You've Got Mail

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You've Got Mail

PG

1998

1h 59m

Drama

Romance

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

69%

Tomatometer

88 Reviews

73%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Struggling boutique bookseller Kathleen Kelly hates Joe Fox, the owner of a corporate Foxbooks chain store that just moved in across the street. When they meet online, however, they begin an intense and anonymous Internet romance, oblivious of each other's true identity. Eventually Joe learns that the enchanting woman he's involved with is actually his business rival. He must now struggle to reconcile his real-life dislike for her with the cyber love he's come to feel.

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Critics Consensus

Great chemistry between the leads made this a warm and charming delight.

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Lisa Alspector

Chicago Reader

05/27/2011

The coincidences that make the destined lovers' paths cross aren't contrived with much finesse, but the characters get in some decidedly clever lines.

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

12/29/2010

4/5

Predictable-but-sweet romantic comedy.

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Geoff Andrew

Time Out

02/09/2006

The clumsily loaded characterisation not only treats almost every other figure as dispensable, but doesn't even bother to make Meg and Tom properly sympathetic.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

05/23/2025

3/5

…if the ending of You've Got Mail isn’t satisfactory, the build-up is, with Tom Hanks Hanks and Meg Ryan both extremely likeable in a sugar-sweet confection ideally suited to their talents…Ephron’s critique of modern living has an unexpected resonance...

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Laura Bradley

The Daily Beast

12/05/2022

As I’ve gotten older, my affection for the story still lingers.

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Hanif Abdurraqib

4Columns

10/02/2020

The most worthwhile tension in You've Got Mail lies in the simple but pure ecstasy of receiving an email from a person you are excited about. Long live the parts of the film that refurbish the excitement of our sometimes-misguided yearnings.

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grumpy old bag

Nov 4

great, old classic movie. stands the test of time. enjoyed watching it on the big screen again!

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Landon J

@Minxsykitty 4d

Just ok. Don't love the ending/resolution. Kindof a dumb premise I suppose but it works well enough. I'm not sure were supposed to be rooting for the Hanks character here in the modern day but he prevails anyways. Interesting enough.

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Carli B.

@carliburchett May 19

As an avid romance movie lover, it's almost a shame to say I watched this for the first time today. However, I'm glad I've seen it, because now I have another go-to romance movie to rewatch countless times. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan fit perfectly together in this movie. I love books, so the two leads owning bookstores is perfect. I will never forget the iconic end scene line "I wanted it to be you. I wanted it to be you so badly." I now want that framed on my wall with the movie poster above.

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Ana Paula P

@RT95820923 Apr 14

My favourite romcom ever! It doesn’t get old!!!

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Brian D

@Brianwd2 Mar 30

75%. 3/28/26. Like this time period - love Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan is great. I enjoyed the buildup but was let down when he discovered who she was and she ripped him and then he never told her it was him. Then a while later he befriends her and kind of plays with her while she still doesn't know it's him. Big nit pick where they're both in relationships, and she even tells her friends/family that she's going to meet some guy she met on the internet - which is basically openly cheating. Also just didn't love how Hanks' character handled the situation so it's to much of a feel good. Light, easy watch. 2/5 rewatch

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Noah K.

@noah-1 Mar 4

Charming, touch of whimsy. Also great now as a period piece for a time that suddenly feels much simpler.

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Nora Ephron

Director

Tom Hanks

Joe Fox

Meg Ryan

Kathleen Kelly

Parker Posey

Patricia Eden

Greg Kinnear

Frank Navasky

Jean Stapleton

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Synopsis

Struggling boutique bookseller Kathleen Kelly hates Joe Fox, the owner of a corporate Foxbooks chain store that just moved in across the street. When they meet online, however, they begin an intense and anonymous Internet romance, oblivious of each other's true identity. Eventually Joe learns that the enchanting woman he's involved with is actually his business rival. He must now struggle to reconcile his real-life dislike for her with the cyber love he's come to feel.

Director: Nora Ephron
Producer: Nora Ephron, Lauren Shuler Donner
Screenwriter: Miklós László, Nora Ephron, Delia Ephron
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Warner Brothers
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama, Romance, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 18, 1998, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 1, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $115.7M
Runtime: 1h 59m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Digital