It's not hyperbolic to say that Rob Reiner's movies, including When Harry Met Sally, shaped some of us of a certain age

Dear Gossips,

It’s the holiday season or, as some of us would call it, rom-com season. This is when we cuddle up with our favourites, when we give ourselves over to the fantasy version of romance that probably f-cked us over with unrealistic expectations but we’ll ride the optimism anyway, at least until January 2.

There is one Hollywood rom-com that tops almost every list, widely considered to be one of the best rom-coms ever made, or maybe even the best for people of a certain age. If you’re Gen X growing up in the west, shaped by the tastes of American media, it’s unlikely that you don’t know When Harry Met Sally, written by Nora Ephron and directed by Rob Reiner and inspired by Rob’s dating life at the time, after his divorce from Penny Marshall.

As many have said since the terrible news last night, it is not hyperbolic to say that Rob Reiner’s movies shaped some of us of a certain age – like, not just one movie but SO MANY MOVIES. For me personally, Rob Reiner introduced me to my earliest movie star crushes, starting with John Cusack in The Sure Thing and then of course it got real serious and lasted a lifetime with Stand By Me and River Phoenix. But also Cary Elwes in The Princess Bride. I even had a thing for President Andrew Shepherd, played by Michael Douglas, in what is my all-time favourite Rob Reiner movie, The American President. (F-cking Sorkin!) The American President, by the way, is a rom-com too, though understandably not as revered as When Harry Met Sally.

When Harry Met Sally is basically a standard now, like the music standards that were re-popularised by the film. It wasn’t just the actors, it wasn’t just the story, it wasn’t just those hilarious lines, or the diner, When Harry Met Sally also pretty much made Harry Connick Jr. The film’s influence goes well beyond the screen. We are still having the conversation about whether men and women can truly be friends!

Speaking of those lines, though, there is of course one that stands out above the rest: “I’ll have what she’s having”. But I don’t know if we appreciate the other ones, like practically all the dialogue, since the movie is so talky. I will never not laugh at “Baby Fish Mouth” and the one that comes after: “Oh but Baby Fish Mouth is sweeping the nation?” LOOLLLLLLL

Also…

“Someone is staring at you in Personal Growth.”

Plus a confession for the ages.

It was probably already going to be watched by many people over the next two weeks as we head into the holiday break. And now, probably even more. Leaving behind a legacy of romance and comedy, making people laugh just from the memory of it, let that be the takeaway.