Notting Hill

viewed March 5, 2000 on video

For full information about this film, click here

I found this particular treatment of the tried-and-true jaded princess meets commoner story implausible for even a Hollywood movie (the series of initial encounters are pretty half-assed as far as meet-cutes go), and the quiet, well-mannered pacing didn't do much to keep things interesting.  Just like in Four Weddings and a Funeral, Hugh Grant's friends were more interesting than him.  Unfortunately they don't take much screen time, leaving us to listen to Hugh and Julia wax melancholy on why it sucks to be rich and famous.  Even I had to agree with my mom that there was too much talking going on.  Twenty minutes into it and she was reading the Sunday coupon ads.  This was right after we watched All's Well That Ends Well for the second time together.  We hardly watch anything once together. 

The self-referentiality of Julia Roberts playing the celebrity in turmoil is at times poignant but often falls into the expected and trite (jerk boyfriend, sappy ending). In deconstructing her on-screen aura, she robs us of the fresh-faced, energetic gal we first marveled at ten years ago.  Goodbye, pretty woman.  Her upcoming turn as the sleazy Erin Brockovitch should be interesting.

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