“Men and women cannot be friends,” a matter-of-fact Harry says to his blonde counterpart as she stares dumbfounded in the driver’s seat of her beloved college car. Meg Ryan, the loveable, naïve lead in this classic rom-com cannot comprehend why a male and a female cannot be friends without “sex getting in the way” as Harry so artistically puts it. Whether you agree with this skepticism or not, this underappreciated film has many life lessons that we would be smart to adhere to (or run from). Her Campus is here to break it down for you.
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How to fake it.
Everyone’s seen the classic diner scene and one or two of us may have taken notes from Meg Ryan’s convincing . . . um . . . talents. Whether you agree with this tactic or not, it’s no secret that this bombshell’s show is the way to go. We’re not saying to try this at home, but here’s the link if you need some help. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0OeM6UUAoI
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Road trips lead to romance.
Everyone knows if you put a boy and a girl in a car for a long time with some road music, there’s bound to be romance. It’s inevitable. So just skip the awkward diner pit stops in between, admit to having feelings for each other, and we can all move on with our lives and take a plane to our destination instead.
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If you fix up your single best friend, she will find love.
You will be single. You WILL be a third wheel. And that’s what chocolate and wine are for.
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Everyone falls for their best friend at some point.
Whether it takes two years or twenty, at some point in your life it will probably cross your mind that your best friend looks cute in that blue shirt. That you like the fact that he plays your favorite music before you even ask. That sometimes, crying on his shoulder feels a little too nice. All this movie is saying is that it’s probably going to happen some time. Whether you act on it or not though is up to you and be cautioned: it may just be a trick of light. Which leads us to the much-contested number five . . .
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MEN AND WOMEN CANNOT BE FRIENDS.
This quote has been used as a justification, explanation, and argument since the movie’s release. I’ve had this debate countless times and still cannot come to a conclusion. Harry thinks that whether on the side of one party or both, sex will always get in the way. Sally thinks that this isn’t true, that with the proper work these relationships can stay platonic. College fosters a bizarre environment for these types of relationships. Some seem to think that you can just stay friends with the boy next door while others openly admit, “Oh yeah he’s great, we hooked up that one time…” Shoot us an email with your opinion so we can finally settle this once and for all!
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“When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want the rest of your life to start right now.”
What would this article be if we didn’t end with the hopelessly romantic summary of everything that is sappy about When Harry Met Sally. Dating is complicated. Love is messy. But that’s half the fun. You don’t have to realize the second you meet the one, like a giant lightbulb is shooting fireworks in your flabbergasted face. All we’re saying is that when those fireworks do go off, the rest of the movie becomes a tear jerking credit reel.