HGH-3

The romantic comedy genre has been going downhill since the days of Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. For years they have been romantic and, in some cases, comic. But not intelligent. Richard Curtis seems to be the remedy. Four Weddings and a Funeral was his first shot at the title as Champion of Intelligent Romantic Comedy Screenwriting. Now Notting Hill proves that "...Weddings..." wasn't just a coincidence. God direction from Roger Michell helps as well, but what makes it really great (apart from the script) is the acting. Everybody, and that means everybody, are great. But the one who really stands out is Tim McInnerny as Max. Just looking at his eyes moving about, suggesting all kinds of things, is really an example of great acting with very small means. He has a tendency too steal all the scenes in witch he participates. The British romantic comedy is here to stay. Only two things can prevent that. 1; American film companies swallowing the British and letting the American scriptwriters rule again. 2; The British try to make them too fast (and too many). Great Britain; Keep up the good work. Good Show.

This is the surprise thriller of 1995. They hardly ever comes any better than this. Great story, terrific acting (Especially Morgan Freeman), faultless direction. It's way more uncomfortable than movies that tries to shock you with blood and gore. In this one we witness the effects of what has already happened. We are not there at the killings (thank God!). This way it slowly creeps up on you to a much better effect than any visual violence can achieve. But it has a giveaway that keeps it from not being a 10. Gwyneth Paltrow, who plays Brad Pitt's wife, isn't in the film very much. she only pops up four or five times in the movie. The scenes are also quite short. What usually happens with wives, girlfriends, sisters and son on who doesn't appear much in the usual Hollywood-movie? Right! They die. So does Gwyneth. The only thing that differs from most films, is the way it's done. So what could have been a full 10 only becomes a 9 because of the formula treatment of the cops wife. But besides that; Terrific!!

One guy gets tangled in a conspiracy without him really understanding why or by whom. He's being chased, double-crossed and chased again while trying to survive. By some quake of fate he suddenly realize what it's all about and manages to solve the situation, thereby saving himself, his newly won friend, and, not least, his family. Oh, he also saves his country.

Sounds like a turkey, doesn't it. Well, Hitchcock used the theme lots of times, and very few of his films are regarded as being turkeys, right?

Lots of directors have tried the concept thru the years, and very few has succeeded. This is one of the lucky moments when the script-writer and the director managed to make it gel.

This is really a Hitchcock-movie for the nineties. Good actors, flashy cinematography, great tempo (so you won't notice the holes in the script) and also a little message as a bonus.

Terrific entertainment. Hitchcock probably smiles in his heaven.