The Best Movie Ever?

Rating: 9/10 (11 June 1999)

Notting Hill is one of those few sequel movies that is actually BETTER than its original. Living in Britain, I remember well the hype that surrounded the launch of Four Weddings (it was labelled "The Rebirth of British Cinema), but this movie was by far and away better. Many films nowadays are labelled "romantic comedies" - but most of the time, they're either not funny or they're not romantic (take "You've Got Mail", for example). Notting Hill was a true romantic comedy - very funny and perfectly romantic, without becoming too corny.
Hugh Grant fits Richard Curtis's script brilliantly - those "uhhs" and "ummms" that litter his speech make the film twice as funny - just listen to that little squeal he gives out before resorting to pretending he's a journalist from House & Hound magazine. Julia Roberts shines marvellously too - a pretty good insight into the life of a movie star. And whoever it is who plays Hugh Grant's flatmate Spike - it was an hilarious performance - my favourite line was, "well chosen pair of briefs, if I must say".
The day after seeing the film, I woke up and actually wanted there to be a real-life saga unfolding in the media about an ordinary man in the street & a movie star - and thats what I now think makes a real film. One where you actually want it to come true. This is real entertainment.