Notting Hill

Name: Notting Hill
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Released: May 28, 1999
Duration: 124 min
Rating: 68
Cast: Hugh Grant, Julia Roberts

1999

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 34 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 123 Ratings

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8.1

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8.1	User Score Universal acclaim based on 123 Ratings

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Notting Hill

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Movie Details & Credits

Universal Pictures | Release Date: May 28, 1999 | PG-13

Starring: Hugh Grant, Julia Roberts

Summary: Anna Scott (Roberts) is the world's most famous movie star. William Thacker (Grant) owns a travel bookstore. When Anna and William's paths unexpectedly cross in the eclectic neighborhood of Notting Hill, romance is the last thing on their minds. This charming romantic comedy proves that love can spring from even the most unlikely ofAnna Scott (Roberts) is the world's most famous movie star. William Thacker (Grant) owns a travel bookstore. When Anna and William's paths unexpectedly cross in the eclectic neighborhood of Notting Hill, romance is the last thing on their minds. This charming romantic comedy proves that love can spring from even the most unlikely of circumstances. (Universal Pictures)… Expand

Director: Roger Michell

Genre(s): Comedy, Romance

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 124 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Jami Bernard

The overall result is a romantic comedy that indulges fantasies, calms insecurities (can an ordinary bloke stack up?), and breaks and mends hearts with surgical precision. Read full review

Lisa Schwarzbaum

Blithe and exhilarating romantic comedy. Read full review

Mr. Showbiz Eleonore Snow

A smart, sometimes pissingly funny romantic comedy that is also oddly unmoving and predictable in spots. Read full review

Rod Dreher

The frothy, feel-good Notting Hill is about as enchanting as movies get these days. Read full review

Lisa Alspector

At once a light comedy and a reasonably serious meditation on the perils of fame. Read full review

Film.com Robert Horton

A piece of fluff that can be enjoyed without guilt.

Stephanie Zacharek

It's an English movie doing its best to masquerade as the shallowest kind of Hollywood romantic comedy, as if somewhere along the way someone had made a calculated supposition that would be the only kind of comedy American audiences would buy. Read full review

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User Reviews

smiyamot

Nov 29, 2015

Boy meets girl; boy loses girl, boy gets girl, boy loses girl, boy wins girl back. Okay, you get the idea. But Julia and Hugh in this movie have that magic that doesn't happen very often. Let's see, Julia and Richard Gere in Pretty Woman. Great pairing so they made Runaway Bride. Nope.Boy meets girl; boy loses girl, boy gets girl, boy loses girl, boy wins girl back. Okay, you get the idea. But Julia and Hugh in this movie have that magic that doesn't happen very often. Let's see, Julia and Richard Gere in Pretty Woman. Great pairing so they made Runaway Bride. Nope. So Hugh is a travel book shop owner and Julia is a big time movie star. What do they have in common? Maybe movies like this result in a 50% divorce rate. Enough of that! It's a great, maybe the best, romantic comedy, The sound track of love songs really add to the movie so see it with a home theater sound system. Yes, when I went to London I did go to Notting Hill to see the locations for the movie. I don't have that many DVDs but this one is in my collection.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

EllisA.

Jan 28, 2009

This movie is suck a feel good movie. You can watch it at all times, it cheers up every moment! It's lovely!

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alejandro970

Dec 10, 2017

Charming and funny story about the close encounter with a star. The chemistry between Hugh Grant and JUlia Roberts works as a clock; even better with the foolproof british humor. Next time visit London, do not forget a walk at Notting Hill.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

drlowdon

Dec 24, 2014

When one of the World's most famous movie stars (played by Julia Roberts) wonders into his book store Will's (Hugh Grant) life is about to change forever.

Hugh Grant has made some pretty terrible movies of late but, while this isn't up in the same league as Four Wedding's and a Funeral,When one of the World's most famous movie stars (played by Julia Roberts) wonders into his book store Will's (Hugh Grant) life is about to change forever.

Hugh Grant has made some pretty terrible movies of late but, while this isn't up in the same league as Four Wedding's and a Funeral, it does prove that he once made some fairly enjoyable feel good romantic comedies. Funny in places and emotional in others suspend your belief for a couple of hours, sit back and enjoy a bit of light hearted entertainment.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Spangle

Oct 13, 2016

Notting Hill is a cute and charming late 1990s romantic comedy about a man, William Thacker (Hugh Grant), who meets a girl, movie star Anna Scott (Julia Roberts). Painfully adorable at times, the film has some oddly audacious camera movement from a film of its type, while also being aNotting Hill is a cute and charming late 1990s romantic comedy about a man, William Thacker (Hugh Grant), who meets a girl, movie star Anna Scott (Julia Roberts). Painfully adorable at times, the film has some oddly audacious camera movement from a film of its type, while also being a terrific comedic romp. However, its romantic elements are spotty and wind up being the main weakness of this film from director Roger Michell.

Comedically, the writing is quintessential Richard Curtis. Sharp and witty, the comedy is not often overt, yet is almost always a winner. The comedy and the delivery from Hugh Grant had me in stitches many a time. This is the type of role where Grant truly shines as an actor, with Notting Hill being a sterling example of his main skillset: charmer with a quick British wit. The comedy here is intensely British from beginning to end, yet it manages to transcend cultural borders with nary a hitch.

The writing does slack in one area, however: the romance. Shockingly enough for a romantic film, the relationship and romance just did not work as well as expected. Though solid, it was far from expectations. Whilst together, the chemistry between Grant and Roberts is undeniable. The writing reflects this with truly magical sequences of them together that will charm the socks right off your feet with its cuteness. Blended with the aforementioned comedy, Notting Hill was on a good path with these scenes. Yet, its haste it smashing its two lovers together, lack of development of Anna Scott's character, and its resolution all leave a sour taste in your mouth. The end result is that the only conclusion about Anna the viewer can come to is that she is a **** Though Will is head-over-heels with her, we can never understand why. Yes, there is incredible chemistry and passion whilst together. Yet, she keeps dropping the ball and gives very little reason as to why he should try to make it work at all with her. This issue could have been avoided by showcasing her side of things more often and not rushing the romance. Instead, the film slams them together and expects it to work. Whilst it works when they are together, separate the two and things fall apart. The romance lacked justification and its emotion was spotty. By the end, you are convinced they should not be together, in spite of what the film should tell you: that they were meant for each other or some other cheesy reason. I am watching a romantic comedy. Give me cheese. Make me smile because something is so cute. This romance lacks that overall cuteness factor.

In spite of this, what won me over here is the camera work. Honestly, with the amount of tracking shots, one must wonder if Brian De Palma snuck on set and filmed some scenes in place of Roger Michell. This film loves its tracking shots, especially of Hugh Grant walking through Notting Hill. Another favorite of mine was him and Anna walking at night. This sequence in particular is the most romantic of the entire film and highlights the film's successes both with camera work (not just because of the tracking shot, the shot itself is quite good) and in crafting a romance. The best part of the scene with the duo walking, however, comes in the park. All of a sudden, a medium shot of them reading a park bench dedicated to a couple turns into a truly unique shot that I cannot say I have seen many times before. It is almost as if the camera is strapped to a balloon that was then allowed to float into the air. The end result is a truly striking aerial shot that really takes your breathe away. A final favorite comes with Hugh Grant walking through Notting Hill. Set solely to music, the camera tracks alongside Grant as seasons and time passes seamlessly. I typically hate when a film jumps ahead in time, but Notting Hill executes it so beautifully with a wide array of colors denoting the different seasons, that I have to mark this up sequence as a stroke of genius. Any film that wants to jump ahead in time should be taking notes from this sequence.

While the film is not as romantic as it could be, tremendous comedic efforts work to overcome the inadequacies of the romance. Plus, a film with this many lovely shots and interesting camera movements cannot be written off too quickly.… Expand

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jessicalauren

Oct 11, 2018

Always a fan of Julia Roberts, but so much of this was unbearably cheesy. Certain plot points. Hugh Grant's roommate. That music.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

AbhikS

Aug 28, 2005

This is a candidate for the worst movie ever made.

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66	#66 Best Movie of 1999
37	#37 Most Discussed Movie of 1999
22	#22 Most Shared Movie of 1999