MovieChat Forums > You've Got Mail (1998) Discussion > A prototype for Hallmark Channel!

A prototype for Hallmark Channel!

posted 7 years ago by stevewyzard (1583)
6 replies | jump to latest

Although there are many things in this movie that would NEVER be seen on Hallmark Channel, many of the tropes we know and love can be seen in You've Got Mail:

1) Two young, good-looking people in dead-end relationships looking for something new.

2) Amicable break-up: no tears, screaming, or sense of betrayal.

3) Eccentric family (on Joe's side).

4) Cute kids (on Joe's side).

5) Dead parent (on Kathleen's side).

6) Old-time bookstore.

7) Lots of big-city scenery/beauty shots.

8) The kiss at the end!

These are just off the top of my head: can anyone else add to this list?

[–] stevewyzard (1583) 4 years ago

It's now 2021, and I've just watched it again. I'd like to add one more to this list:

9) Greg Kinnear as Frank is the unquestioned forerunner of all the typical Hallmark Channel "clueless cad" boyfriends who are so madly in love with themselves they can't see they're about to lose the protagonist to somebody else!

[–] daveyh (623) 3 years ago

"lots of big-city scenery/beauty shots"

I'd also say that by giving the upper east side a real small-town feel, it also felt more like a hallmark movie. In fact this movie really had its cake and ate it in terms of having both a big-city and small-town setting at the same time

[–] daveyh (623) 3 years ago

10) The plot of big-time developer coming to town, and small business owner initially fights against but then falls in love with said big-time developer.

[–] stevewyzard (1583) 3 years ago

On Hallmark Channel, small-towns/small-businesses ALWAYS defeat the big-time developer. In this movie, the big-time developer wins, but the small business owner accepts the changing reality, and falls in love anyway.

[–] huwdj (4566) 3 years ago

Not really a prototype. Just an iteration of a formula Hollywood had been using since talkies started - quite possibly earlier.
Hallmark just reduced it to a robotic algorithm that defines 50% of it's output. The other 50% uses the Christmas algorithm.

[–] ATG6 (3000) 2 years ago

They forgot to shop for a Christmas tree together.