Notting Hill

Notting Hill - a British Perspective

Over here i.e. in the UK, Notting Hill is famous for one thing, the
largest West Indian carnival in the country. Now, I have to admit, I've
never been there, so I don't know if its portrayal in the film is in
anyway accurate, but..., I didn't notice much in the way of West Indian
residents. Of course being an ignorant Celt from the land of sheep
shaggers who spit at you while they're talking (and Spike is another
nail in the coffin of the Celtic reputation), I'm unfamiliar with many
London customs. It's not often I go "up country" as we like to call it,
or "England way" as my grandmother says, but I can't believe that the
carnival is populated by people who have all bussed in from Chelsea or
some other part of the big smoke...

Oops, silly me, I've neglected to mention the topic (although I believe
it can be inferred), Notting Hill, a film starring that Grant bloke and
Julia. So, what did I think... I liked it.
Grant is still deader than most of the wood that floats past my window
winding it's way from the Severn to the sea on it's inevitable journey
to the ham actors graveyard, but Julia makes up for that (as well she
might).

Clearly a FOUR WEDDINGS film in style and content, replacing a gaggle
of lesser known "serious" actors in 4W&;anF for a parliament of
familiar UK sitcom regulars - you may not know the name, but that face
could ring in the new year. This familiarity leads our writer friends
to take a few liberties with the characters, we already know them and
their baggage, so who cares about the back story, and I have to admit,
I didn't.

With Grant serving up a cold buffet of choice ham and the old jokes
being the best jokes we pretty much get what we pay for, except, every
mans wet dream, the moment he gets to take the famous actress to meet
his friends unexpected - I've had enough people reading my mind this
year without that one being added to the pile. They compound this
fantasy with the ridiculous notion that, once our famous lovely has
left for warmer climes, his friends will rally round and select a
litter of local lasses for his to test run (so to speak). Frankly this
is cloud cuckoo land territory (well the border anyway - possible
violation of fishing rites or invading air space or something), there
is more chance of me bumping into Ms. Roberts myself than my friends
"fixing me up". Then to top it off, he claims to be over her after only
six months - fat chance matey, you wouldn't even be close until at
least a year.

I remember my feeling after FOUR WEDDINGS, I thought "nice film, not
great, I could watch it again". Within that month alone I saw it
another two times (cinema packed to bursting each showing). Today it is
still a nice watchable film, flawed but funny, and generally good for a
laugh. I suspect that NOTTING HILL could easily slot into the same
category without too much trouble.