Name: Film Review: Notting Hill (1999)
Item: Notting Hill
Rating: 40
Author: @drax

(source: tmdb.org)

One of the most common complaints against many modern romantic comedies is that their content lacks any connection to real life. Sometimes it can be the also case with their basic concepts which, although generally possible, are so unlikely that make them close to fantasy genre. One of such romantic comedies is Notting Hill, 1999 film directed by Roger Michell.

Protagonist, played by Hugh Grant, William “Will” Thacker, bookseller who lives and works in Notting Hill, colourful cosmopolitan district of West London. His life revolves around book store where almost nobody comes and flat he shares with sloppy Welsh room mate Spike (played by Rhys Ifans). Everything changes when his store is visited by Anna Scott (played by Julia Roberts), popular Hollywood actress which came to London to promote her latest film. Will happens to be her big fan and tries to keep her in his store as long as possible, but even in his wildest dreams he couldn’t have thought that such encounter would end with her kissing him. Two of them start romantic relationship but Will soon learns about dark side of the celebrity life – constant travel, retinue of press agents and bodyguards, remorseless media vultures that follow someone’s every move. All that conspires against two of them remaining together. When the relationship inevitably ends, small circle of Will’s loyal friends advises him to forget Anna and try to return to his normal life. Will finds that difficult because he is constantly surrounded by posters and ads featuring Anna.

At first glance, the idea of an ordinary person being able to win heart of a global celebrity looks like typical Hollywood Cinderella-like fairytale. What makes it different is the script by Richard Curtis, one of the most successful writers of British comedies in past few decades, specialised in romantic comedies. In his previous film Four Wedding and a Funeral he proved that he could go beyond the usual limitations of the genre and offer audience something different. In Notting Hill he was reunited with the star Hugh Grant and producer Duncan Kenworthy, so there were reasons to believe that he could repeat the same achievement. In the first half of the film it looks that the film would be different, mostly due to colourful setting which depicts Cool Britannia of early Blair years in its full glory, as well as intelligent dialogue and small band of very talented British actors, among which Gina McKee stands out in the role of Will’s wheelchair-bound friend Bella. Unfortunately, somewhere around half of the film all of creativity and originality gets sucked out of the film and Notting Hill succumbs to predictable Hollywood cliches like boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy reunites with girl etc. To make things worse, lack of humour near end of the film is compensated with action, which include car chasing scene. Michell, although he shows bits of talent in couple of scenes, obviously has trouble maintaining the proper tempo and the film lasts for almost unbearable two hours. As a result, Notting Hill is a film that could be recommended only to incurable romantics or the most loyal fans of Julia Roberts.

RATING: 4/10 (+)