Notting Hill is Nothing but Joy

Rating: 10/10 (18 July 2000)

As a "celebrity" of sorts, Notting Hill has a special appeal for me. I was just starting a relationship with a "commoner" when the movie released, and since we lived 2500 miles apart we were each going to see it in our own cities and discuss it later. But in a bid for romance he flew down to take me to the movie and then flew back again that evening. Awww!
I could definitely feel Anna Scott's turmoil in dealing with image and celebrity, and my boyfriend that of William Thacker. The conversation in the morning about Rita Hayworth is a lot more truth than poetry. Do people go to bed with "Brandy Alexandre the porn star" and become disappointed when they discover it's just me? It's a tough task for a commoner to overcome being judged as just another fan and earn the trust of the celebrity. Kudos to those who try. But the instant you hit a bump the celebrity guard goes up, be it Will's "masturbating Welshman" spilling the beans on Anna's whereabouts, or (well, that's personal).
All in all, Notting Hill was a joy to see and fresh enough to see several times. The music was new and unique enough to prompt me to buy the CD, which I rarely ever do. I also bought the video when it came out, which is another rarity. Like all romantic comedies there is a meeting of the minds and a melting of the hearts in this film. I thought I, too, had a happy ending, but as it turns out, real life isn't like Hollywood or the many streets named Kensington in the corner of London known as Notting Hill. But having watched the video for the first time after the fact of my failed attempt at bliss with a commoner, the appeal and message still held up. My faith was once again renewed that I still might one day enjoy the often elusive "happy ending."