Sleepless in Seattle
1993 film
Bill Simmons · Juliet Litman · Amanda Dobbins
Aired February 14, 2023
‹ All people
13 Going on 30
Kindergarten Cop
Working Girl
Pulp Fiction
Along Came Polly
Sleepless in Seattle
Top Gun: Maverick
Film credit
Meg Ryan
Stats
- Episodes featuring their films
- 6
- Movies in this archive
- 7
Rewatchables episodes featuring Meg Ryan’s films
Displaying all 6 episodes
Mentioned in discussions
Top Ten List
Body-switch comedies
In the discussion (9)
Approx. transcript time · 00:07:24Read transcript
- The ranking covers only comedies, excluding horror and science-fiction versions such as Face/Off, Freaky (called actually really liked), Nine Lives with Kevin Spacey trapped in a cat, and The Cobbler with Adam Sandler. — Bill Simmons
- The list builds from one out of ten, The Hot Chick with Rob Schneider and Rachel McAdams, joking she should make a Notebook sequel to buy up all copies. — Bill Simmons
- Two out of ten is Dream a Little Dream with the Corys, a rare four-person switch that somehow got a sequel. — Bill Simmons
- Three out of ten groups the father-son versions: 17 Again, Like Father Like Son with Kirk Cameron and Dudley Moore, and Vice Versa with Judge Reinhold and Fred Savage, the best of the three. — Bill Simmons
- Four out of ten is The Change-Up with Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman, not a very good movie. — Bill Simmons
- Five out of ten is Prelude to a Kiss with Meg Ryan and Alec Baldwin, called the Juliet stratosphere. — Bill Simmons
- Asked for thoughts, the reply places it in the latter days of Meg Ryan's arc, a film that felt like a favor but was enjoyable; it made the playoffs but is not a round-two movie. — Juliet Litman
- Six out of ten is All of Me with Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin; seven is the 2003 Freaky Friday with Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis, called rock solid, with a tangent on Lohan's Parent Trap to Mean Girls run. — Bill Simmons
- Eight is 13 Going on 30, nine Being John Malkovich as the highbrow version, and ten Big, called the best one ever and the icon everything else derives from. — Bill Simmons
Recasting Couch
Cameron is proposed to direct; Roberts, Cage, Turner and several mother-role alternatives are suggested.
In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 01:11:43Read transcript
- James Cameron is proposed with Jamie Lee as the other teacher and increased violence/production value; a joke imagines tall blue students with tails. — Bill Simmons
- Given the star and director’s status, a more ambitious cast is wanted, with Julia Roberts as the teacher on the run. — Kyle Brandt
- Nick Cage is proposed as Crisp and receives approval. — Kyle Brandt
- Faye Dunaway, Shirley MacLaine or Ellen Burstyn are offered for the mother; Kathleen Turner replacing Cathy Moriarty is the strongest wish. — Bill Simmons
- Meg Ryan as the partner is questioned because she would need to be the female lead and might imply too much romantic interest; the existing partner’s flirtation and kiss are debated. — Kyle Brandt
In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:27:13Read transcript
- Casting reports include Kim Basinger, Meg Ryan, Geena Davis, Ellen Barkin and Mariel Hemingway declining; Demi Moore competing with Stone; and an uncertain Emma Thompson audition claim. — Van Lathan
- Reported alternatives include an early lesbian detective conceived for Kathleen Turner, Tom Berenger as Nick, Milos Forman directing, Linda Fiorentino as Beth and Brooke Shields as Roxy; confidence in the broad casting lists is qualified. — Bill Simmons
In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 00:32:29Read transcript
- Rosanna Arquette’s beauty, distinctive voice and striking personality make her a major star who deserved stronger roles. — Bill Simmons
- Later Crash and Buffalo 66 appearances did not give her the mainstream stardom she deserved. — Sean Fennessey
- She could have played Meg Ryan romantic roles, including When Harry Met Sally, or Kelly McGillis’s Top Gun role. — Bill Simmons
- This film captures the fascination of meeting Arquette more completely than her other work. — Sean Fennessey
Casting What-Ifs
Demi Moore, plus many alternate Tess candidates.
In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 01:29:21Read transcript
- A Jim Bridges version starring Demi Moore is reported. — Amanda Dobbins
- Molly Ringwald was reportedly considered too young; Michelle Pfeiffer, Madonna, and Shelley Long were considered. — Bill Simmons
- Lorraine Bracco reported auditioning unsuccessfully. — Bill Simmons
- Mike Nichols reportedly threatened to leave unless Melanie Griffith was hired. — Bill Simmons
- Whoopi Goldberg, Goldie Hawn, Meg Ryan, and Cher are discussed as other possibilities. — Bill Simmons
In the discussion (7)
Approx. transcript time · 01:30:20Read transcript
- Gene Hackman reportedly partnered to adapt the novel and considered directing and playing Lecter or Crawford before withdrawing. — Bill Simmons
- Paul Verhoeven reportedly turned the film down and later expressed regret. — Bill Simmons
- Jonathan Demme reportedly wanted Sean Connery for Lecter, but Connery declined. — Bill Simmons
- Michelle Pfeiffer declined Clarice; the panel prefers Foster because Pfeiffer’s overt glamour would shift the character’s closed, professional center. — Bill Simmons
- Meg Ryan reportedly rejected the material as too gruesome, and Molly Ringwald auditioned but was considered too young. — Bill Simmons
- Ed Harris reportedly declined Jack Crawford because the role was not interesting enough. — Bill Simmons
- Reported Lecter possibilities include Daniel Day-Lewis, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Derek Jacobi, and Forest Whitaker; the panel openly doubts some unsourced casting lists while noting Whitaker publicly discussed auditioning. — Chris Ryan
Casting What-Ifs
Casting notebook alternatives
In the discussion (14)
Approx. transcript time · 01:36:52Read transcript
- The original notebook already wanted Keitel, Walken, Roth and Plummer; Fishburne was Jules before Jackson, with Murphy another listed possibility rather than a confirmed offer. — Bill Simmons
- Murphy’s move toward family films makes accepting this material uncertain, although it might have been a valuable career choice. — Bill Simmons
- Madsen committed to Wyatt Earp instead of Vincent, and later Vega-brothers speculation linked his Reservoir Dogs character with Vincent.
- Miramax reportedly resisted Travolta and pushed Day-Lewis; the panel imagines his unusual contemporary-hitman interpretation while strongly preferring the actual casting.
- Dillon reportedly asked for a day before accepting Butch, during which Willis became available; the lost role might have changed Dillon’s trajectory despite later successes. — Bill Simmons
- A competing Dillon story says he wanted an onscreen boxing match rather than merely asking for time to decide. — Chris Ryan
- Virginia Madsen was an early Mia choice. — Bill Simmons
- Miramax preferred Meg Ryan or Holly Hunter before Tarantino won the argument for Uma Thurman. — Bill Simmons
- Max Julien and Sid Haig reportedly declined Marsellus; Jackson was another backup while Fishburne remained the intended Jules. — Bill Simmons
- Cusack and possibly Oldman were considered for Lance, followed by Tarantino and then Stoltz; Buscemi’s unavailability led Tarantino to Jimmie, a preferable outcome to replacing Stoltz. — Bill Simmons
- Irène Jacob and Julie Delpy were considered for Fabienne. — Bill Simmons
- Delpy’s perceived intelligence makes the panel more interested in that version. — Bill Simmons
- Phil LaMarr read for Jules and Brett before being cast as Marvin. — Bill Simmons
- Courtney Love’s claim that Cobain would play Lance and she would play Jody is explicitly doubted. — Bill Simmons
Recasting Couch
Michelle Williams as Polly; alternatives considered
In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:16:47Read transcript
- For Polly, recasting considers Paltrow too polished, Ryder plausible, and a younger Meg Ryan or Geena Davis a natural fit. Holmes is floated but rejected while her missing romantic-comedy career is lamented. — Bill Simmons
- Heather Graham is considered almost too striking; Michelle Williams is the final preferred replacement and a chance to give her happier material. Julia Louis-Dreyfus is plausible but possibly too old, Courteney Cox rejected, and Kudrow plausible but also too old. — Bill Simmons
In the discussion (17)
Approx. transcript time · 00:10:42Read transcript
- Travolta reportedly declined both American Gigolo and this role; Gere's subsequent career slump is placed against competition among leading men before Internal Affairs and Pretty Woman revived him. — Bill Simmons
- Gere is preferred to Travolta because his mystery and harder edge make the breakdown believable; Travolta's sweetness and broader quality are considered less suitable. — Bill Simmons
- An online claim that John Denver was offered Mayo is treated as a disastrous hypothetical and met with disbelief. — Bill Simmons
- Jeff Bridges reportedly was Hackford’s original choice but was unavailable. — Bill Simmons
- Travolta reportedly declined Mayo. — Bill Simmons
- Harry Hamlin was reportedly considered for Mayo. — Bill Simmons
- Christopher Reeve was reportedly considered for Mayo. — Bill Simmons
- Kevin Costner reportedly auditioned for Mayo. — Bill Simmons
- The role is imagined as a major alternate career break for Harry Hamlin. — Chris Ryan
- Sigourney Weaver was a reported Paula possibility but is judged unsuitable.
- Anjelica Huston was a reported Paula possibility but is judged unsuitable.
- Jennifer Jason Leigh reportedly left for Fast Times and is considered plausible but inferior to Winger. — Bill Simmons
- The performer transcribed as DeMorne (identity unresolved) reportedly auditioned and is considered too glamorous for Paula but plausible for Lynette.
- Meg Ryan reportedly auditioned for Paula.
- Geena Davis reportedly auditioned for Paula.
- Jack Nicholson reportedly declined Foley. — Bill Simmons
- Mandy Patinkin was reportedly rejected on ethnicity grounds before research into Black drill instructors redirected casting. — Bill Simmons
In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:55:36Read transcript
- The final winner discussion explicitly reports two Ryan choices and affirms them; the dissent weighs Hanks or Ephron, then argues Ephron's directing success established her genre-defining public stature. Ryan's three-film run remains the majority case. — Bill Simmons
Apex Mountain
Seattle; Meg Ryan; Nora Ephron (director); Rosie O’Donnell (film career); houseboats
In the discussion (11)
Approx. transcript time · 01:32:20Read transcript
- Hanks is judged one year short of his Apex, with Forrest Gump the choice and this film helping establish it. — Bill Simmons
- Seattle in 1993 receives an affirmative Apex choice for its cultural prominence. — Bill Simmons
- Ryan receives unanimous affirmative Apex support, cementing her bankability and first-choice status. — Bill Simmons
- Ephron receives a qualified affirmative Apex choice as a director, with When Harry Met Sally the breakthrough and this film enabling subsequent work. — Bill Simmons
- Radio-advice shows are rejected as an Apex choice. — Bill Simmons
- Brooks Robinson is debated between baseball achievements and this film's cultural recognition; no clear final Apex selection emerges. — Bill Simmons
- O'Donnell receives an affirmative film-career Apex; her talk show is an alternative broader career peak, with the movie career seen as enabling it. — Bill Simmons
- The Empire State Building is rejected as a specific film Apex because its enduring existence is the achievement.
- Tiramisu is rejected as an Apex choice, with a food-category joke offered instead. — Amanda Dobbins
- Houseboats receive qualified affirmative Apex support because this is the houseboat people immediately picture.
- Characters named Clarice are rejected as an Apex choice despite a current run of the name.
What’s Aged the Worst?
Penny’s idealized life, thin mission logic and rushed funeral
The panel is imagining how this might look in the future.
In the discussion (11)
Approx. transcript time · 01:00:50Read transcript
- Cruise’s introductory theater message feels stiff — Bill Simmons
- The hosts jokingly connect its placement to the Nicole Kidman AMC advertisement — Bill Simmons
- Penny’s beauty, successful bar, Porsche, sailboat and almost frictionless family life seem implausibly perfect — Bill Simmons
- A crowded bar seems impossibly understaffed — Bill Simmons
- The unnamed uranium target and lack of simpler attack options raise doubts — Bill Simmons
- Cruise’s dark hair is questioned as an age detail — Bill Simmons
- The pre-mission encouragement to Rooster feels too ordinary — Bill Simmons
- The new pop singles compare poorly with the original soundtrack’s cultural footprint — Bill Simmons
- Rooster’s call sign is not universally liked — Bill Simmons
- The hosts reject some complaints about omitting McGillis and Meg Ryan, while imagining a Ryan scene — Bill Simmons
- Iceman’s funeral feels too short — Bill Simmons
Displaying discussions 1 - 12 of 40 in total
Films in the archive
Prelude to a Kiss
1992
Proof of Life
2000
Sleepless in Seattle
1993
The Doors
1991
Top Gun
1986
When Harry Met Sally...
1989
You've Got Mail
1998