TV watcher

Notting Hill

guest review by Kevin Pazyck

October 24, 1999

Storyline: 7 (0=worst, 10=best)
Originality: 7
Acting: 9
Special Effects: N/A
Overall: A (with a curve)(F=worst, A=best)

F orgive my review here. I usually am of the high adrenaline, kill-'em-if-they-are-still-breathing action genre. Be it to my surprise that a friend of mine wanted to go to the discount theatre. How dare they show Episode 1: the Phantom Menace for a $1.50! However, she wanted to see Notting Hill and for that much, there was not much to lose.

The movie started out with William Thacker (Hugh Grant) reciting the story about himself and the town he lives in...well...Notting Hill, England. He is a travel book shop keeper bored with everyday life now that a divorce left a stale taste in his mouth. William has always had an infatuation with an American film star, the impenetrable Anna Potts (Julia Roberts). He always had dreamed of meeting her. But she's an American. He lives in a British hovel of Notting Hill. Not a chance. But then how would the movie ever get off the ground?

A nna comes strolling in the bookshop (hoping to avoid recognition I think) and looks around. William takes a look and then two and can not believe his eyes. He fumbles for conversation trying to win some sort of favor. The movie takes off from there. I don't want to spoil the whole movie for those who haven't seen it. The events that follow are, in real life, not likely to happen. But that's why we see movies, right? As an escape from reality? Otherwise keep the matinee money in your pocket and let life happen outside the theatre. Anyway, they run into each other a couple times by chance and by schedule. They split due to unfortunate circumstances and leaves both of them heartbroken each time. But they find themselves coming back to each other because of the love and kindredship they feel for one another.

The character Anna is a case study of the typical star that despite her fame and fortune wishes for an alternative as soon as she gets to know William. There is one scene where she is adamant about being William's date at his sister's birthday party if that was the only way to see him that night. The family is obviously overwhelmed by the unexpected company and she tries to fit in. And succeeds very well. But she is reminded of who she is soon enough after her American boyfriend and the paparazzi tear her and William apart time and again. But she longs for true love and normality. And eventually wins.

William is the tragic hero who does everything he can to hold himself together throughout the whole ordeal. Two times he gives his hopes up thinking that she can never be truly his. He catches her American boyfriend who arrived unannounced at the hotel where she was staying. Gone. She comes back after paparazzi scam problems. She leaves after the trail of reporters find out she was sleeping over at an "anonymous" bloke's flat (British for apartment). Gone. She comes back for a film shoot and she condescends him (without him realizing it was done to protect her privacy) to another person. He knew that was enough. No more. And it took further convincing from family that he erred when he had turned her down near the end when she tried to apologize and ask for another chance.

T o wrap things up, I left the theatre guilty I only spent under two dollars for admittance. Let me tell you, that is damn hard to say when a movie has no violence or cool computer-generated special effects. The characters were as believable as the script would allow. The sequence of events sometimes seems predictable and sensationalistic. My advice would be to not overanalyze or scrutinize the screenplay. Laugh at Spike (Rhys Ifans), William's flatmate, whose dingbat artist personality keeps the movie going if there is a slow point in the movie. Sympathize with the Thacker family (& friends) who never let you forget how it is to be the common folks of England. Cheer for William when he admits to being a "daft pr*ck" in front of many members of the press while attempting one last time to win Anna's favor. Then return to life as you know it.

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