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

Not usually impressed with Romantic Comedies, i found this one strangely compelling. It really was a nice movie, littered with great characters, especially Spike played by Rhys Ifans (Hilarious).

The story demonstrates to the extreme that love can occur between the most unlikely of people, and the humorous portrayal of this, is both touching and realistic. And i mean realistically created, not necessarily true realism.

Worthy of your attention, this well written romantic comedy is a must for fans of the genre and is a good gamble if your not.

8/10

Julia Roberts is the queen of Romantic Comedies. Her iconic role in Pretty Woman should give her the title alone, but she's been in tons, some good while others weren't. However, she chose a good one in Notting Hill.

Notting Hill is a sweet, good-natured romantic comedy that succeeds on every level it is trying to be. The story is well-written and more original then it may come off from the trailers. This is a film about movie stars that actually have meaningful conversations about being movie stars. Hugh Grant is also dashing in the leading man role. Roberts actually gives best "Rom-Com" performance here, aside from the Oscar-Nominated, Pretty Woman. She restrains herself and isn't loud or obnoxious, just true to the character. This is some of her most underrated work.

With beautiful shots of London and a sweeping romance, Notting Hill is an example for future romantic comedies. I only had one problem: there is a huge gap in the middle where Roberts is off in America. I understood it was important to the story, but it didn't have to last 20 minutes. This is her story as much as it Grant's, but the writers put her on the back-burner.

While the ending is predictable, it's sweet and makes you smile. Wonderful film; 8.5

Notting Hill is a neighborhood in London and it's the title of a romantic comedy starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant. Two of the most unlikely lovers you could ever imagine get together here.

Grant is the respectable, but somewhat dull proprietor of a bookstore in Notting Hill which specializes in travel books. It looks like he's getting by, but truth be told Grant's perfectly happy with just making enough to pay the bills and a little extra.

Back in the day after she retired from the screen for almost 50 years it was one of those urban legends in New York City to spot Greta Garbo out and about and you'd never know but when she might get a notion to stop into a bookstore like Grant's. In this case Julia Roberts plays a movie star not unlike the real Julia Roberts. Garbo mysterious she's not.

For if she was I doubt Hugh Grant would have considered approaching her. As for Roberts she's looking at Grant as a bit of respite from her life in the media goldfish bowl. When she's discovered it's disaster for both of them.

Notting Hill is a nice romantic comedy with very believable leads in a fairy tale fantasy. I mean who doesn't have a fantasy of wooing and winning some celebrity you might admire or be crushing out on. In that sense Notting Hill has a universal appeal.

In an unbilled part Alec Baldwin plays her boyfriend whom we learn little about factually. But he comes across as an egotistical fathead. One thing you're certain of, no matter what happens with Grant, Roberts and Baldwin won't be an item much longer.

Notting Hill, a nice romantic comedy/fantasy. May you win the celebrity of your desires.

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.