Sleepless In Seattle parents guide

Sleepless In Seattle Parent Guide

Although now a classic, this sentimental romance is still a bit of a snoozer.

Overall C

Thanks to his son, a widower father (Tom Hanks) tells a radio show host about the loss of his wife. Soon many female listeners are sending him sympathy -- but one (Meg Ryan) is convinced she could be the cure for his loneliness.

Release date June 25, 1993

Violence A
Sexual Content B-
Profanity B
Substance Use --

Why is Sleepless In Seattle rated PG? The MPAA rated Sleepless In Seattle PG for some language.

Run Time: 105 minutes

Parent Movie Review

Tom Hanks stars as Sam Baldwin, a widower who, with his son, is incredibly lonely for his wife. To try and help dad, his son Jonah (played by Ross Malinger) calls a late night radio show psychiatrist, and then puts his dad on the line. Women from coast to coast hear the show, and fall in love with Baldwin, but one in particular is destined to meet him.

Sam Baldwin has a hard time sleeping—too bad he can’t rent this film. This is a 105 minute movie that should have been done in 24 with commercials. I don’t demand non-stop action in movies, but watching people wallow through a carbon copy plot full of too amazing coincidences and dumb decisions puts me to sleep.

This is a love story where the two main characters never come together until the end, and a casual sexual attitude persists, as the supposedly sensitive Baldwin relates sexual activity as a cure for loneliness. (Hard to believe he could have such a strong marriage with such superficial ideas.) As well, his son has inappropriate ideas of what love is about, as he tells his dad about what he has learned watching explicit cable TV.

His son Jonah is a sweet character, and Sam’s attitude with him increased my disbelief of Sam’s caring personality. Each evening he arrives home to find his son alone, although he occasionally hires a babysitter that looks anything but happy to be there. Sure the guy has to work and he does spend time doing things with his boy, but it seems that film writers hate the hassle of having children properly attended to.

With Meg Ryan playing Annie Reed, the woman destined to find Baldwin, and a rare on screen appearance by Rob Reiner, the main lack of talent here was behind the typewriter. However, Sleepless may cure your insomnia.

Directed by Nora Ephron. Starring Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan. Running time: 105 minutes. Theatrical release June 25, 1993. Updated

Sleepless In Seattle
Rating & Content Info

Why is Sleepless In Seattle rated PG? Sleepless In Seattle is rated PG by the MPAA for some language.

Page last updated

Home Video

The most recent home video release of Sleepless In Seattle movie is June 26, 2018. Here are some details…

Home Video Release:
Sleepless in Seattle releases to home video (Blu-ray) in a 25th Anniversary Edition. The following bonus materials are included:
- Four never-before-seen deleted scenes
- Additional archival special features featuring the cast and filmmakers

Related home video titles:

Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan also star in together in the romance, You’ve Got Mail. This movie makes reference to another film with similar sentimentality: An Affair to Remember.