Advanced Search Beta »
Basic Search Fields
While You Were Sleeping
User Score
9.0 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 10 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10

Review this movie

  1. Your Score
    10 out of 10
    Rate this:
    out of 10
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling

  3. Characters remaining: 5000 out of 5000

view
per page
  1. AmberM.
    Nov 14, 2005
    10
    This movie has comedy and romance. It is also one of those movies I would call a "feel good" movie.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  2. EmmeS.
    Jun 18, 2006
    10
    Strangely enough, my favorite holiday movie. coma-guys quirky family (headed by Peter Boyle) are unforgettable as a solid family unit. I mean that literally too...they seem to always move about as one unit. Perfect chemistry between Sandra and Bill, and I would kill for a chance to actually live out the slippery ice scene.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. CatherineO.
    Dec 19, 2005
    10
    I love this movie! It's a classic romantic comedy.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  4. Lopez17
    Aug 11, 2010
    10
    Jon Turteltaub's "While you were sleeping" has all the trappings and familiar ingredients that make up a standard romantic dramedy it has the all too familiar set up. The girl is in love with the person but he does not notice her or she does not make herself know, something happens and she either is thrust into his life or ends up lying to be close to him. In this case, Lucy Moderatz (Sandra Bullock) lies to the object of her affection (Peter Gallagher) family in order to get close to him and be near when he wakes up. You see Lucy saved Peter Callaghan(the first object of her affection) after he fell on the tracks and is subsequently knocked into a coma they take him to the hospital with her in tow and the case of mistaken identity ensues his family thinking he is Peter's fiancée. If you think this sounds conventional and familiar well then you are wrong the only thing conventional about this picture is the set up to this touching and very deep romance story. At the very center of this film "While you were Sleeping" is the rare romantic dramedy that takes you by surprises not by the fact that you can see what's coming a mile away but by the fact that you did not see it coming makes all the difference. Jon Turtltaub's "While you Were Sleeping" is a film at first I did not expect to like at all it seemed like nothing more than a standard, run of the mill romantic dramedy that would do nothing more than just provide the usual story of a lonely love struck girl getting the man of her dreams. However, after seeing this picture my opinion of this film completely changed I started seeing it for what it is an extremely charming, touching, heartfelt and funny film that is far beyond the standards of Romantic comedy flair. "While you Were Sleeping" is intelligent and daring it is not afraid to show its human side to show how vulnerable its characters as regular people can be. How they easily are hurt, you see in a typical romantic comedy the characters insult each other like there is no tomorrow they hurt one another repeatedly until they finally concludes that this is not how love works in fact it is the exact opposite its called hatred. The characters in this film do not overtly insult each other sure there are moments where they tease one another but for the most part they are a caring bunch of people the most caring would have to be 0x Callaghan(Peter Boyle) who is one of the few Callaghan's that embraces Lucy from the get go. Boyle's character is a sweet yet feisty fellow who is not afraid to defend the ones he loves when needed, that is the key to this films excellence that is what makes it so real, so human, so warm and loving it is the vibrant characters. Without theses colorful cast of characters this film would sink into the low standards the sub genre is recognized. "While You were Sleeping" is a film that can not be missed or ignored it is just too good to be true and to funny and sweet to resist and even though I knew this film was going to have a happy ending, even though I saw where it was headed I still found myself enjoying and loving every single minute of this beautifully drawn film. This film is built from familiar ingredients but this film has such charm and such spirit that no matter how much this film comes off as another rom-com dished out. You will love every single frame and every single minute of this film, the only other thing that saves this film is the magnificent performance from the ever-lovely Sandra Bullock. It is her performance that elevates this film that and the skill of director Jon Turteltaub and his team together they create a film that works better than it should and plays out far better than you could ever expect. The filmmakers do what seldom few directors do in theses films they put a human soul into it, they put real emotions and real feelings into this film that not only affects the mood of the movie but also affects the mood of the audience. If the characters are, arguing and fighting all the time than the audience can become agitated by this and turn there backs on the film. That however, is not the case with this film you feel for the characters you sympathize with the characters you even grow with them as they find there sense o belonging in this world , or in the case of Lucy Moderatz, her sense of belonging. That is what makes a good romantic dramedy and that is why others fail they do not capture the heart and soul the trials ad tribulations that come with the feelings of love. "While you Were Sleeping" hits all the right notes.… Expand
prev next
Page:
  • 1

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
67 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 20 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 20
  3. Negative: 0 out of 20
  1. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Marc Savlov
    50
    It's charming, in its own little way, but really, this film has as much substance as a Cirrus cloud, despite fine turns from Boyle as the family patriarch and Warden as Godfather Saul.
    Read full review
  2. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    75
    It's a feel-good film, warm and good-hearted, and as it was heading for its happy ending, I was still a little astonished how much I was enjoying it.
    Read full review
  3. ReelViews
    Reviewed by: James Berardinelli
    63
    The plot runs out of steam just past the one-hour mark and the charade, although necessary to the story, goes on for too long. The ending is, of course, the requisite happy one, but it seems a little anticlimactic.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »