Rent Notting Hill on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Richard Curtis
Directed by: Roger Michell
Starring: Hugh Grant, Julia Roberts, Rhys Ifans, Clarke Peters
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer
Plot
The life of a simple bookshop owner changes when he meets the most famous film star in the world.
Verdict
It's such a smart script that's a fairy tale for two people from different worlds. You want it to work, and it's that hope that drives this movie. The structure and pacing is well done, and this uses silence to such great effect. While Hugh Grant's bumbling nervous character becomes grating, Julia Roberts does such an amazing job. You completely feel the emotions she radiates. I've seen it before and enjoyed it, but I forgot just how good it is.
Watch It.
Review
From the same writer as Love Actually (2003) and Yesterday (2019). I prefer this and the former, two very watchable and engaging rom-coms to the latter.
The first scene introduces us to the most famous movie star in the world, Anna Scott. Julia Roberts plays a version of herself, it's a meta role that's cute on its own. William Thacker (Hugh Grant) is the hapless travel book store owner than happens to meet Anna Scott. It's a surreal moment where she enters the store and we're not sure he recognizes her. He does, and William becomes enamored with her despite being out of his depth.
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| Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant play Anna Scott, William Thacker |
A lot of the comedy is derived from how people react or don't to Anna Scott. Some don't realize who she is, never expecting to encounter her while others go overboard in their excitement. Anna accompanies William to dinner with his friends which turns out to be a nice scene that gives us insight into her world.
There are many impediments to this relationship despite them both clearly sharing an attraction. The budding romance soon derails. She leaves the country as movie stars must often travel. William is left missing her. He dates a few different women, but they aren't her. There's an absolutely great scene where William walks down the sidewalk as the seasons shift before us as he doffs his jocket. It's seamless, a twist on the montage.
William and Anna are star crossed lovers. The hurdles and pitfalls of these two realms creates a rift. The movie has a great handle on the story and a perspective of what this relationship is like for her and him. She's in the public eye, scrutinized for every action. Perceptions follow her forever.
This is a great script all around. The timing and pacing is excellent. This connects plot points, characters, and locations introduced in the beginning back at the end. What I really appreciate is how this movie uses silence, allowing the actors to act. Julia Roberts is a class above. We're watching a movie star play a movie star. She does a great job in this fairy tale, conveying exactly what her character feels. It's a joy to watch her work. It's a contrast to Hugh Grant and his nervous bumbling act. That difference also highlights the gulf between them.
This is a movie that can be silly, but it never stretches too far. The movie plays into a fantasy and that idea is certainly a fun way to get lost. Everyone has pined for someone out of their league. This does a great job with that and provides some absolutely great scenes on top of it.
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