Breaking Meg Ryan's Rotten Tomatoes Streak: Her Best Rom-Com in 22 Years

Article Overview

Meg Ryan's new romantic comedy, What Happens Later, has a mixed reception on Rotten Tomatoes with a 51% score from 35 critics.

Ryan's streak of negative reviews continues, as the last time she received a Fresh rating was in 1998 with "You've Got Mail." "What Happens Later," while not her highest-scoring film, is her strongest performance in 22 years, teetering on the edge of achieving a Fresh rating.

Meg Ryan's latest romantic comedy "What Happens Later" has once again received unfavorable reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, adding to her ongoing streak of disappointment. Known for her iconic roles in beloved romantic comedies like "When Harry Met Sally," "Sleepless in Seattle," and "You've Got Mail," Ryan steps into the shoes of Willa, the lead character she also directs and co-writes in this film. The story revolves around Willa unexpectedly encountering her ex-boyfriend Bill (played by David Duchovny) at the airport, where they find themselves stranded due to a snowstorm. As they reminisce about their shared past, unexpected emotions resurface.

Rotten Tomatoes has recently tallied the official score for Meg Ryan's "What Happens Later," with 35 critics contributing to an aggregated score of 51%. This unfortunate result continues Ryan's rather disappointing streak on Rotten Tomatoes, as she hasn't appeared in a movie that received a positive rating since 1998's "You've Got Mail." Nevertheless, this score marks her second-best performance during this time period and her highest rating in the past 22 years, since her appearance in the 2001 film "Kate & Leopold," where she starred alongside Hugh Jackman.

Meg Ryan's Rotten Tomatoes Slump Explained

Ryan has been a star who faced negative reviews right from the start, with her early career in the 1980s consisting of poorly reviewed movies like Amityville 3-D and Top Gun. However, her breakout role in the beloved rom-com When Harry Met Sally marked the beginning of a period filled with strong reviews, establishing her as an iconic romantic lead. Alongside her success in three blockbuster rom-coms, she also garnered praise for her performances in titles such as Restoration, Courage Under Fire, and Anastasia.

In the late 1990s, Ryan's career took a more complicated turn. Her later romantic movies like Kate & Leopold and The Deal started receiving diminishing returns both critically and commercially. Her attempts to diversify with films like the sports movie Against the Ropes and her directorial debut Ithaca, a World War II-era drama, were also poorly received. This led to a streak of nine Rotten scores before she took a break from filmmaking in 2015. She made a comeback with her film What Happens Later. Here is a list of Ryan's recent movies and their Rotten Tomatoes scores:

The director-star may find it encouraging that the score of What Happens Later is comparable to that of one of her earlier films following her Rotten Tomatoes peak. Should her new project prove to be commercially successful, it could pave the way for future Meg Ryan rom-com movies. This would enable her to continue working and enhance her critical reputation, potentially earning her first Fresh score in decades.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z fan, I have mixed feelings about Meg Ryan's new movie, "What Happens Later." On the one hand, I'm excited to see her return to the big screen after an eight-year hiatus. I grew up watching her movies, and she's one of my favorite actresses. On the other hand, I'm worried that the movie will be a disappointment, given her recent track record.

I think it's important to remember that Meg Ryan is a talented actress, and she's capable of great things. However, she's also been in some pretty bad movies in recent years. So, I'm cautiously optimistic about "What Happens Later." I'm hoping that it will be a return to form for her, but I'm also prepared for the possibility that it will be another disappointment.

I think it's also important to note that Meg Ryan is not the only actress who has struggled to find success in recent years. Many actresses of her generation have had similar experiences. This is due to a number of factors, including the changing landscape of the film industry and the ageism that exists in Hollywood.

Despite the challenges, I believe that Meg Ryan still has a lot to offer the film industry. She's a talented actress, and she has a lot of experience. I'm hoping that she'll be able to find success again in the years to come.