A very enjoyable romcom with a very big flaw

Rating: 6/10 (5 May 2020)

I'm not big into romcoms but I found this one a lot more entertaining and engaging than the usual. The lead male is a very lovable guy and the lead girl is fascinating and surprises you many times. The film skips a lot of the usual "missed connection" and wooing portion and instead you get to enjoy a strange spark between the characters and a very funny script. The strange supporting characters that fill out a romcom can often be annoying to me, but these ones were also likeable and also have their own surprises along the way.
Unfortunately, the second half of the film is premised on the lead lady's very toxic way of dealing with their relationship. And it seemed like the film was setting itself up for a very interesting end where the lead male, who up until then had been a pushover, would confront the lead lady about what she had done and evolve their relationship. Instead, the film suddenly loses all its unique charm and falls into a very standard scene of the lead male hectically running back to beg for the lead lady's hand once again. Everything the movie had built up suddenly dripped into a pile of syrup that tastes just like Love Actually or, you name it, any other bad romcom.
I also have to say that for a romcom which seemed very self-aware and witty most of the way (except for the disappointing ending), the licensed music was noticeably bad. It really pulled you away from what were supposed to be the most romantic moments.
I enjoyed Notting Hill and definitely recommend it as a more interesting and funny romcom than most, but I lament the ways it was sabotaged from being a great movie.