As a romantic presence Meg Ryan occupies a gold-pink spectrum. Down and dirty is not where she dwells. Even as a moaner in When Harry Met Sally..., simulating orgasm in public to unpurse Billy Crystal's smug lips, she seemed to be blowing bubbles. Which perhaps isn't surprising. Soap is where she started. Two years on the soap opera As the World Turns taught her how to weep and wallow without excess wear and tear. In her first movie roles she was cast as the cute blonde sidekick to a stack of muscles. But if the roles were generic, Ryan wasn't. She moved as if she were ticklish all over, her smile lit the corners of her mouth like a late bulletin, and her hair had a caressable life of its own. Everything about her seemed shampoo-enriched. In her next adventure, Joe Versus the Volcano, Ryan is teamed with Tom Hanks, which means laughs, loose limbs, and lots of goofy faces. But is there deeper for Meg Ryan to go? Can she follow Michelle Pfeiffer's lead and become more than a goody gumdrop? We want so much from actresses. Depth, dazzling kisses, fashion sense, pain. Pay no attention to us, Meg! Enjoy your youth!

236237 View article pages