Great acting, art direction. Strong script.

Rating: Null/10 (26 April 2000)

Notting Hill is what we might call the epitome of Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts piloted by a strong script and great art direction. Roberts does a great job of staying impartial and using what she knows as the world's best paid actress to put forth a fresh concept of a loveable but headstrong young woman who does not think it weird to fall in love with a common man. Grant plays the fumbling Englishman, who is incredulous that this star would fall in love with him, quite perfectly. We mostly watch the film from his point of view, and since he is a likeable character, it is an enjoyable few hours. The supporting cast makes for one of the best film ensembles ever to be seen. Rhys Ifans plays a flatmate to Will and offers many of the films gags and comic relief, while Tim McInnerny, Gina McKee, Emma Chambers and Hugh Bonneville are supportive friends of Will's. The believability of this group is amazing. The cinematography is fabulous and imaginative, and one particularly involving shot when Will Thacker walks through the Portobello Road Market makes the film worthwhile if you are simply a cinematography buff. Shuna Harwood's costumes are absolutely fitting and add to the film, but are still subtle. Roberts' costumes are beautiful, and Grant makes his oxfords represent the epitome of casualness. The soundtrack is definitely one of the best for a romantic film. Al Green's "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart" sets Will's sorrow without words, and Trevor Jones' original score adds a classic feel to the film. Since the film was filmed primarily on location in Notting Hill in West London, the backgrounds and sites are rich in content, and each part of the film lets us visit Will's neighborhood extensively. All in all the film is worth viewing for its eye candy and superb acting. Definitively five stars.