A marketing education film that looks at consumerism and advertising with women as the prime target. It reflects the stereotyping of gender roles in the advertising arena.

Two people correspond and begin falling in love without ever having seen each other

but neither realises who the other is when they accidentally meet. This story is a 90s style re-make of a 40s film starring Jimmy Stewart, The Shop Around the Corner, itself a version of a play, Parfumerie. Something about the premise must really appeal, as it has also been made into two musicals. Nora Ephron has brought it up to the minute by having the main characters, Kathleen (Meg Ryan) and Joe (Tom Hanks) being e-mail pen pals and chat room sweethearts - Jimmy Stewart had to use "snail" mail. As Shopgirl and NY152, they have a nice little thing going but in standard romantic comedy mode, the couple become sparring business rivals in real life. Kathleen owns a quaint little bookshop (amusingly called The Shop Around The Corner) and Joe's family wants to move into her territory to open a huge discount bookstore. Can true love triumph? Do you really have to ask?

This is a very "cute" film and if you like Ephron's brand of romantic comedy (Sleepless in Seattle, When Harry Met Sally), you'll probably enjoy it. If you don't, you might think that it's over-long at almost two hours and the perky nose-wrinkling gets a little wearing after the hundredth time. For myself, I'm finally beginning to understand what people mean when they warn you to "be careful on the Internet" - you just never know if the person on the other end is Tom Hanks or Meg Ryan.