Nads, this one's for you!

Rating: 9/10 (5 July 1999)

There is something almost surreal about a good movie. If you like it, it can make your day, put you in a good mood or perhaps brighten your spirits for a time being. But if it's really good, not only does it become a part of your life, but it almost becomes folk lore between you and your friends. Raiders of the Lost Ark was like that and although I'm not saying that Notting Hill will have legs the same way that Raiders does, it certainly is a movie that I and one of my very good friends named Nadia, won't soon forget. Because I think in a way, although we were good friends before this film came out, Notting Hill added another level to it. It gave us something that we could both quote, and then subsequently laugh at the same memories from the film. And that is what makes film the great medium that it is. It can bring people together with a simple laugh or a tear that one shared together. Notting Hill is definitely in the laughter category. And for that we can completely thank the little known Welsh actor named Ryhes Ifans, who plays Spike. Back to him in a few minutes.
Notting Hill is the story of a simple man that leads an unspectacular life. Suddenly one day Anna Scott, the biggest film star in the world walks into his bookstore and changes his life forever. They develop a relationship and from there we explore how they work together as a couple and the complexities that a major star must face if they choose to lead a normal life.
The romance in this film is really one of its great strengths. Hugh Grant comes off wonderfully as the man who can't get Anna Scott out of his head. He is the perfect mumbling man and that adds to his authenticity as a human. Think of Paul Reiser and even Woody Allen. They often play similar characters and their believability is also one of their strengths. And in here it is Grant's normalacy that gets some of the bigger laughs ( not the biggest though, that is reserved for Spike ). Take for instance his scene in Anna's hotel when he is interviewing the cast and crew for her lastest film. He does not realize at first that he is supposed to be a journalist and his questions reflect his ignorance towards the whole Hollywood scene. It plays beautifully and it does a great job of playing with our funny bone. The assorted cast of friends that he interacts with also make for some great laughs. But having said all that, let me just say that if Notting Hill was a story about a guy who falls for the most famous actress in the world and it stuck to that story line with no real attempt at humour in it, it would be a fine film. But Notting Hill has one ace up it's sleeve and that is the character named Spike, which incidentally has kept Nadia and me laughing our butts off for months ( right Nads, not bad not bad! )
Spike, as played by Ryhes Ifans is electric. Every scene he is in is a scene steeler. He upstages everyone including Roberts. By now I'm sure we have all seen the commercial when Spike goes out to greet the media and he flexes for the cameras. That is funny in itself. But what we don't see is his reaction to his stupidity when he comes inside. He doesn't realize that he just made a fool of himself and frankly he doesn't care. He looks in the mirror and admires his "tight firm buttocks, nice choice of briefs because chicks dig the grey,"and he thinks his stomach is nice and toned. If you really haven't seen this film you have to do so just to appreciate this scene and the rest of Spike's antics. He really is hilarious.
As I've said, this film is one of those films that you can stand around and quote with your friends from work, but it is also a great love story and the final scenes are happy ones. And for all those reasons I say this film is great entertainment and it is worth seeing at least twice.
And don't forget about Spike. If he can start a friendship, think of what he can do to people that just want to laugh.
" It's a vicious circle. "