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Notting Hill (1999)
 
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Directed
by:
Roger
Michell |
COUNTRY
United Kingdom |
GENRE
Romantic comedy |
NORWEGIAN TITLE
Notting Hill |
RUNNING TIME
123 minutes |
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Produced by:
Duncan
Kenworthy |
Written by:
Richard Curtis |
Review
The entire foundation for the romantic
comedy Notting Hill is contrasts. And one of the most glaring of them is
the unlikely romance between Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant, in which the uppity,
glamorous world of Hollywood collides head-on with the grounded,
self-deprecating British middle class. Naturally, the laughs stem from the clash
between these two worlds, but amidst the chaos, the filmmakers manage to spark
some real chemistry between the film's two stars and – believe it or not – some
semblance of authenticity.
That being said, authenticity isn't exactly what this type of film is built on.
This is a story to lose yourself in – made to make you believe the most unlikely
of things could happen. Cinema is meant to be about escapism, and Notting
Hill is the quintessential reminder that 'anything is possible'. It wants
you to believe Julia Roberts could actually be standing on your doorstep
tomorrow morning.
Every rom-com lives or dies with the chemistry between its leads. And the duo of
Grant/Roberts work surprisingly well together. Grant delivers one of his most
charismatic performances yet, nailing that mix of charm and aloofness. His main
feat is bridging the gap between celebrity life (which, let’s face it, he’s part
of) and everyday British life. Roberts, meanwhile, has a handful of sweet,
simple moments where she finds herself in a bit of a tangle. But she also pulls
off some much more challenging scenes – to such a degree that you totally
believe she and Hugh would fall head over heels for each other. And once the
audience starts swooning over its two stars and their romance, the film has done
its job.
Copyright © 15.12.1999 Fredrik Gunerius Fevang
(English version © 19.02.2025 Fredrik Gunerius Fevang)
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