Hugh Grant + Julia Roberts = Winning romantic comedy

Rating: Null/10 (11 April 2003)

NOTTING HILL (1999) ***1/2 Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant, Rhys Ifans, Richard McCabe, Emma Chambers, Tim McInnerny, Gina McKee, Hugh Bonneville, James Dreyfus, Alec Baldwin (cameo). Winning, chemistry perfect odd coupling of glamorous globe renowned American movie star Roberts (typecast? Not really but a real canny, clever turn on her own persona) and bumbling, charming and flittering nice guy/poor soul English travel bookshoppe owner Grant (affable to a fault) who find themselves star-struck lovers despite all odds. Warm and fuzzy soft-focus feelings at the core but a sharply witty screenplay by Grant's old buddy Roger Michell (`Four Weddings and A Funeral'), super Brit ensemble  particularly the skanky, hysterical Ifans  as the slovenly flatmate of Grant, and nice light touch direction overall make for a great date movie and in general a nice old-fashioned romantic comedy that hits all the marks. My favorite parts are Grant's improvised stint as a journalist on Roberts' hotel press junket and his lonely stroll throughout the seasons seamlessly shot in one long tracking take. (Dir: Richard Curtis)