While you were sleeping (1995) is rated PG and stars Sandra Bullock (Lucy), Bill Pullman (Jack) Peter Gallagher (Peter)

While you were sleeping is a sweet romantic comedy about a lonely "L" train token taker who is "in love" with a passenger (Peter) she sees getting on the train everyday. On Christmas day she sees the man getting accosted and he gets pushed on the tracks. She runs and saves him and in a series of misunderstandings at the hospital everyone believes they are engaged. She falls in love with having a family (his) to care about her so she lets the lie continue while Peter is in a coma. Along the way problems arise when Lucy realizes she is in love with Jack, Peter's suspicious brother, and Peter wakes up with "amnesia". Will she get Peter or Jack? Will Lucy come clean? Will the family still love her?

I really liked Sandra Bullock in this movie. In my opinion it is one of her most "real" feeling characters. She really had me feeling for her, and at times relating to her. Who hasn't liked someone and been to afraid to do anything about it? Who hasn't been lonely?

Bill Pullman as Jack was also pretty good. His suspicion of Lucy was well done and the evolution of his feelings played very well. I actually felt bad for him when Peter woke up, and he had to stop spending time with Lucy.

Peter Gallagher was really not in the movie much, seeing as he was in a coma, but after he awoke he was pretty funny. His confusion over his "partial amnesia" and trying to figure out why he could remember everything but Lucy was pretty amusing.

There are some funny subplots in the movie as well. In one we have Joe Junior (Michael Rispoli), the son of Lucy's landlord, who is always hitting on her. He leads Jack to believe there is something between them. Adding to Jack's suspicions about Lucy and Peter's relationship

There is also a mystery woman (Ally Walker) who Peter had really proposed to before the accident. She keeps calling his answering machine telling him she changed her mind and will marry him. Eventually she shows up at the hospital just in time to add a wrinkle to the situation.

There is also a great character Saul (Jack Warden). He plays Peter's godfather and he finds out that Lucy is lying but helps her keep the secret. He sees what happiness Lucy brings to the family and how she might turn Peter into a better person when he wakes up.

Overall the movie is your usual cute romantic comedy, maybe a little better than some. There is no gratuitous sex scenes and very little swearing which is a nice change. I also really appreciate that the romance is not some far fetched Hollywood version of love. In this movie it happens gradually, and not always easily, these people have to work at it. The comedy is also not silly or slapstick in anyway.


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Good Date Movie
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older