Movie Review: While You Were Sleeping (1995) by Sharlene SK https://padlet.com/ryanangelina/moviereviewShali An in-depth writing (critique) about 'What do I think about the movie?' en-us 2018-11-19 15:30:45 UTC 2025-07-09 13:45:24 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Lightdecrease.png Introduction ryanangelina https://padlet.com/ryanangelina/moviereviewShali/wish/305986287 "While you were sleeping" is a 1995 American romantic comedy film starring Sandra Bullock, Peter Gallagher and Bill Pullman as the lead characters. It is a 103 minutes runtime movie directed by Jon Turteltaub who is known for producing and directing movies like "National Treasure"(2004) and "The Meg"(2018). The movie is produced by Roger Birnbaum under the production of Hollywood Pictures in association with Caravan pictures. Released in 21st April 1995 in the United States, this PG rated movie grossed about $81 millions in the US box office and cumulatively collected $101 millions worldwide. ]]> 2018-11-19 16:02:06 UTC https://padlet.com/ryanangelina/moviereviewShali/wish/305986287 What is it all about? (Summary) ryanangelina https://padlet.com/ryanangelina/moviereviewShali/wish/306016344 Basically, "While you were sleeping" is a movie categorised under drama/romance genre. The movie revolves around Lucy, a young woman who works as a token collector at the Chicago train station. She then has a crush on a fine man (Peter Callaghan) who is a regular passenger at the train station. On the day she working her Christmas shift, Lucy saw her longtime crush, Peter being mugged at the train station and as she ran to help, he unfortunately falls on the train tracks. Luckily, she somehow rescues him from the path of oncoming train and admits him at the hospital but in the process, miscommunication occurs that Lucy is Peter's fiancee. Peter's family got to know of the information and lovingly, started to accept her as part of their family before Lucy could even explain of the mix-up. Lucy's simplistic, lonely life becomes complicated when she got to know Peter's brother (Jack Callaghan) and as they gotten closer, Lucy started to fall for him. Between trying to explain the truth of the situation to Peter's family and the realization of her feelings towards Jack, Lucy finds herself stuck in a conflict. ]]> 2018-11-19 17:04:17 UTC https://padlet.com/ryanangelina/moviereviewShali/wish/306016344 Plot analysis (SPOILERS!) ryanangelina https://padlet.com/ryanangelina/moviereviewShali/wish/306104065 As for the plot, they were seem to be predictable. That is also when I realized how the title relates well with the story.  
The plot actually begins when Peter was mugged at the train station and Lucy rushed out her booth to save her crush. The story then escalated after a series of misunderstanding at the hospital whereby Lucy was mistakenly thought as Peter's fiancee. Peter's family came and embraced Lucy as part of their family. The movie then on continues in this warm, good-hearted way. I would like to point out the one scene that got to me emotionally, the Christmas gift-opening scene. The scene focuses on how Lucy was watching the Callaghans opening their gifts. Bullock gives the most heartbreaking expression. She’s smiling, but there’s a clear sadness beneath that smile. The fact that she doesn’t really belong with them kills her inside. Throughout the movie, the plot was set in a way one could easily figure out the ending. It wasn't anything too difficult to understand. It was all straight-forward and literal yet somehow that didn't spoil the fun for me. ]]> 2018-11-19 20:09:57 UTC https://padlet.com/ryanangelina/moviereviewShali/wish/306104065 The title of the film (Does it relate?) ryanangelina https://padlet.com/ryanangelina/moviereviewShali/wish/306105801 When first reading the title, I couldn't get the gist of the movie. Then, after watching the movie, it was like a "Oh!" moment for me. The writing was what brought success to this movie. I think it was beautifully narrated. The title relate well with the story, fitting like a perfect puzzle piece.
"Peter once asked me when it was that l fell in love with Jack, and l told him, it was while you were sleeping."

]]> 2018-11-19 20:14:14 UTC https://padlet.com/ryanangelina/moviereviewShali/wish/306105801 MY personal opinion (Casting choice, creative elements and the significance etc..) ryanangelina https://padlet.com/ryanangelina/moviereviewShali/wish/306106736 To be frank, I'm not a fan of romantic comedy type of movies. I always felt these sort of movies are too cliched and too cringy for me. "While You Were Sleeping" however wasn't all of that, surprisingly. First thing I've noticed in this movie is the casting. I think Jon Turteltaub and the rest of the casting crew did a splendid job with the casting. This would be the first movie of Sandra Bullock that I have watched and she got my attention throughout the movie. Everyone, not just Sandra Bullock, each character in the movie was portrayed well. Sandra and Bill managed to bring the sweet, charming chemistry between Lucy and Jack alive on screen. Glynis Johns as Elsie and Jack Warden as Saul, they were amazing in their characters. I was laughing from the beginning till the end with their witty and sarcastic dialogues. That's the next attribute of the film I would like to highlight, the screenplay. Especially, at the hospital wedding scene, I felt that the screenplay brilliantly contributed to the scene. 
Lucy: I'm in love with your son.
Ox Callahan: I know.
Lucy: Not that one.
[points to Peter]
Lucy: That one.
[points to Jack]

Priest: Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to...
Lucy: I object.
Saul: Oh, geez.
Priest: I didn't get to that part yet.
Jack: I would have to object too.
Priest: What about you?
Peter: I'm thinking!
Simple yet entertaining. The joke wasn't at all exaggerated. The movie's clever writing and gentle humor accentuates and exhibits 90's romantic movie style. I love how small, unimportant gestures of certain characters in the movie subtly describes the characters. For instance, simple-minded, innocent Lucy was shown  when Lucy races out of her booth to save Peter who fell on the train tracks, and Lucy reacts where she bends over his unconscious body and tells him,
"Mister, there's a train coming, and it's fast!" 
I thought it was silly but laughed anyway. But that explains the identity of Lucy. The background score and the setting went hand in hand in this movie.  Chicago winter, Christmas season that was chosen as the setting for the movie, I say, it's the best choice. It emphasized the sweet love story feeling I captured watching the movie and the background score by Randy Edelmen just perfected everything. The film isn’t very visually inventive, but does have an appealingly ‘90s look. The simplicity that was applied in the movie, even with the characters' costumes did the deed.

]]> 2018-11-19 20:16:35 UTC https://padlet.com/ryanangelina/moviereviewShali/wish/306106736 About the DIRECTOR ryanangelina https://padlet.com/ryanangelina/moviereviewShali/wish/306107658 Jon Turteltaub or Jonathan Charles Turteltaub is a 55-year old American filmmaker and producer. He attended Beverly Hills High School, which was also the school actors like Angelina Jolie, Nicholas Cage, David Schwimmer went to. He is also one of at least six recent graduates of Wesleyan University, Connecticut to rise to success as a film director. Born to comedy writer, Saul Turteltaub and Shirley Steinberg, Jon Turteltaub didn't easily attain the fame and success in the industry. He was one of the Film School Rejects, got rejected from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and was only waitlisted at NYU and USC. His works are majorly themed around action/adventure genre. "While You Were Sleeping" was his first take on romance comedy genre and it was very well received by the mass audience. Jon then followed suit with another romance drama movie called "Phenomenon" starring John Travolta in 1996 and it is one his reputable films that brought recognition as a successful filmmaker. But Jon Turteltaub is best known for his adventure/action/comedy movies like "National Treasure"(2004), "National Treasure: Book of Secrets"(2007), "3 Ninjas"(1992), "The Sorcerer's Apprentice"(2010) and reckoned that 
"There's something more literary about adventure films that keeps them timeless. That quality may be hard to define, but you know it when you see it. 'Pirates of the Caribbean' harks back to Louis Stevenson's 'Treasure Island'. 
Jon Turteltaub is one of the directors who thinks that shooting on location is an imperative key to produce sense of realness in his works. Even though filmmaker, Jon Turteltaub embraces adventure genre passionately as he feels a good adventure film can really tap in childhood passions for adults. Yet, he didn't fail to venture into combination of different genres like thriller and fantasy. He directed "Instinct"(1999) and recently released science fiction action thriller film "The Meg"(2018). The success he received from both the movies shows his flexibility and balance he's trying to achieve in his films. He is the kind of director that considers all variables significant to his movies. Not just limiting in producing good story, casting choice, setting given equal importance and that's what bridges the audiences' emotions to his films and proves his notable success in "While You Were Sleeping".
]]> 2018-11-19 20:19:01 UTC https://padlet.com/ryanangelina/moviereviewShali/wish/306107658 What do OTHERS say about "While You Were Sleeping" ryanangelina https://padlet.com/ryanangelina/moviereviewShali/wish/306108799 In general, this movie is rated high compared to the other films done by Jon Turteltaub. By New York Times, 
""While You Were Sleeping," which stars Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman. It's the word-of-mouth-worthy fact that this spirited screwball romance creates a rosy glow. Credit much of that to a smoothly workmanlike director, Jon Turteltaub, whose "Cool Runnings" was unabashed fun and who has much better material this time. Ms. Bullock and Mr. Pullman also deserve credit for setting enough sparks to melt snow."
According to IMDb, "While You Were Sleeping" was rated 6.7 out of 10. A moderately high rating for the movie. Rolling Stone magazine writer, Peter Traves reviewed the movie as 
"For all the film’s sugar stops, it’s a comic and touching ride."

]]> 2018-11-19 20:22:08 UTC https://padlet.com/ryanangelina/moviereviewShali/wish/306108799 The Conclusion ryanangelina https://padlet.com/ryanangelina/moviereviewShali/wish/306252585 Including a life philosophy at the start of the movie was a smart move. "Life doesn't always turn out the way you plan." It brought a comprehensive and meaningful sense to the story. The writing that was involved in "While You Were Sleeping" made the film not to appear as another ordinary rom com. I liked how the director toyed with the cliches in this movie without it being cringy. There wasn't anything outstanding about the movie. Just how everything about the film participated perfectly with the overall theme of the movie. Everything about the movie was obvious, the theme; depiction of loneliness and togetherness, family relationship and love. It isn’t just about a search for love, but the longing for a place to call one’s own. The ending of the movie brought a sense of fullness when I watched it even when I know it's leading to a happy ending. The use of small details, metaphors and symbols in the movie I think is the success point of the film because it shows that every particular in the movie relates to the story. For instance, the globe given to Lucy's father by her mother symbolizes the love between them even though the narration seems to be a little bit jokeful. 
"And he said to me, Lucy, your mother... gave me a special gift. She gave me the world. Actually it was a globe with a light in it. But for the romantic that he was, it might as well have been the world."
The introductory and the ending narration by the lead character, Lucy brought a sweet smile on my face. 
"Life doesn’t always turn out the way you plan. l just wish l realized at the time he was talking about MY life."

"So, l had planned to marry Peter, but l married Jack instead. Thank goodness, my father was right. Life doesn’t always turn out the way you plan."
It's a feel-good film and I am still a little astonished how much I was enjoying it.
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