Movie · 1995 · Romance, Drama, Comedy · 2h 7m · PG · English
Curator score: 2.9/10 (80.9K ratings)
You are cordially invited to the most surprising merger of the year.
Overview
After her return from school in Paris, a playboy finally takes notice of his family's chauffeur's daughter Sabrina, who's long had a crush on him, but he questions his more serious brother's motives when he warns against getting involved with her.
Harrison Ford, Julia Ormond, Greg Kinnear, Nancy Marchand, John Wood, Richard Crenna, Angie Dickinson, Lauren Holly, Dana Ivey, Miriam Colon, Elizabeth Franz, Fanny Ardant, Valérie Lemercier, Patrick Bruel, Becky Ann Baker, Paul Giamatti, John C. Vennema, Gregory Chase, Margo Martindale, J. Smith-Cameron
Curator Review
Verdict
A polished, easygoing romantic comedy-drama with strong star chemistry and a glossy 90s studio feel, but the story leans on an uneven class-romance premise that can feel dated and morally slippery. It’s best appreciated as a light, elegant remake with charm and production value rather than a fully satisfying romance.
Best for
fans of glossy 90s romantic comedies
viewers who enjoy class-crossed romance and makeover-style wish fulfillment
audiences drawn to polished studio craftsmanship and charismatic leads
people curious about remakes of classic Hollywood romances
Skip if
you’re sensitive to age-gap power dynamics or wealthy-man romance tropes
you want a sharply written or emotionally deep romance
you dislike polished, low-stakes studio sentiment
you prefer the wit and snap of screwball comedy over soft-focus elegance
Overview
Sabrina is the kind of remake that knows exactly how to look expensive. Sydney Pollack gives it a smooth, tasteful sheen, and the film leans hard on Paris, Long Island wealth, and the fantasy of reinvention. Julia Ormond brings grace and intelligence to the title role, while Harrison Ford and Greg Kinnear give the love triangle enough contrast to keep the movie moving even when the script feels a little too tidy.
Worth noting
What works best here is the atmosphere: it’s romantic, polished, and pleasantly old-fashioned in a 90s way. The movie understands the appeal of transformation, longing, and fantasy fulfillment, and it sells those feelings with confidence. The chemistry is solid, and the supporting performances help the film feel less stiff than its premise might suggest.
Bottom line
What holds it back is the central setup, which can feel more like a glossy concept than a fully convincing emotional journey. The class divide is interesting, but the movie doesn’t dig especially deep into it, and the romance depends on a level of suspension of disbelief that not everyone will want to grant. Still, as an elegant studio romance with strong production values, it’s easy to watch and easy to admire.
Top Letterboxd reviews
mary (3.5★) · 1048 likes
when harrison ford said "good girl" i became pregnant
amanda (4.5★) · 817 likes
sabrina being the savior means that linus was the virgin
doinkdedoink (1.5★) · 641 likes
excuse me while I thirst over a 53 year old harrison ford cycling around town on a sunny day wearing a sweater
excuse me while I thirst over a 53 year old harrison ford in a tuxedo walking towards the camera holding a bottle of champagne and two glasses all in one hand
Embeth (3★) · 569 likes
Harrison Ford looking like that wearing glasses and a suit at 53 is very very important to me
ncgraham (4★) · 519 likes
SOME of you act like the original is better just because it happens to have been directed by Billy Wilder....grow up!!! open your third eye and admit that Harrison Ford is hot and Humphrey Bogart is not
1987 · Adventure, Family, Fantasy · 1h 39m · PG · Curator 8.7/10 (1.5M ratings) · Where to watch: Disney Plus, Hulu, fuboTV
For the fairy-tale romance energy, playful elegance, and enduring sense of romantic adventure.
Topics
romantic comedy-drama, class difference, glossy 90s cinema, Paris, Long Island, wealthy elite, wish fulfillment, remake, light melodrama, studio romance