You’ve Got Mail, one of the best romantic comedies of all time, is a movie that I’ve watched more than just about anything else over the years. No joke, I’ve spent countless hours watching Joe Fox and Kathleen Kelly go from enemies to lovers, and it never really gets old. But, after watching the 1998 rom-com directed by the late Nora Ephron for like the 152nd time, I think there is one change that would make this all-time great romance story even better.
No, I wouldn’t recast Tom Hanks or Meg Ryan, or replace the music, or make any changes to the story (it could be shorter, but that’s for another day). Instead, I would make a small yet major change to something that happens very early on in the movie.
You’ve Got Mail Has And Always Will Be One Of My Go-To Comfort Films
Though the movie has some problems here and there, You’ve Got Mail has always been one of my go-to comfort films and legitmately one of the best ‘90s movies. It’s pretty much the cinematic equivalent of a warm comforter right out of the dryer or a bowl of hot soup on a cold winter day. Hearing or reading those three little words – you’ve got mail – brings so much joy to my heart.
Going through a bad breakup? Go to You’ve Got Mail. Feeling like crud with the Flu? Put on You’ve Got Mail. Don’t know what to watch after spending an hour going through all the best streaming services looking for something new? You guessed it… You’ve Got Mail. From the first time I saw it with my parents to the most recent with my wife and daughter, this movie has always been there for me.
And, that’s why I feel kind of bad for what I’m about to say…
But I Think Having The Credits Start After Kathleen’s ‘You’ve Got Mail’ Monologue Would Add So Much
You know the whole opening credits sequence that travels through a 3D-animated New York City before ending at Kathleen Kelly’s West Side apartment? Well, if I were making a new cut of this classic, I’d remove that entire two-second opening and hold off on the title sequence until just after Shopgirl reads her monologue about her correspondence with NY152 (Joe Fox):
I turn on my computer. I wait impatiently as it connects. I go online, and my breath catches in my chest until I hear three little words: You’ve got mail. I hear nothing. Not even a sound on the streets of New York, just the beating of my own heart. I have mail. From you.
In my ideal version, the You’ve Got Mail title would pop up on the screen just as Kathleen says those “three little words” while The Cranberries’ “Dreams” swells in the background. The credits would appear as the camera jumps from Kathleen to Joe and back to Kathleen as they walk through the streets of New York City. This scene, already fantastic as is, would be even better with the credits, and I think the movie would be better because of it.
The Animated Intro Is Iconic At This Point, But It Honestly Hasn’t Aged That Well
I know, I know, the You’ve Got Mail opening credits sequence is iconic at this point and sets the tone with the two leads falling in love with one another over the internet. But… this sequence is ugly. Even back in high school and college, I thought this part of the movie suffered from the same problems as other late ‘90s movies that implemented 3D technology. It just hasn’t aged well. Not all nostalgia is good, you know?
I mean, the whole first scene in the movie where they sneak around their significant others to talk to a stranger on AOL sets the time and place already, so you don’t really need that animation in the beginning. But hey, that’s just me.
Don’t let this small critique make you believe that I think less of You’ve Got Mail, because I will defend this movie until the day I die – even if I have to explain AOL and dial-up internet to my kids.