Notting Hill
Starring: Juila Roberts, Hugh Grant, Emma Chambers and Rhys Ifans. 123 min., PG-13
Romantic comedies are at such an abundance in Hollywood that very few offer anything new or interesting. You've Got Mail almost did, had it not have been a remake, but with that exception aside, you would have to go back more than ten years to find an interesting, exhilerating, fun romantic comedy. However, that long search for a good romantic comedy in theatres is over. Notting Hill provides something almost all romantic comedies lack, realism. Most show us a perfect world, with two perfect people, who meet under perfect conditions, have one fight and then make up and live the rest of their perfect lives together. Notting Hill never at any point makes you think its two love hopefuls are in any way perfect. Anna Scott (Roberts), is a huge American film star, with fame and fortune but lacking what she truely wants, happiness. William Thacker, on the other hand, is a small time book owner who has no future, but loves himself just the same. However, all this changes, when the in hiding Anna comes into William's bookstore.
Don't forget, this film is a romedy (romantic comedy for those not up on their movie lingo) and it does of course give off the one message that we will find our true love one day. But Notting Hill gives you a sense of personal closure. Not all the characters go through severe changes when they meet each other, in fact they hardly change. William pulls that British stiff upper lip and Anna knows he's just a small time bookseller from Notting Hill. But, Notting Hill is guilt of creating that "lovers uptopia" that all romedies do or try to do.
I do not like Juila Roberts. I don't beat around the bush. On most occasions and in most films I find her to be "fake". But in Notting Hill, as much as it pains me to say, she was good. She, for the first time since Pretty Woman, really got into her role (what a streatch, the highest paid actresses in Hollywood playing...the highest paid actresses in Hollywood).
When all is said and done, Notting Hill is a romantic masterpiece. It gives you that It Happened One Night feeling all over. You don't hate the characters because they find love, you are actually happy for them. And why not, they for the first time, are a representation of you. They are not perfect, neither are we. They know their own mortality, as do we. All they want is love and happiness, as do we. Rating: A
Don't agree with my review, e-mail me at [email protected].
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