Notting Hill

This film was surprisingly good, not my favourite romantic comedy in the world, and personally I think Love Actually and Four Weddings and a Funeral are better. But it is a good film, thanks to the strong performances, fresh script and the film's look. While not laugh out loud funny, Notting Hill is nonetheless warm and charming. The script is fresh, sometimes funny, sometimes insightful. The part where Anna says "I am just a girl, standing in front of a boy, waiting for him to love her", may be cringe worthy to some people, but for me no matter how clichéd it is it shows a vulnerable side to Anna's character. The film is based on love revolved around unequal social standing, William being diffident and unsuccessful, Anna being the complete opposite. The photography is fabulous and the direction is excellent. Hugh Grant is charming as William and Julia Roberts is positively luminous as Anna, and the two have strong chemistry. Out of the supporting performers, Rhys Ifans stands out in a very zany turn as Spike. The music is lovely too. All in all, this is very warm, charming and pleasant, yeah the ending is predictable, but this is a well written and quite irresistible film. 8.5/10 Bethany Cox

Whether or not realistic, this is a wonderfully touching fairy tale like story of the romance between two people of unequal social and financial standing. The beautiful, rich, and famous American movie star is superbly captured by the incomparable and always endearing Julia Roberts, who brings such a wonderful vulnerability to her roles. Hugh Grant is perfect as the shy, stammering, bumbling, unassuming, obscure, and not very affluent London bookseller, who shares a flat with his zany, weird roommate, Spike.

The tale revolves around the world's most famous actress, Anna Scott, who visits a Notting Hill travel bookshop and thereby meets the very ordinary British bookseller, William Thacker. Improbable as it might seem, the two fall in love despite the fact that Anna already has a 'significant other' in the form of the obnoxious star, Jeff, who treats her poorly. Alas, Anna and William's romance is of course subject to hounding by the ubiquitous media, making the course of true love definitely not run smooth.

Just an aside, but did the screenwriters get Hugh Grant's character's name from the Victorian novelist, William Makepeace Thackeray? It seems quite a coincidence. Ha, ha. Anyway, nice name...

The film does a marvelous job conveying what must resemble Julia Roberts' own fishbowl life, subject to constant media scrutiny and innuendo. She must have identified strongly with the character she was playing, not only the media nuisance but also the failed relationships so common among film stars. Her hounding by the paparazzi is also of course reminiscent of that plaguing the late Princess Diana, and of course, sadly, resulting in her death.

The portrayal of William's friends is very touching here, as their reaction transforms from understandable awe at socializing with such a famous star, to accepting and treating Anna as basically an ordinary person and good friend. The viewer gets a sense of how much this response, this genuine friendship means to Anna. One of William's friends is a disabled wife in a wheelchair. Her normal, ordinary life and attitude are well captured and would be well received, I believe, by viewers with physical disabilities.

The love story is beautifully depicted. The sadness of Anna's failed past romantic involvements is conveyed, and despite the fame, her vulnerability as being really just 'an ordinary girl in love with an ordinary boy'. The portrayal of William is touching, as he copes with all the media attention, sees the actual person behind all that fame, wealth, and glamour, and tries to give Anna the genuine security and the 'ordinary life' she so desperately craves. A fabulous, moving, and ultra romantic film with a relevant message regarding modern society's perception and treatment of its movie stars. We can all learn a lesson here.

Romantic Comedy is my Second Favourite Genre in Movies following only Dramas. What is it that makes a great Rom-Com? Is it the chemistry between the Protagonists? Is it an unclichéd and non-banal script? Is it the Direction? Is it a mesmerising Soundtrack Or the enthralling Cinematography? Maybe it's a combination of all these. Notting Hill is one of those few which have all these ingredients to make for a great Rom-Com.

Notting Hill is the story of William Thacker, a diffident divorcee who lives in a house with a Blue Door and runs a not so lucrative Travel Book Shop in a small cheerful neighbourhood of London called Notting Hill. It is the story of his eventful rendezvous with the fabulous, ravishingly beautiful Anna Scott, a renowned American Actress and the love affair that ensues.

As William says in the movie 'Surreal, But Nice', is exactly how I'd describe my experience watching Notting Hill. It is one of those Movies which makes us believe in fateful encounters, in the enigmatic inexplicable appeal to which our very hearts tremble, in the aching separations and the exhilaratingly joyous 'Happily Ever After'. Some people might be of the opinion that these so called Rom-Coms though exquisite, portray an unrealistic affair, that the Writers conjuring such Fables live in Oblivion and not in the real world. To some extent this might be the hard truth. After all what are the chances of me running into Julia Roberts? Probably next to zero or, to be a hardcore realist, absolutely zero. These Movies might give false hope to the heartbroken or the lonely, but it is Hope nonetheless. Hope, that I might bump into a significant other while fetching for Orange Juice and that some people do spend their whole lives together. And that is what I'd prefer to believe. After all I am guilty of being the Hopeless Romantic.

What I like about the movie is that it isn't just some random Girl Meets Boy Story. Albeit being a Rom-Com, Roger Michell tries to dwell a little deeper into each character's Inhibitions, Hopes and their Psyche. The 'Last Brownie Scene' is a testament to the same. This very brief scene is my favourite from the movie. It portrays immaculately how each character on the table has their own Wins and Fiascos, Dreams and Inhibitions and how life never goes on as intended. As Bella very aptly says - 'C'est La Vie'.

'Hugh Grant' plays William Thacker while 'Julia Roberts' is Anna Scott. Their Chemistry is most coveted and undeniable on screen. 'Rhys Ifans' plays the eccentric roommate Spike and 'Gina McKee' plays Bella, among the troupe of Artists employed by Michell.

The enthralling Soundtrack is an anthology of Songs by various Artists which works flawlessly for each scene. My favourite among them being 'When You Say Nothing At All' by Ronan Keating.

In short, Notting Hill is an absolute delight to watch. It may not be the best Rom-Com out there, but it definitely is worthwhile.

A Review by - Mohammed Saood.

(A Joseph still awaiting his June)

The funny thing about Notting Hill is that Hugh Grant comes off as more charming than Julia Roberts. William Thacker (Grant) remains poised & polite throughout all the madness happening in his life, whereas Anna Scott (Roberts) becomes unlikable at times. Still, this romantic comedy is full of likable characters and amusing moments. I thoroughly enjoyed each dinner scene, especially the interactions between Bella (Gina McKee) and Max (Tim McInnerny). Notting Hill isn't one of my favorite creations by Richard Curtis, but it features many elements I like from his writing and it's an enjoyable movie.

After reading the synopsis, 'Notting Hill' sounds like just another melodramatic Julia Roberts rom com. Fortunately, that ain't the case. 'Notting Hill' is fun, sweet, intelligent and … well, simply said, very entertaining. London's Notting Hill does seem like a street you'd like to walk on.

While the storyline itself is larger than life, the characters are real. There is no overt melodrama. We can see that Curtis put a lot of heart and some Brit wit humour into the writing. After meeting William, Anna, Spike, Max, Bella and Honey, we, as audience, really connect to these very interesting characters and care about them. The table discussion in Honey's birthday scene shows how all the characters connect. While a nervous Anna, is new to the group, we see that she eventually gets a hang of them and feels comfortable enough to talk about herself.

Hugh Grant isn't anything different from his other rom coms. Julia Roberts is brilliant. I never liked any of her romantic comedies (e.g. Pretty Woman, I Love Trouble, Something to Talk About etc) but 'notting Hill is an exception. She gives a subtle portrayal as hugely famous but very vulnerable Anna Scott and does full justice. This indeed is one of her finest performances. Rhys Ifans as Spike is standout! While Tim McInnerny, Emma Chambers, Hugh Bonneville and Gina McKee (love her) are excellent. McKee's comedy is extremely subtle and her character is one of the most appealing. She underplays her part with tremendous grace and maturity.

All the actors share a very warm chemistry that just keeps adding on to its quality. The relationship and friendship between the characters is shown in a very sensitive way. While Spike and William are roommates who just seem to get along, we know that they like each other. Also William is about to cancel a date with the world's most famous actress to attend his sister's birthday party. The relationship between Max and Bella is beautiful.

Additional credit must be given to Coulter's amazing cinematography and the visuals. Watch the scene where Thacker is walking through the market and we see the weather change (indicating the passing time). There's a beautiful soundtrack that recites the moods of the scenes. And last but not least, thanks to Roger Mitchell for putting it all together to tell us this sweet entertaining story.