Queen of the Hill
Roberts Brings American Charm to Film

Celebrities hold a strange position in our culture. On one hand they are revered, in a way that was once reserved for royalty. Nevertheless, they are also the objects of terminal gossip and scandalous speculation. But in the new romantic comedy Notting Hill, Julia Roberts plays an actress who visits with a lowly bookshop owner and sparks some interesting magic.

Hugh Grant portrays Will Thacker, an average travel bookshop owner who lives and works in London's Notting Hill district. Though his life is not exciting, he seems content with his small part of the world, satisfied with reading about other places rather than visiting them. Then his world begins to change when the famous actress Anna Scott (Roberts) comes into his store.

Will does not smother Anna with star-struck affection, but treats her like a regular human being. After she leaves, he doesn't even tell his co-worker Martin, but decides to keep it to himself. Later, he literally runs into her again (spilling orange juice on her), and offers to let her clean up in his apartment. His gentle kindness affects her, and the audience knows it is only time before she will enter his life again.

There are a number of wonderfully positive moments in Notting Hill, things I will remember months from now. As a romance, it's quirky. The motivation bringing Anna and Will together seems forced at times, but on the whole it is sweet and inspired. The best moments, however, were those reminding us that celebrities are ordinary people too. While it's difficult to imagine sympathizing with someone making millions of dollars, it is important to understand that they have feelings and emotions just like everyone else.

Despite being set in London, there is relatively little of the city showcased in the settings. Most of the scenes are indoors. The one memorable outdoor scene is a mad car chase through the city. That said, however, the best filmed scene in the movie is a montage of Grant walking through Notting Hill, beginning in the autumn, turning to winter, and ending in the spring. It's an absolutely delightful transition, and beautifully done.

Grant gives a touching performance as Will, both trusting and vulnerable. Not surprisingly, Roberts does a wonderful job playing a famous actress (a real stretch!!). She manages to make her character incredibly real, breaking down stereotypes and forcing the audience to view her as a normal person in an unordinary profession. Even though the film focuses on Grant, it is her performance that makes the story believable.

Rhys Ifans gives a hilarious performance as Will's "flatmate" Spike, a disheveled starving artist who lacks Will's social graces. His absurdity is great comic relief. Additional supporting performances by Tim McInnerny, Gina McKee, Hugh Bonneville, and Emma Chambers round out the delightful cast.

Although Notting Hill has some flaws, it's a charming movie. Aside from being a good date movie, it is a nice break from the mega-hyped films of summer. With Roberts's charm and Grant's silent vulnerability, it has something for men and women.

MY RATING: 8 out of 10.

RATED: PG-13
RUN TIME: 123 min.