers. People like to joke that if you ask for ketchup on your hot dog in Chicago, people are going the get mad at you.
4:40 That's the L. It's an elevated railway system that runs through the city.
5:15 The L does have a charged rail and it is possible to get electrocuted.
16:44 900 numbers numbers were used by companies and services. You payed a certain amount for the first few minutes and then they charged you per minute. It was used for some legit stuff, like tech support and radio contest lines, but it was also used for stuff like chat lines, date lines, psychics hotlines, and phone sex..
I guess I consider it a Christmas movie as it's one of my favorites to watch in December. It's gears me up for the season. Sandra is a natural beauty than glamorous but she's still lovely. And yes. PULLMAN can definitely get it. He was a honey for sure. His brother was played by Peter Gallagher. He has been on lots of TV series alot which is why he looks familiar.
I absolutely love this film. I watch it every Christmas. I'm not a rom-com woman at all but this film has such humour and charm about it, the cast are all fantastic and the chemistry between Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman is magnetic.
Please - you have to put The Proposal on your list!! Awesome Sandra Bullock movie. Maybe for Valentine's Day!!
Be sure to add 'The Blindside' with Sandra Bullock. She earned an Oscar for her performance in that film 👍
I tend to hate romcoms as a general rule. This is one of the few exceptions and I love this movie.
I watched this movie with my mom and dad when it first came out and we still watch it together from time-to-time. This one and Return to Me are two that my dad likes to re-watch whenever he can talk Mom into watching them again. I recommend Return to Me if you haven't seen it yet. Same heartwarming vibes with regards to the side-characters and likeable main characters.
One of my favorite movies! I used to watch this over and over again when I was little and saw it with my mom and grandma in theatres when it came out ❤
So glad you enjoyed it!
This movie was a staple of my childhood! I love that you're watching it!!
This movie CAN be considered a Christmas if you buy into the fact that ultimately the main character's motivation is to be part of a real family ... esp. to replace the one she lost when she was young. An unusual take, and it really helps if you are emotionally invested into her journey.
This is my favorite Bill Pullman movie, he’s such a sweetie!
I knew you'd love this one. Now, if I could only get you to watch Murphy's Romance with Sally Field and James Garner. I think Sally produced the movie as well. You would LOVE it so much!
Yes!
Dude, I'm a 31 year old man, and this is one of my favorite romantic comedy films ever. Such a classic! Great review as always btw!!!
Gotta love Sandra!! This was her first leading role after Speed. If you want to see a live movie kinda like this but more drama and serious I suggest you to react to a movie, Sommersby starring Bill Pullman, Jodie Foster, Richard Gere and James Earl Jones. Great performances, great storyline. But no matter what you decide to watch I always look forward to. Hope you had a great Christmas and a better New Year. - Gene A.
Sommersby was a good movie. I really enjoyed that too
You're not the only one girl we all fell in love with Bill Pullman in this movie!❤
That camera was a 110-style camera that was popular in the 70s and 80s.
The advantage was the film cartridge that made loading/unloading, and transport for developing easier.
Definitely one of my favorite rom coms. I would call it a sort of Christmas movie. 😂 the first thing you see of Bill Pullman is his boots and my sister saw the boot and said “oh yeah” before we even saw his face. We both had a crush on him in this movie. They had great chemistry.
You have no idea how much I needed this today! This movie is one of my favorite movies of all time and it is my go-to when I want a happy movie to watch. So glad you enjoyed it as much as I do.
4:40 Yes, Chicago has elevated trains. In Vancouver, we have an elevated train system that is completely automated called "SkyTrain". Yes, there are no drivers; and yes, it was first built in the '80s; and yes, it is expanding to my hometown.
I'm definitely not a fan of RomComs, but this works, because it's more of a ComRom. They put the funny misunderstandings and the awkwardness ahead of the burgeoning romance, and I think that's what makes it work. Now, as far as it being a Crimmit movie, I think it is, because of the whole "belonging" at Christmas with the Callaghans part. Yeah, Peter coulda fell on the tracks on the second Tuesday in September, I get it. But the vibe wouldn't have been the same, especially since Lucy has that mini-rant about always being the one working on holidays because she's alone. Well, YMMV, ain't no big thang.
Agree, just like with When Harry Met Sally, the romance doesn't blossom until the very end....
Girl, having feelings for Bill Pullman is an utterly natural reaction. In the 90s both men and women were attracted to him, either from this romcom or from Independence Day. Look at that twinkle in his eyes, how could anybody resist?
I normally am not a big fan of romcoms but this one just works for me. For me, it's the great chemistry between not only Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman but between all the characters. I found myself loving each character, even Ashley Bacon was hilarious with how over the top she was and Joe is just quirky and obviously clueless aobut women. I love Peter and Jack's family, they are all so relatable yet such the ideal family everyone wants to be a part of.
I have seen this movie multiple times, and until I watched this just now, I never noticed how much the man at the beginning playing her father in the flashback looks like Peter.
This deserves every one of your five stars. I'm so happy you loved it. Happy New Year Ashleigh! Excited to see what you have for us in 2024.
When I was a kid, I actually saw Sandra Bullock play Tiger Lily in her University's Drama school production of Peter Pan! She was so charming and funny and who knew I was watching a Legend in the making! Coincidentally, I also later met someone who went to that drama school with her and he said she was one of the nicest and sweetest people he'd ever met. She's indeed beautiful, inside and out.
As a disabled and legally blind person, I sometimes appreciate someone getting the button for me in an elevator. It gives people something kind to do for those who have issues.
No, this is absolutely a Christmas movie. it not only takes place at Christmas, but Christmas is part of the plot. She saves peter because she is working on Christmas day because she's the only without family. he speaks to her for the first time ever to say "Merry Christmas." And most importantly, this movie was originally released in theatres at Christmas. unlike Die Hard, which was a summer tent pole movie. and p.s., yes, chicago has what's call an "L" train, which is slang for elevated train that runs above ground.
I'm not into most rom-coms, but I love this movie! Watch it every xmas. It is so cute and funny, and gives me all the feels!
I’m an action movie girl all the way but, Since the rom-com door has been opened, just a crack, I think you would absolutely love Working Girl. Late 80s, all star cast, vintage hair and fashion. It’s not your sappy Hallmark romance. It’s amazing and one of my very favorites!!