The coincidences that make the destined lovers' paths cross aren't contrived with much finesse, but the characters get in some decidedly clever lines.

Predictable-but-sweet romantic comedy.

The clumsily loaded characterisation not only treats almost every other figure as dispensable, but doesn't even bother to make Meg and Tom properly sympathetic.

…if the ending of You've Got Mail isn’t satisfactory, the build-up is, with Tom Hanks Hanks and Meg Ryan both extremely likeable in a sugar-sweet confection ideally suited to their talents…Ephron’s critique of modern living has an unexpected resonance...