Director: Robert Michell
Starring: Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant and Hugh Bonneville
‘A Captivating Romantic Classic’
Few actresses in Hollywood are as beloved as Julia Roberts. Following her rise to stardom in the 1990’s, Roberts has turned into one of the best actresses in the film industry. Whether it’s pretty prostitute women, determined mothers or actors, Roberts has portrayed many strong characters. Through her ability to portray women that are compelling, Roberts has earned a big fan following. A world-famous actress, Roberts has always had a strong dedication to playing fierce women which are put under situations of stress. As bright as jewelry, she has become a legendary actress leaving behind a memorable legacy. Despite reaching an old age, Roberts has proven that she hasn’t lost her abilities to engage. An actress which has achieved a humongous fan following, Roberts has produced many movies throughout her career that are worth watching.
I’m a huge fan of Julia Roberts and adore all of the films she has made throughout her career. However, my favourite may be “Notting Hill”. Released in 1999, Roger Michell’s romantic comedy has stood the test of time as a classic. Packed with breathtaking production, sharp storytelling and powerful performances, it’s one of the finest romantic comedies ever made. At the centre of it all is a powerful performance from Julia Roberts, who embodies an actress which falls in love with a bookstore owner. Ultimately, the film delivers a powerful message about stardom which would resonate with everyone. For a movie made in the 1990’s, it has aged incredibly with a message that remains relevant today. A breathtaking romantic comedy masterpiece, there are several strong reasons why it’s a classic film that’s definitely worth watching.
Set in London, “Notting Hill” tells the story of a bookstore owner that falls madly in love with a famous actress. Hugh Grant portrays William Thacker, a socially awkward bookstore owner living life of loneliness. William goes about his daily routine everyday managing a bookstore that’s dull without any surprises. However, William’s life forever changes when famous actress Anna Scott (Julia Roberts) appears at the front door of his bookstore. Attracted to Anna, William immediately falls in love with a movie-star that has irresistible charisma. What initially starts out as an incidental chance encounter soon becomes a romantic affair. As Anna’s romance begins attracting tabloid news media attention, William begins to question whether he can ever be with a world-famous woman that has earned a formidable reputation.
Roger Mitchell is a newcomer towards stories of romance. Before he directed “Notting Hill”, Mitchell had never made a romantic comedy before. It was the filmmaker’s first attempts to capture a romance involving celebrities but he succeeded tremendously. Through gorgeous cinematography, Mitchell captures a socially awkward bookstore owner embarking upon a journey to find identity. Mitchell expertly uses real-life locations in Notting Hill which capture a romance between two people. Throughout the movie, the British locations in Notting Hill capture romance. For instance, British locations enhance the park meeting scene. During this unforgettable scene, William and Anna bond together by spending time in a park with each other. One appreciates real-life park locations across Britain capturing bonds between lovers. Montages are tricky techniques. As Garry Marshall’s “Pretty Woman’ suggested clearly, montages elevate prostitution movies. Nevertheless, it works immensely in this movie. Using breathtaking visuals, Mitchell captures a pair of commemorated lovers falling in love in British cities that are appealing.
Another admirable aspect of “Notting Hill” that deserves recognition is the production-design. From a technical perspective, you won’t see a romantic comedy that’s as impressive. Mitchell uses the production-design of bookstores that capture hardships experienced by men in love. For instance, the bookstore locations enhance the first meeting scene. During this memorable scene, William has his first encounter with the beloved actress Anna Scott who stumbles into his bookstore. One appreciates the backdrops of bookstores showcasing strong bonds between lovers. Moreover, the musical score is dazzling. Trevor Jones’ music is integral to the success of the movie. It captures the romantic feelings of lovers falling in love in Notting Hill. Through powerful production-design, Mitchell captures the romantic relationships between celebrities that shine.
Storytelling is one of the reasons why “Notting Hill” is a romantic comedy which is compelling. The film is beautifully written, and successfully uses voice-over narration to capture the life of a celebrity falling in love. Richard Curtis’ finest screenwriting strength is capturing romance of celebrities by voice-over narration. Throughout the movie, Williams narrates his perspective on life through narration. Williams’ narration gives insights into his personality. For instance, the voice-over narration elevates the opening scene. During this unforgettable scene, William recounts in vivid detail the day that he first met with Anna Scott in his bookstore. Through clever voice-over narration, Curtis creates a pair of lovers that audiences can easily relate to. Voice-over narration is a tricky technique. As Martin Scorsese’s “Goodfellas” demonstrated clearly, narration elevates classic crime films. Robert Zemeckis’ “Forrest Gump” suggested narration enhances childhood movies. That being said, it works tremendously. Through a spectacular screenplay, Curtis captures a commemorated romantic relationship between two lovers today.
One appreciates astonishing performances.
Julia Roberts delivers one of her finest career performances as Anna Scott. Roberts earned appreciation for playing pretty women prostitutes in romantic comedies. With “Notting Hill”, however, Roberts embodied her first ever actress. It isn’t simple to embody the emotion of an actress falling in love with a bookstore owner, but she pulled it off successfully. It’s a role that gives the actress a chance to capitalize on her natural charisma. Through mesmerizing expressions, she captures angst, frustrations and romantic nature of a famous actress facing a dilemma when she falls madly in love with an ordinary citizen. It’s a powerful performance that launched the successful career of one of the greatest actresses working in the industry today.
Hugh Grant is great as an awkward bookstore owner that falls in love with an actress that he grows to adore. While Roberts gets the showier role, Grant is equally excellent as a socially awkward British man keeping emotions under control. As William, Grant excels using body language to capture the awkward personality of a man in love. Whether he’s awkwardly standing on a corner of his bookstore in presence of Anna or struggling to hide his emotions, Grant effectively uses body language to capture the hardships faced by a socially awkward bookstore owner. It’s an exceptional performance from one of the greatest British actors today.
Finally, “Notting Hill” will earn the appreciation of everyone for capturing the dream celebrities seek to fulfill. Unlike most romantic comedies, it tackles universal themes everyone would relate to. The film tackles strong themes of identity, marriage and stardom which would strike a chord with everyone. Viewers aren’t required to have British identities to appreciate it. It delivers an emotional message about the cost of stardom which would resonate with everyone. For a film made in the 1990’s, its strong message about the consequences of stardom in the entertainment world remains relevant today. Consequently, “Notting Hill” remains one of those rare one-of-a-kind films in the romantic comedy genre that everyone will adore.
Fans of Julia Roberts will definitely appreciate “Notting Hill” and so will movie-goers seeking meaningful entertainment. A riveting romantic comedy classic, it celebrates a fantastic actress that has built a legacy which is iconic.
Nearly 30 years following the release of an iconic film about awkward bookstore owners falling in love with famous actresses in Notting Hill, it’s a riveting reminder of a legendary actress that hasn’t lost her abilities to fulfill the expectations of audiences by creating compelling characters that fill movies with joy whose timeless films that still pack an emotional punch after several years prove why she’s an actress that will always thrill.
5/5 stars
The Film Buff 
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