A Wry British Comedy with Staying Power

Rating: 10/10 (14 May 2006)

NOTTING HILL was a breath of fresh air when it entered the theaters in 1999. Written by Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Love Actually, The Girl in the Cafe - as well as the Bridget Jones scripts) and directed by Roger Michell (Persuasion, Changing Lanes, Enduring Love) the story is a bit cockamamie but blossoms in the hands of the fine cast. Now with this Collector's Edition release it is available for us all to appreciate again.
William (Hugh Grant) is an ordinary bloke who runs a Travel Book Store in Notting Hill, a man whose life is abruptly changed when an American actress Anna (Julia Roberts) enters his shop and his life. Bumbling William spills orange juice on celebrity-shy Anna and the two cross the street to William's flat, shared with the wildly mad but lovable Spike (Rhys Ifans), and despite poor starts there begins a romance to test all romances. The manner in which William and Anna gradually find each other's vulnerabilities, including exposure to each other's lives - Anna with her celebrity entourage, William with his loony but oh so tender extended family (Tim McInnerny, Gina McKee, Emma Chambers, and Hugh Bonneville) - is the story of love overcoming hurdles. The secondary themes are lovely and beautifully played by this committed cast.
For a springy, funny, tender, sweet British humor story, this one is hard to beat. Recommended. Grady Harp