You've Got Mail -Characterisation

You've Got Mail was created by the same director as Sleepless in Seattle,  including the same actors as the leads. It was released in 1998 about a modest shop keeper, Kathleen Kelly, who finds she communicates online with a chain-store owner, Joe Fox, who becomes her enemy. 


Interpretations after approx. 2 minutes. 


Kathleen Kelly 

1. Laid back - She is still in bed, dressed in PJ's whilst her boyfriend is dressed in a suit ready for work. Her house isn't spotless suggesting she's laid back and doesn't feel the need to tidy up to impress people. She doesn't seem to mind that she is almost ordered about dinner 'Sushi!' although this could be a reminder which would fit into the next point. 
2. Good humoured/Disobedient -  the music that plays in the background as she sneaks to check whether her boyfriend's gone, mixed with how she moves (quite childlike)
3. Confident -  Despite living with a man, the house looks predominantly feminine, inferring she stands her ground.

Joe Fox

1. The Voiceover - his jokes and hearing his thoughts portray him as very humourous and kind- more likely to be the real him as he doesn't need to be afraid of being himself as Kathleen doesn't know who he is (at this stage, he doesn't know it's her talking to him either)
2. Dominated - His girlfriend tells him to put the cappuccino machine on and he does it without question (subverts male/female stereotype) and she persuades him to attend a party he initially planned to avoid. 
3. Solves problems by throwing money at it - "Can't I just send some money?" 
4. Dog lover - He talks fondly of his dog and shows him affection
5. Businessman - He's dressed in a smart, expensive looking suit. His kitchen at the beginning is very modern for it's time and everything seems tidy. 

He also has 'sneaky' music. This suggests what they're doing is almost seen as 'forbidden'. This is more obvious with Kathleen as her boyfriend says her laptop is dangerous -'You think it's your friend but it isn't'