Christmas Marathon: While You Were Sleeping (1995)

Second up in the marathon was While You Were Sleeping, a bit of an older selection, but still a very memorable holiday flick.

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING

DIRECTOR: Jon Turteltaub (National Treasure 1 &2, Sorcerer’s Apprentice)

CAST: Sandra Bullock, Bill Pullman, Peter Gallagher, Peter Boyle, Glynis Johns

Lucy Moderatz (Sandra Bullock) is a girl that works on the train ticket counter who doesn’t really have any family around and Christmas is right around the corner.  Everyday at her counter, she sees the perfect guy, Peter (Peter Gallagher) and falls for him.  On Christmas Day, when she is forced to work, she sees this guy but on the platform he gets mugged and then falls onto the tracks and goes unconscious.  He falls into coma and there she meets their family who mistakes her for his fiancee.  She share a lot of family fun for her over the holidays and its there she meets Jack (Bill Pullman).  While he is sleeping, she realizes that she falls in love with Jack.

First off, I’m a HUGE Sandra Bullock fan.  This was before all the other awesome stuff she’s done afterwards and still I loved her in this one.  She portrayed this lonely and casual character really well.  It was a charming performance.  All her reactions and emotions were done right on.  I don’t know why but if anyone asks me about Bill Pullman, this is the movie I’d think of right away.  Its not that I don’t know other films that he’s been in, it just never seems to surpass how I liked him in this role.  He was funny and very entertaining to watch.  Maybe first impressions do have a lasting effect.  There is someone else that I’d love to mention.  I didn’t recognize her right away but man, she’s definitely still got it. That’s the woman that plays the grandmother Elsie, played by Glynis Johns who happens to be in Mary Poppins as Mrs. Banks.  Awesome stuff, right?

Why is this in my Christmas marathon and never escapes the list? Above all, this is a romantic comedy but it also brings in a family aspect.  It gives us a lot of heartwarming moments of celebrating Christmas and New Year’s with family.  Its not only heartwarming but its really funny.  There are conversations (many of them) that you just laugh really hard.  There really is one line that probably sums up the plot, “Life doesn’t always turn out the way you plan.”

If you haven’t seen this, you should.  Its an uplifting, funny family-oriented romantic comedy.  Just perfect for the holidays.  It never fails to get into my Christmas marathon.

I always have this feeling that this movie is underrated.  Have you seen or heard of it before? Did you like it?