1999: the 'Year that Changed Movies' ... except maybe for romantic comedies ...

Rating: 8/10 (28 July 2013)

From Richard Curtis, the screenwriter of "Four Weddings and a Funeral", "Notting Hill" wandered through a labyrinth of cinematic conventions with such confidence I felt myself immediately absorbed by the story. Romantic comedies might not be my cup of tea, but not in Britain where tea is elevated to an institutional rank.
And romantic comedy is not the easiest genre to handle; it has an obligation to reinvent new comedic and entertaining situations out of hackneyed material. For instance, as soon as the eyes of Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts meet in the titular area, we know they're meant for each other and that they'll end up together. But we also know it won't happen before the last five minutes, so the reason-to-be of "Notting Hill" relies on the way it will delay each time the predictable resolution. And when it comes to rom-coms, it's on the 'how' factor that relies the effectiveness of all the 'aww' and 'wow'-feelings, they're meant to provoke.
Like most romantic comedies, "Notting Hill" starts with two lonely hearts filled with good excuses for having lost faith in true love: an indispensable attitude to postpone the romantic epiphany. Julia Roberts is Anna Scott, a movie star, an object of admiration for women, of fantasies for men, and harassment from the Press and Tabloids.(and Britain is certainly not the safest place to visit when you're a celebrity of her caliber). And in the love department, Anna Scott had the kind of romances that would have made lousy Curtis' screenplays, when we meet her, she has 'naturally' a boyfriend, but 'naturally', it's not official. Nothing is.
And Anna Scott is such an obvious alter-ego of Julia Roberts that her name doesn't fool us, there's no doubt about her autobiographical inspiration, if it wasn't intended in the beginning, at the end, no one can ever dissociate the fictional from the real actress, but this is definitely not a flaw. At one point, Anna even mentions the disillusion of her stardom and the artifices she had to undergo to earn her 15 millions for a role, and then there's this little sparkle that disappear in Julia Roberts' eyes, as if Anna became the vehicle of Julia's truth. And in the process, Julia Roberts brings so much sincerity to her role that our empathy is granted for her, as it's impossible not to forgive the attitude she displays with the poor, well- meaning William, played by Hugh Grant.
Grant is a divorced man, running a modest travel bookstore, sharing a house with an eccentric and nonchalant roommate (Rhys Ifans) who keeps exposing his dirty soles on the table, something that would immediately cure from the most hardcore foot fetishism. By the way, I suspect the director Roger Mitchell for having quite an obsession with feet and after Rhys Ifans and Hugh Grant, I was glad we could have some glimpse on Julia Roberts'. Anyway, there is Grant as William, who despite all his misadventures, is still in love with Anna Scott. Nothing happens at their first encounter but a few minutes later, through one of the gutsiest plot devices ever written, he collides with her, spilling orange juice on her shirt, and a perfect excuse to invite her to his house, and when she kisses him, it's  well, didn't I use the word 'obviousness'?
Yet, there's one obvious element that is handled perfectly: the supporting cast. If you believe that nothing could beat the joyful bunch from "Four Weddings and a Funeral", wait till you see "Notting Hill". Now, that is a group that could have inspired a less insipid sitcom than "How I Met With Your Mother'. We meet them during the first date between Anna and William coinciding with his sister's birthday: a lovable couple with a woman on a wheelchair, William's goofy airhead sister, a buffoonish stockbroker, they all make lovable losers (in the positive meaning of the term) genuinely supporting William and blessing his actions and decisions with the most cheerful approvals, with such friends, who'd even need a girlfriend? Except one like Julia  I mean, Anna Scott.
William's friends contribute to one of the best written dinner scenes featuring a game in which the last piece of cake would be earned by the saddest story teller (not a piece of cake exercise).. And the scene provides some serious and tender moments proving that "Notting Hill" is more than your average romantic comedy. Indeed, while the two stars in the posters might be invitation for the most cynical expectations, "Notting Hill" tactfully and elegantly walks on the tightrope of its screenplay and never falls into the stereotypical schmaltz that could have destroyed it, even the so-called cringe-worthy line supposed to be the "is it still raining" of the film, suited the story. However, I noticed that the choice of songs seemed kind of out-of-place sometimes and. I was glad, after reading Roger Ebert's review that he also was annoyed by the 'Ain't no Sunshine' montage after the break-up. Who needs a song with 'when she's gone" when we know what's going on? (By the way, I hope you won't take this as a spoiler, wouldn't you expect one break-up in a romantic comedy?)
Perhaps regret on the redundancy of some situations, and the fact that Grant remains all stoical, never abandoning his British phlegm  seriously, when you know you love one person, would you take that much time before taking the big dive? Sometimes, one delay is one too much, or it betters leads up to a better conclusion. And I wouldn't have been that enthusiastic if the film didn't fulfill this premise, when it ends, it's a cheerful celebration, not overdone like "Love Actually", but with the right amount of positivity and tenderness, and the last shot is probably some of the best that ever concluded a romantic film.
And thank God, they didn't think of putting "Here Comes the Sun".