Is it possible, in 1999, to tell a boy meets girl story in a way that won’t be cliche and boring? Can a major motion picture studio, with its eyes on profit potential, turn this tired formula into something the masses will pay to watch? In the case of Notting Hill, the answer is yes. Kind of. The movie has a predetermined outcome, as if you didn’t know, but how it gets there is not exactly your typical Nora Ephron sap. It’s actually entertaining. Julia Roberts plays Anna Scott, a hugely successful American celebrity stalked by cameras on both sides of the Atlantic. Hugh Grant is William Thacker, a somewhat meek independent bookstore owner (Hollywood’s trendiest underdog). Anna, while promoting her latest film in London, enters said bookstore, locks eyes with the rakish but shy William and, well, suffice it to say, begins the type of relationship that only happens in the movies.
And that’s okay. Notting Hill unabashedly celebrates the mythic qualities of Hollywood romance. This kind of courtship would never happen in reality, but it’s such an optimistic fantasy that it’s easy to suspend disbelief and get caught up in the jumbled events on the way to the inevitable conclusion. Credit must go to screenwriter Richard Curtis, who wrote Four Weddings and a Funeral, for the clever, engaging dialogue that moves the plot along without bonking the audience over the head in complete obviousness. Even though a happy ending is bearing down like a speeding bus, I found myself not sure if William and Anna would reconcile after the ‘boy loses girl’ moment halfway through the movie. True confession.
Let me take a moment here to say that I would never have seen this movie if the opportunity to review it had not come up. I doubt I would have even rented it. Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant have never been up there on my list of favorite performers, and I usually roll my eyes at date movies. When asked to attend the screening, I worried that I might not be able to maintain objectivity. Hugh Grant’s acting generally consists of scrunching up his eyes and peeking sheepishly through curly bangs. Whether intentional or not, it was wise of him to stay out of the spotlight for this long after the Divine Brown thing cooled down. This could almost be called a comeback. William Thacker is an effective role for him and he plays it well, though it’s not a departure from previous roles. Hugh still does a lot of blinking and has a tendency to trail off at the end of his line delivery. Regardless, his character is the focal point of Notting Hill, and Hugh Grant makes him surprisingly likable.
Julia Roberts’ talent has always been questionable to me, yet her beauty and horse laugh have taken her to superstar heights, and she is a natural in the role of Anna Scott. An international celebrity trying to juggle her picture being on the side of a bus with having a normal relationship, a situation easy to picture Julia being in. Of her movies so far, this is definitely the one that helps me to understand her appeal a little better.
The supporting cast is a group of strong actors playing predictably quirky friends and relatives. The standout is William’s aggressively silly housemate, Spike (Rhys Ifans). It’s hard to imagine Hugh Grant’s character putting up with someone with such dirty feet, but Spike is funny and ultimately a little heroic. The others are equally typical of urban wackiness, but just as appealing. The tight script and acting talent are most in evidence in this group.
This movie will probably make a lot of money. Summer movie audiences will like Notting Hill, and they should. It is among the better of its genre. Just don’t go expecting innovation and don’t go expecting Hugh Grant or Julia Roberts to play against type. Do expect to be entertained.
+ David Kern
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