40+ You've Got Mail Quotes For Classic Rom-Com Fans
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'You've Got Mail' set a new benchmark for romantic comedy movies when it was released in 1998 and fans fell in love with the characters and their storyline.
The 1998 movie was inspired by a Christmas themed movie called 'The Shop Around The Corner', even though it's not technically a Christmas movie itself (so you might struggle to find any 'You've Got Mail' Christmas quotes). Directed by Nora Ephron, the 1998 movie stars Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.
Even though there was no sequel to the 1998 movie in the form of 'You've Got Mail 2', it was enough on its own to rock romcom lovers all around the world.
As well as stellar performances from Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, as Kathleen Kelly and Joe Fox respectively, the movie also boasts exceptional supporting performances from prominent actors Parker Posey, Dave Chappelle, Deborah Rush and Greg Kinnear.
The 1998 movie focuses on the online romance of two people, Joe Fox and Kathleen Kelly, who get to know and love each other online without knowing each other's real life identities. In real life, Joe Fox and Kathleen Kelly are actually rivals.
The different relationships between Joe Fox and Kathleen Kelly across their online and real worlds eventually collide when the two realize the truth in the film.
However, ultimately, the movie ends happily when Joe Fox and Kathleen Kelly decide to leave behind their real world rivalry and spend the rest of their lives together. How romantic?
The movie features some of the most memorable quotes in romantic comedy history. From funny and iconic phrases like Joe Fox's assertion that "the whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision-making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup of coffee.
", to Kathleen Kelly (played by Meg Ryan)'s quiet comment that, "sometimes I wonder about my life", there is a quote for everyone here!
In this article, we'll take you through several iconic scenes from the movie, such as the 'You've Got Mail' coffee shop scene (or, more specifically the 'You've Got Mail' Starbucks scene), with quotes from Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan and more that have stood the test of time.
For more amazing quotes articles on Kidadl, check out these Christmas movie quotes and Tom Hanks quotes.
Joe Fox 'You've Got Mail' Quotes
Our list of 'You've Got Mail' famous quotes starts with quotes from 'You've Got Mail' spoken by the character of Joe Fox, who was portrayed brilliantly by Tom Hanks.
So keep reading for some of the most memorable Joe Fox/Tom Hanks quotes from 'You've Got Mail', including Joe's iconic claim that Starbuck is where people " get not just a cup of coffee but an absolutely defining sense of self"!
Many of these quotes are from the 'You've Got Mail' emails that Joe sends in the movie.
1. "The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup of coffee. Short, tall, light, dark, caf, decaf, low-fat, non-fat, etc.
So people who don't know what the hell they're doing or who on earth they are can, for only $2.95, get not just a cup of coffee but an absolutely defining sense of self: Tall. Decaf. Cappuccino."
- Joe Fox.
2. "Let me just say there was a man sitting in the elevator with me who knew exactly what he wanted, and I found myself wishing I were as lucky as he."
- Joe Fox.
3. "Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address."
- Joe Fox.
4. "Kevin, this woman is the most adorable creature I've ever been in contact with, and if she turns out even to be as good looking as a mailbox, I'd be crazy not to turn my life upside down and marry her."
- Joe Fox.
5. "I would have asked for your number, and I wouldn't have been able to wait 24 hours before calling you up and saying 'Hey, how about - oh, how about some coffee or you know, drinks or dinner or a movie... for as long as we both shall live?'"
- Joe Fox.
6. "I could never be with someone who likes Joni Mitchell."
- Joe Fox.
7. "I'm sure you must be late for something - volunteering at the Henry Street Settlement, or rolling bandages for Bosnian refugees. A course in Chinese literature at Columbia"
- Joe Fox.
8. "And you and I would have never been at war. And the only thing we'd fight about would be which video to rent on a Saturday night."
- Joe Fox.
9. "Well, let me ask you something. How can you forgive this guy for standing you up and not forgive me for this tiny little thing of... of putting you out of business?"
- Joe Fox.
10. "They hate us in the beginning, but we get them in the end. Meanwhile we should just put up a sign - coming soon, a Fox Books Superstore and The End of Western Civilization As We Know It."
- Joe Fox.
11. "Annabel is my grandfather's daughter. And Matt is my father's son. We are an American family."
- Joe Fox.
12. "Matt, look at this dinosaur book. Wouldn't you like a dinosaur book? Annabel, maybe you could read this to Matt while I wrap things up here."
- Joe Fox.
13. "The entrance to our store is around the corner. There is no other way to say it. It's not the name of our store, it's where it is."
- Joe Fox.
14. "The Godfather is the I Ching. The Godfather is the sum of all wisdom. The Godfather is the answer to any question."
- Joe Fox.
15. "Look, the reason I came into your store is that I was spending the day with Annabel and Matt.
I like to buy them a present when I see them because I'm one of those guys who likes to buy his way into the hearts of children who are his relatives. There was only one place to buy children's books in the neighborhood - although that will not always be the case, and it was yours."
- Joe Fox.
16. "Oh, I see, and we're the Price Club. Only instead of a ten-gallon can of olive oil for $3.99 that won't even fit into your kitchen cabinet, we're selling cheap books."
- Joe Fox.
17. "Do you ever feel like you become the worst version of yourself? That's a Pandora's Box of all the secret hateful parts - your arrogance, your spite, your condescension - has sprung open. Someone provokes you, and instead of just smiling and moving on, you zing them."
- Joe Fox.
18. "Did you know that every night a truck pulls up to H&H Bagels and pumps about a ton of flour into the ground? The air is absolutely amazing."
- Joe Fox.
19. "I sell cheap books. Sue me. I sell cheap books, and as a result - listen to this, because it's really bad - more people can buy books."
- Joe Fox.
20. "What have we have? A red, no, crimson rose tucked into the pages. Something you read about in a book, no doubt."
- Joe Fox.
21. "I am not a stupid 22 year old girl..."
- Joe Fox.
22. "Will you start out sweet as sugar candy and then suddenly, miraculously, like a bolt from the blue, find that sharp little tongue of yours?"
- Joe Fox.
23. "Elizabeth Bennet in 'Pride And Prejudice'. She was too proud.. or was she too prejudiced and Mr. Darcy too proud? I can never remember."
- Joe Fox.
24. "Wouldn't it be wonderful if I could pass all my zingers to you and then I would never behave badly all the time and we'd both be happy?
On the other hand, I must warn you that when you finally have the pleasure of saying the thing you mean to say at the moment you mean to say it, remorse inevitably follows. Do you think we should meet?"
- Joe Fox.
Romance Quotes From 'You've Got Mail'
If you are loving the quotes so far then you are bound to love this next section, full of romantic quotes from 'You've Got Mail'.
The 'You've Got Mail' movie is a romcom, and while the 'You've Got Mail' script has a lot of funny quotes, there are also numerous romantic 'You've Got Mail' movie quotes as well. Let's take a look at some of them in this section and see how many you remember from the film!
With quotes from Meg Ryan (who played Kathleen Kelly), Tom Hanks (who played Joe Fox) and other, which will be your favorite?
25. "All this nothing has meant more to me than so many somethings."
- Kathleen Kelly.
26. "Frank: What about you? Is there someone else?
Kathleen: No. no. But there is the dream of someone else."
- 'You've Got Mail'.
27. "Whatever else anything is, it ought to begin by being personal."
- Kathleen Kelly.
28. "You've got mail. I hear nothing. Not even a sound on the streets of New York, just the beating of my own heart. I have mail. From you."
- Kathleen Kelly.
29. "I wanted it to be you. I wanted it to be you so badly."
- Kathleen Kelly.
30. "Sometimes I wonder about my life. I lead a small life - well, valuable, but small - and sometimes I wonder, do I do it because I like it or because I haven't been brave? So much of what I see reminds me of something I read in a book, when, shouldn't it be the other way around?"
- Kathleen Kelly.
Funny Quotes From 'You've Got Mail'
Just when you though we might have run out of quotes, we have found some more. And, bonus, there are funny!
Whilst it might be best remembered for its romantic storyline, there is much more than just one funny 'You've Got Mail' scene. In fact, the movie is full of funny moments and in this section, we're going to check out the funniest quotes from the movie 'You've Got Mail' to keep you laughing.
From quotes about singing hotdogs, to construction workers, there is something for everyone here. Which of these quotes from Meg Ryan, Tom Hanks and more will make you laugh out loud?
31. "Kathleen Kelly: I'm not nothing! I have a little money saved.
Birdie Conrad: If you need more, ask me. I'm very rich, I bought Intel at six."
- 'You've Got Mail'.
32. "As if you were one of the stupid 22-year-old girls with no last name. 'Hi, I'm Kimberley.' 'Hi. I'm Janice.' Don't they know you're supposed to have a last name."
- Kathleen Kelly.
33. "A hotdog is singing! You need quiet while a hotdog is singing?"
- Frank Navasky.
34. "Christina: You're so lucky.
George: You could be dead.
Kathleen Kelly: Are you crazy? This man couldn't possibly be the rooftop killer.
Christina: Remember when you thought Frank might be the Unabomber?
Kathleen Kelly: That was different."
- 'You've Got Mail'.
35. "Frank Navasky: Technology! Name me one thing, one, that we've gained from technology.
Kathleen Kelly: Electricity.
Frank Navasky: That's one. You think this machine's your friend, but it's not."
- 'You've Got Mail'.
36. "You have to wonder which is harder, getting a date or getting online when you don't have a date."
- Christina.
37. "Nelson Fox: Perfect. Keep those West Side, liberal, nuts, pseudo-intellectuals...
Joe Fox: Readers, Dad. They're called readers.
Nelson Fox: Don't do that son, don't romanticize them."
- 'You've Got Mail'.
38. "Kevin: The electrical contractor called, his truck hit a deer last night, so he's not gonna be here until tomorrow. And the upstairs shelves are delayed because the shipment of pine he ordered has beetles.
Joe Fox: Very good, very good.
Kevin: And we got a $50,000 ticket for construction workers peeing off the roof.
Joe Fox: Great, that is great. Is the electrician here today?"
- 'You've Got Mail'.
39. "I am your competition. Which you know perfectly well or you would not have put up that sign saying 'just around the corner'."
- Kathleen Kelly.
40. "Listen to this - the entire workforce of the state of Virginia had to have solitaire removed from their computers - because they hadn't done any work in six weeks... You know what this is, you know what we're seeing here? We're seeing the end of the Western Civilization as we know it."
- Frank Navasky.
41. "Technologically speaking, the world's out of hand. Take the VCR. The whole idea of a VCR is that it makes it possible for you to tape what's on television while you're out of the house. But the whole point of being out of the house is so you can miss what's on television."
- Frank Navasky.
42. "You are a lone reed, standing tall, waving boldly, in the corrupt sands of commerce."
- Frank Navasky.
43. "Once I read a story about a butterfly in the subway, and today I saw one. I couldn't believe it. I got on at 42nd and got off at 59th, where I assume it was going to Bloomingdale's to buy a hat that will turn out to be a mistake."
- Kathleen Kelly.
44. "A dead body. That's so sad. But you fell in love. That's so great."
- Kathleen Kelly.
45. "Kathleen Kelly: The truth is, he was the one who made me start thinking about writing...
Joe Fox: Mister 152 Felony Indictments...
Kathleen Kelly: Mister 152... insights into my soul.
Joe Fox: Yeah. Well. Can't compete with that.
Kathleen Kelly: Well. I keep bumping into you. Hope your mango's ripe.
Joe Fox: I think it is."
- 'You've Got Mail'.
46. "You know how in the flower district, there are all these flower shops in a row so you can find whatever you want. Well, this is going to be the book district. If you don't have it, we do."
- Kathleen Kelly.
47. "My mother would have never wanted us to have a website. 'Every book you sell is a gift from your heart.' She always said that."
- Kathleen Kelly.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy!
If you liked our suggestions for 'You've Got Mail' quotes that all romcom lovers will know, and are keen to find more family-friendly quotes then why not take a look at these '80s movie quotes or young love quotes for more fun quotes to share with the whole family?
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Bachelor of Arts specializing in French with Film Studies, Bachelor of Arts (Year Abroad) specializing in Literature, History, Language, Media, and Art
Georgia StoneBachelor of Arts specializing in French with Film Studies, Bachelor of Arts (Year Abroad) specializing in Literature, History, Language, Media, and Art
Georgia is an experienced Content Manager with a degree in French and Film Studies from King's College London and Bachelors degree from Université Paris-Sorbonne. Her passion for exploring the world and experiencing different cultures was sparked during her childhood in Switzerland and her year abroad in Paris. In her spare time, Georgia enjoys using London's excellent travel connections to explore further afield.
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