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Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) Binding: VHS Tape EAN: 0004400614126 Format: PAL Number Of Discs: 1 Sales Rank: 106650 Theatrical Release Date: May 28, 1999
Amazon.com essential video: They don't really make many romantic comedies like Notting Hill anymore--blissfully romantic, sincerely sweet, and not grounded in any reality whatsoever. Pure fairy tale, and with a huge debt to Roman Holiday, Notting Hill ponders what would happen if a beautiful, world-famous person were to suddenly drop into your life unannounced and promptly fall in love with you. That's the crux of the situation for William Thacker (Hugh Grant), who owns a travel bookshop in London's fashionable Notting Hill district. Hopelessly ordinary (well, as ordinary as you can be when you're Hugh Grant), William is going about his life when renowned movie star Anna Scott (Julia Roberts) walks into his bookstore and into his heart. After another contrived meet-cute involving spilled orange juice, William and Anna share a spontaneous kiss (big suspension of disbelief required here), and soon both are smitten. The question is, of course, can William and Anna reconcile his decidedly commonplace bookseller existence and her lifestyle as a jet-setting, paparazzi-stalked celebrity? (Take a wild guess at the answer.) Smartly scripted by Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral) and directed by Roger Michell (Persuasion), Notting Hill is hardly realistic, but as wish fulfillment and a romantic comedy, it's irresistible. True, Roberts doesn't really have to stretch very far to play a big-time actress who makes $15 million per movie, but she's more winning and relaxed than she's been in years, and Grant is sweetly understated as a man blindsided by love. Together, in moments of quiet, they're a charming couple, and you can feel her craving for real love and his awe and amazement at the wonderful person for whom he has fallen. The only blight on the film is its overbearing pop soundtrack, though Elvis Costello's heart-wrenching version of "She" gets poignant exposure. With Rhys Ifans as Grant's scene-stealing, slovenly housemate and Alec Baldwin in a sly, perfectly cast cameo. --Mark Englehart
Amazon.com: They don't really make many romantic comedies like Notting Hill anymore--blissfully romantic, sincerely sweet, and not grounded in any reality whatsoever. Pure fairy tale, and with a huge debt to Roman Holiday, Notting Hill ponders what would happen if a beautiful, world-famous person were to suddenly drop into your life unannounced and promptly fall in love with you. That's the crux of the situation for William Thacker (Hugh Grant), who owns a travel bookshop in London's fashionable Notting Hill district. Hopelessly ordinary (well, as ordinary as you can be when you're Hugh Grant), William is going about his life when renowned movie star Anna Scott (Julia Roberts) walks into his bookstore and into his heart. After another contrived meet-cute involving spilled orange juice, William and Anna share a spontaneous kiss (big suspension of disbelief required here), and soon both are smitten. The question is, of course, can William and Anna reconcile his decidedly commonplace bookseller existence and her lifestyle as a jet-setting, paparazzi-stalked celebrity? (Take a wild guess at the answer.) Smartly scripted by Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral) and directed by Roger Michell (Persuasion), Notting Hill is hardly realistic, but as wish fulfillment and a romantic comedy, it's irresistible. True, Roberts doesn't really have to stretch very far to play a big-time actress who makes $15 million per movie, but she's more winning and relaxed than she's been in years, and Grant is sweetly understated as a man blindsided by love. Together, in moments of quiet, they're a charming couple, and you can feel her craving for real love and his awe and amazement at the wonderful person for whom he has fallen. The only blight on the film is its overbearing pop soundtrack, though Elvis Costello's heart-wrenching version of "She" gets poignant exposure. With Rhys Ifans as Grant's scene-stealing, slovenly housemate and Alec Baldwin in a sly, perfectly cast cameo. --Mark Englehart
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Notting much here...
I have no problem with light "date" movies. But there has to be some sort of plot and the characters have to be somewhat developed. In Notting Hill, you have an underwritten screenplay and two underdeveloped characters cruising on autopilot. The actress character is totally unbelievable--she's hollow (I don't mean shallow...I mean they didn't bother to write a character and relied too much on Julia Roberts' 24-carat teeth) and boring--what exactly has made the world fall in love with her? She's dull as a mole on a vole, and she basically plays a blander, more dumbed-down version of Julia Roberts, ... Read More
Rating: - Lame
I'm opting to join the rank of the two star-ers (new word). I can't go down to one because technically (as in the use of technology) the movie is sound. Pity they didn't add some acting. Basic boy meets girl, loses girl, regains, loses, regains, loses - I lost track. I think so did Grant and Roberts. Underlying the relationship is... Nothing. There is no reason for this couple to do anything together, no case is made other than undying (but missing from evidence) passion. Get it from Netflix if you must watch it.
Rating: - One of my Fav Love Stories!
At first glance Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant do not seem like a romance made in heaven. However, this movie is wonderful and they do have that romantic energy on screen.
Hugh's characters family is hysterical and a big part of this story line. If you haven't seen this movie it is a must~ It will leave you feeling good inside.
Merna
Pocket of Pearls: A 30-day pocket workbook to start hearing a softer voice inside of you!
Rating: - HD DVD Notting Hill
I bought it before the DVD war was over and got stuck with the wrong side. The movie in itself, I love it.
Rating: - My favorite movie
A great but simple story played by wonderful actors. Could play this back once a month. And it includes two beautiful songs.
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