July 19, 2024
'Notting Hill'
The Ringer's Juliet Litman and Amanda Dobbins are just two girls recording a podcast asking you to listen as they talk about the 1999 rom-com 'Notting Hill' starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts.
Notes
- Juliet estimates she has watched 'Notting Hill' 84-87 times; Amanda estimates above 50. Juliet keeps it downloaded on her phone as a 2:30 AM insomnia movie.
- The original first cut was 3.5 hours long – 90 minutes were cut. Both hosts would pay to see the deleted footage.
- Julia Roberts kept raising Anna Scott's salary in takes – the script said $10 million, she changed it to $15 million, saying 'I'm kind of tired of low-balling.'
- The famous blue door from Richard Curtis's real house was auctioned off after the film, and someone spray-painted 'This is the Hollywood door' on the wall.
- Both Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts were motivated to do the film because of their rocky relationships with the press – Grant after the 1995 scandal, Roberts after years of tabloid coverage.
- Recorded in 2019 as part of the 'Rewatchables 1999' series, then aired on the main feed in 2024.
Categories
Roger Ebert's review
Quote from Rog's review:
“I'm a pushover for this kind of material. I don't care how many times it's been done; if it's done well, it's like a walk on the first warm day of spring.”
Ebert loved the movie.
Most re-watchable scene
- The movie press junket – 'Horse and Hound' magazine impersonation
- The first bookstore scene with Julia Roberts browsing
- The birthday dinner party brownie competition
What aged the best?
- The commentary on celebrity culture and paparazzi/tabloid media
- Hugh Grant's 'gentle hipster' archetype has proliferated since
- The 'I'm just a girl' speech has a life of its own outside the movie
What aged the worst?
- The travel bookstore concept – now obsolete due to Yelp, Airbnb, and online guides
- Alec Baldwin's presence – associations have changed significantly since 1999
- Julia Roberts's wardrobe, especially the flip-flops in the final scene
The most 1999 thing about this movie
- The travel bookstore concept
- Julia Roberts's suits/wardrobe
- 'When You Say Nothing at All' by Ronan Keating on the soundtrack
Casting what-ifs
The movie was essentially built around Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant – Richard Curtis specifically needed Grant for his dialogue style
Best "that guy"
Rhys Ifans as Spike – scuba gear, goggles at the cinema, quintessential 'that guy' performance
Apex Mountain
- Hugh Grant – yes, this is his apex mountain, setting up his early 2000s run of Bridget Jones, About a Boy, Love Actually
- Julia Roberts – no, her apex is Erin Brockovich/Oscar win
- Richard Curtis – discussed, but Love Actually is probably his apex
Picking nits
- William Thacker's finances make no sense – owns a townhouse in Notting Hill, runs a money-losing bookstore
- Hotel security throughout London is absurdly permeable
- Anna Scott appears to have zero family or friends at the wedding
Sequel, prequel, prestige TV or untouchable?
Could work as a 10-episode Netflix show – you want to live in the world of Notting Hill and spend time with the characters
Who won the movie?
Hugh Grant – the most likable and charming he's ever been, launches his best career stretch