A very wonderful romance.

Rating: Null/10 (18 May 1999)

Call me a sensitive sap, but I really enjoyed NOTTING HILL, the new wonderful comedy staring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant. The one thing I enjoyed about the movie is the premise. A struggling travel book-store owner (Grant) falls in love with a world famous superstar/actress (Roberts). During the romance the couple face with many difficulties, tabloids, cruel gossip, and another relationship. The movie takes a nice approach with the Roberts and Grant characters. Roberts is a celebrity who's more concerned with her reputation than her feelings. While Grant is just in love with a girl, a very famous girl in that point. The romanitc dialogue is fantastic, Grant has never done a better job in his carrer. Instead of playing his usual mumbling self, Grant plays a man who is suffering since he's in love with a woman who has much more power and popularity than him. Why I like this movie a lot is because I can relate to the Grant character. I know what it feels like to fall in love with someone who is a million miles away and more famous than you. It is quite painful, and Grant does a wonderful job expressing his pain and suffering. Roberts is good as usual, however, she's pretty much playing herself. A world famous actress who is a first more concerned about her carrer than for her own feelings. The supporting cast is also fun, especially Rhys Ifans, who plays Grant's sex obsessed and filthy roommate (and I mean filthy physically, as well as mentally). Like other recent romance movies such as "YOU'VE GOT MAIL," "CHASING AMY," and "JERRY MAGUIRE" NOTTING HILL is a fun and very pleasant romantic film. And with PHANTOM MENACE coming out a week before it, I'm sure it will draw the people who already seen or don't want to see STAR WARS. But this is a fun movie, I'm not sure if the guys will like it, but I know the ladies will. A delightful fun film! ****1/2 (out of five)