December 28, 1998 -- "You've Got Mail" is a nice little romantic comedy that is boosted by perhaps the best romantic couple in the movies today, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, the stars of "Sleepless in Seattle," and the overlooked gem "Joe Vs. the Volcano."

Hanks, who won Oscars for his roles in "Forrest Gump" and "Philadelphia," is wonderful with the equally likeable Ryan in this remake of the 1940 classic "The Shop Around the Corner." The story was originally seen in "Parfumerie," a play by Nikolaus Laszlo. The same story was used "In the Good Old Summertime and in the broadway play, "She Loves Me."

This version updates the story by use of the Internet instead of snail mail and it pits a small bookstore (the bookstore is called "The Shop Around the Corner")owner, Kathleen Kelly, (Ryan) against the owner of a competing mega bookstore, Joe Fox, (Hanks). The conflict between the two complicates the romantic angle of the story, and it makes it more interesting.

There are also other people in their lives, which further complicates matters. Both have other love interests, but are inexorably drawn to each other. The story works mainly because of good performances by Hanks, Ryan, Greg Kinnear, Steve Zahn (who plays George Pappas, an employee in the small bookstore), Jean Stapleton and others.

The story has problems. It is difficult to like Hanks because his business is damaging Ryan's, and to no real purpose. The audience is asked to believe that the owners of a huge general bookstore would even consider a small specialty bookstore real competition. It could have been handled in a more palatable way.

It is also difficult to believe that these two people would not have discovered each other's "secret identities" earlier. Ryan, who plays a bright character, should have caught on earlier. There are also a few too many subplots going on and the movie drags on a little longer than it needed to. Still, Ryan and Hanks really click and that makes the movie enjoyable. It rates a C+.

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