Lots of heart, but not perfect

Rating: 7/10 (7 March 2018)

An entertaining and touching film about relationships by master writer Richard Curtis. In particular, the film explores how regular people relate to big celebrities, poorly for the most part, and the isolation and even alienation which a celebrity might feel as a result.
Julia Roberts is superb, bringing bucketloads of emotion and vulnerability to her portrayal of the movie star, Anna. The supporting cast are wonderful too. Rhys Ifans is so funny and so perfect in his role of William's flatmate, Spike, that he almost steals the show. But the scenes with William's family are the true heart of the movie, full of quirkiness, honesty, tragedy and unconditional love.
And yet, there is something missing. This film doesn't approach perfection, as Four Weddings and Love Actually do. What is wrong? What holds this film back? Is Hugh Grant too reserved in the role of William? Is he in fact playing William, or just being Hugh Grant? I understand why he was cast in that role, but I'm not sure he was the right choice. Are we fully convinced that a big star could be as down-to-earth as Anna? But my main gripe is that the climax and conclusion of the film are too contrived (the press conference at the Savoy) and too rushed. William never properly declares his love for Anna. All he says is "I made a mistake" turning you down, she smiles and says she'll stay indefinitely, then we get visuals of a wedding and sitting together on a park bench with a baby bump. The resolution of their relationship deserved more attention.
I generally prefer British movies over Hollywood ones, but in this case I prefer the book store romance You've Got Mail from the previous year, starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.