The first time I watched While You Were Sleeping, I did for Sandra Bullock. The second time and all the others that followed, I did because I fell in love with the movie. It's been a while since I last saw it so I figured it was about time to rewatch it.
The film follows Lucy (Sandra Bullock), a lonely Chicago Transit Authority token collector who has fallen in love with a commuter named Peter (Peter Gallagher) who passes her by every day. On Christmas day, the man is mugged and falls onto the rails, Lucy saves him but he goes into a coma. At the hospital, Lucy is mistaken for Peter's fiancée. Embraced by Peter's warm and welcoming family, Lucy goes along with the lie. But Peter's brother, Jack (Bill Pullman), is very suspicious as Lucy is not Peter's type at all.
As with most romantic comedies, the plot is very simple and quite predictable. Also, the whole mistaken identity thing that drives the entire plot is not plausible at all. Despite this, the story is told in a way that ends up being believable, and it is so sweet, charming and engaging that you can't help but hope the girl gets the boy.
That definitely has to do with the characters. Not only While You Were Sleeping finds a very likeable and sympathetic main character in Lucy, but it's also filled with interesting and quite memorable supporting characters. No matter how little time they have on screen, they all manage to leave their mark.
Of course, they wouldn't work this well if the cast didn't do a good job. Sandra Bullock gives a sweet and believable performance as Lucy, She doesn't play a serious/tough character this time around but a sweet, next-door girl that wins you over immediately —no wonder Peter's family is so welcoming. Also, she does a wonderful job at conveying Lucy's vulnerability. Bill Pullman is great as Peter's sensitive, caring brother, and the chemistry he shares with Bullock is great. I have a crush on Peter Gallagher since The O.C. —yes, I like them old— but Pullman is so charming in here, Jack has to end up with Lucy. The rest of the cast also does a good job, the standout being Michael Rispoli who gives a very funny performance as Joe Jr., the son of Lucy's landlord.
As with most romantic comedies, the plot is very simple and quite predictable. Also, the whole mistaken identity thing that drives the entire plot is not plausible at all. Despite this, the story is told in a way that ends up being believable, and it is so sweet, charming and engaging that you can't help but hope the girl gets the boy.
That definitely has to do with the characters. Not only While You Were Sleeping finds a very likeable and sympathetic main character in Lucy, but it's also filled with interesting and quite memorable supporting characters. No matter how little time they have on screen, they all manage to leave their mark.
Of course, they wouldn't work this well if the cast didn't do a good job. Sandra Bullock gives a sweet and believable performance as Lucy, She doesn't play a serious/tough character this time around but a sweet, next-door girl that wins you over immediately —no wonder Peter's family is so welcoming. Also, she does a wonderful job at conveying Lucy's vulnerability. Bill Pullman is great as Peter's sensitive, caring brother, and the chemistry he shares with Bullock is great. I have a crush on Peter Gallagher since The O.C. —yes, I like them old— but Pullman is so charming in here, Jack has to end up with Lucy. The rest of the cast also does a good job, the standout being Michael Rispoli who gives a very funny performance as Joe Jr., the son of Lucy's landlord.
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| Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, Inc. |
In short, While You Were Sleeping is a lovely, charming and heart-warming romantic comedy. It may be cheesy and predictable, but it's also funny and the drama is well-integrated into the story.
