Review - Notting Hill

Romance movies can become so predictable. They all seem to have the same plot: two people meet and fall madly in love, then either they discover some circumstance that causes them the inability to stay together or one of them dies. Either way, at least one of them is never the same again.

Don't we go to the movies to get away from ourselves? To see things we wish we could see on a daily basis? You know, like dinosaurs or mummies or car chases? So just where do unhappy romances fit in?

That's why the romances with happy endings always prevail. They are always so much better than the sad romances, and sometimes, in a rare stroke of luck, they end up doing better at the box office as well. This is why I love Notting Hill.

Now, I won't actually give away the ending, so rest assured. However, I will quell your fears that this is another tearjerker by saying that the ending is happy. But let's backtrack a bit.

Notting Hill is the story of an ordinary guy named William Thacker (Hugh Grant) who runs a travel bookshop in London's Notting Hill. One day, out of nowhere, movie star Anna Scott (Julia Roberts, in a much better role than that God-awful Isabel in Stepmom) walks into the store and instantly enchants William. Later, Anna suddenly shows up at William's door and they end up sharing an intimate smooch. (No details!) They end up dating, even though Anna already has a boyfriend. Fortunately, he's only a publicity boyfriend. (Was that a collective sigh I just heard?)

Then William's roommate gives it all away, and Anna bolts. She can't take the pressure and leaves. Our hero is downtrodden.

I'll stop explaining here. This is all that the trailer gives away, so it's all I'll give away. But remember: happy endings make the movie world go 'round!

Grade - A

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