Notting Hill

FILM ’99 – “Notting Hill” a personal review Some while ago four people (2 men and 2 women) were involved in an internet discussion on the film. Here is a transcript of the chat. Male1 said: In "Notting Hill," the character played by Julia was NOT a nice woman. She was a self-absorbed bitch who toyed with men's emotions. It was incredulous how a man with any self-respect could take her back after she treated him so shabbily. The real "heroes" of the movie were the family members who portrayed themselves as REAL people. The conflicts and tragedies, and how they were worked out by these people, held my interest. Julia Roberts DID NOT. I thought her smile was so un-sincere. Are we supposed to believe that she could settle down, get pregnant, and lead a normal life? HOG WASH. But, this is just my take on the movie. I'm sure Julia turns on quite a few men, like Lyle Lovett, for example. And look what happened to THAT marriage. I guess I just can't separate Julia from the screen role she portrayed. Female1 said: Notting Hill - I agree that the family members in this movie were very interesting and more REAL. The lady in the wheel chair was a class act, a very good actress. She made us like her. Her husband was very sweet and kind and that wonderful marriage in the movie counter balanced everything else that was going on. I disagree with your take on Julia Roberts' character. To me she seemed vulnerable, abused, defensive, scared and yet brave enough to give love another chance. She was just a girl standing in front of a boy asking him to love her. When she said that, I BELIEVED IT. When he took her back, it does NOT mean that he had no self respect, it means he was a forgiving person. She made a mistake, she asked forgiveness and he gave her another chance. She said that she had had some bad relationships and that one man had even hit her. Is it so hard to understand that she would be defensive? When things ran amuck, isn't it understandable that her defences would go flying up and she would place blame? I'm not saying it's right, just that it is understandable. When people are overly defensive, yes, they do come across rude and aggressive, but if you look past that you see that they are really just scared and trying to survive. She was hurt and scared but when she realised her mistake of blaming him, she tried to correct it. Things like that do not make a person a bitch. Why do you feel she was toying with men's emotions? It seemed to me that she was trying to protect her own heart, but at the same time she was willing to risk it for love. Male1 replied: I find that people tend to colour their opinions of others by their own history. I can understand your analysis of Julia Roberts' role in "Notting Hill." I know that being in the public eye makes it difficult for a person to be open and real all the time. We "common" folk are fortunate to be able to live in relative anonymity, without being put under a microscope. I can feel Julia Roberts' pain as she struggles with making an intimate connection with Hugh Grant's character. There was a lot of information thrown at us during the movie; almost too much for us to make a snap decision about Julia. But, in the end, I personally found it difficult to believe that she could be happy with a simple character such as William. He seemed almost brooding, introverted, and even different from the rest of his family. This is the part that still bothers me. Female2 said: Julia Roberts, in my opinion, is not attractive at all. So, the movie didn't make any sense to me in that vein. Male1 said: I, on the other hand, like to get into people's head and try to understand them as personalities. I guess, in the final analysis, Julia Roberts just didn't GRAB me. Maybe if she were more provocative, it would be different. I was disappointed that they didn't show her nude photos. Maybe, if they had, I could find something to like about Julia. Female1 said: After your comment about William in Notting Hill, I had the urge to argue with you (I mean that in a fun way) about his character too. I didn't have time yesterday or today, but maybe tomorrow. I'm glad you see him a bit differently now. I don't think he was "simple" as you say. Male2 said: When Anna kissed William too soon, it showed a lack of self esteem. She had to throw her body at him because she felt she had nothing else to offer?? Maybe that was part of her character and not just Hollywood's rush to get people into bed. Female1 said: Yes, I thought the character of William was very loving, and perceptive. He could see past the exterior persona that Anna was showing. he was seeing the REAL Anna and he was willing to wait for her. Do you understand why I protested your use of the word "bitch"? I wanted you to view her character with a bit of compassion. thanks! One last comment from me: I also liked the scene in the movie about the changing seasons. It grabbed your attention. You said to yourself "one year has gone by" and that is more fun then if it said on the screen ONE YEAR LATER. Also it gave a real feel of the place - the market, the storekeepers, the people on the sidewalk (did you notice the lady that was pregnant and later was showing off her baby?). It was a great scene. Male2 said: I tend to agree with your analysis on this one more than Male1’s. However Anna came over as being more ‘normal’ than both of you described her. I felt that the film was all about how someone can become so swamped with fame and fortune and all that goes with it that they lose touch with reality. Anna was so surprised by William’s manner, the fact that he did not gush with admiration or enthuse about how wonderful she was, that her first reaction was almost one of being offended. When she got to speak to him a little bit longer, through the incident with the orange juice, she began to enjoy the role of being ‘one of the common folk’. The film used all the characters well to demonstrate the attitudes that she resented. It showed how William’s sister was so overwhelmed that she followed her into the toilet and how the shop assistant praised her for the work in a film that she hadn’t done. This was contrasted with the brother who did not even recognise her. She had seen all this and more. Now William was giving her a taste of normality. Possibly the other attraction was the way he found the etiquette of the situation difficult. She was in control instead of being at the beck and call of the cinema moguls. At last she had discovered what love was – more than just a word said by the director. The interesting touch was when William had finally got over Anna, Anna was beginning to recognise her feelings. To me she was a sad character and certainly not the “bitch” who toyed with men’s affections. My wife saw a lot of similarities to the Princess Diana situation. In general the film’s great strength was in the characters (particularly Spike the flatmate). The nice touches, such as the changing seasons with the pregnant woman and the smoke blowing in the prescription goggles, were enchanting. Did I see two men in drag outside in the street when William was asking if he had made the right decision? The comedy and film style was similar to the (superior) film “Secrets and Lies.” This was a British film (backed by dollars) that probably gave us a little extra in that we are culturally more tuned to pick up on the relationships and attitudes of the characters – we are a little different than you American lot! It goes into my top 40 best films. Female1 said: One of the interesting things to me which I had not mentioned previously was the "perfect" girl. During the year when Anna was gone, William was being matched up with women that his family chose. Everybody agreed that this lady was PERFECT, and yet he was not interested at all. He admitted that she was perfect but she was not perfect FOR HIM. I agree that Anna was seeking normalcy. They were setting up a date when William remembered that it was his sister's birthday. He didn't invite her because it didn't occur to him that she might be interested. Anna herself asked if she could come. Male2 said: One last point about Notting Hill. The actors in it were well known for their TV parts in the UK. William’s sister was played by the actress who starred in “The Vicar of Dibley” which you probably haven’t seen in the USA. Her role was very similar. The same applied to the others. It was easy to get into their screen characters because you knew what they were like. Did you spot that Max was played by ‘Sir Percy of Black Adder’? This movie is one which is viewed differently by the sexes. What do other Hitchhikers think of the movie?

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Meadow Man

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