Notting Hill (1999)

This boy-meets-girl, etc... saga would be workable if it weren't for one thing, we never believe the romance. Hugh Grant plays an English bookstore owner. He supposed to be sort-of a loser, so Grant mumbles and waggles his way through the film. Meanwhile, Julia Roberts plays the multi-million- dollar-making movie star who comes into his shop one day on a whim. The two pair up eventually and a  romance blooms. But Roberts is sort of a hardened, paranoid bitch, a believable and understandable character given her lot in the film. Why then, would the cute yet meandering Grant fall for such a person? It isn't because she is a star; Grant knows who she is but isn't star-struck by her. The only other reason he might fall for her is because she is beautiful. Given that Roberts' character loves Grant because he is supposedly a "real" person, why would he love her? The only reason is her incredible beauty. There is very little going on under that facade. This negates the whole message of the film. 

Grant is perfect, but the Roberts' character needs more warmth for us to like her. Here, she seems bitter and charmless and her feelings for Grant don't really ring true. Still, if you don't think about it too much, the film is a pleasant, if meandering, diversion.

Report Card

Script: C

Acting: C

Cinematography\Lighting: C

Special Effects\Make Up: A

Music: C

Final Grade: C