Starring Meg Ryan, Matthew Broderick, Kelly Preston, Tcheky Karyo, Maureen Stapleton. Directed by Griffin Dunne. Written by Robert Gordon.
An astronomer lives in a small town (Broderick) engaged to a country fresh primary school teacher (Preston). She yearns to leave home and experience the world, and lands in New York City for a summer teaching job, and falls for a suave Frenchman (Karyo). Preston dumps Broderick, so he must go to New York City to convince her to return to him. He sets up shop in an abandoned building across the way to spy on her, and meets a rough-around-the-edges woman (Ryan), while stalking her ex-boyfriend, who just happens to be the guy that has stolen Broderick's girl. Ryan is none too happy after finding out he used her to help him immigrate into the United States. Ryan and Broderick purchase a ton of expensive surveillance equipment to spy on their ex's - Ryan for revenge and Broderick to help the ex's breakup. Of course, as they try to break up the happy couple, they begin to fall in love. Who'd have thought stalking, destruction, and some kinky voyeurism are conducive to romance.
The term "suspension of disbelief" applies here - a lot of coincidences and implausabilities. For example, Maureen Stapleton plays the all too common hip grandmama who, happens to stumble across Meg living on the street with a strange unshaven kind of guy and doesn't seem to think that anything is out of the ordinary. Meg plays against type (at least for a while) as tough and bitter, but she can't help being perky and adorable as usual. Broderick is a little bland, but then again he is playing a wimpy guy for most of the movie. Preston is OK, but the highlight of the movie is Tcheky Karyo. He is the most sympathetic, as he is forced to endure endless misfortune, from roaches in his restaurant to a nasty case of hives. The film contains some funny moments and occasional gems of dialogue and is worth seeing.
