I’ve wanted to watch this movie for a while, purely because it’s so well known. Whenever people talk about romantic comedies there are movies that periodically pop up. I’ve watched almost all of them now and Notting Hill is the latest completion of my classic-rom-coms-to-watch list.

I also wanted to watch it because it’s known for being set in Notting Hill (duh), London, on Portobello road, at least Hugh Grant’s shop is located on Portobello road. I love Notting Hill just for the market so I thought, hmm why not watch the movie that made it even more famous?

There will be spoilers

So what did I think about the movie?

It was boring. The romance was anyway. I just didn’t connect with them or their ‘love’. For one thing she randomly kisses him in his own home… girl what? Up until that moment she showed no signs of liking him. But okay let’s say she has a really good poker face and she did indeed like him. We then go on this adventure where she meets his friends and they break into a private garden and kiss again and it turns out she has a “boyfriend”.

So she was stringing him along?

In fact no, her behaviour was just a cry for help. Girl was suffocated with her celebrity lifestyle and so Hugh offered her an escape. At least that’s what I think.

Then she has the audacity to come back into his life and she comes to his house, they do it, and the next day the press finds out. She gets super mad at him and he’s trying to reason with her but she won’t hear it. It’s not that she has a temper but that she’s clearly not in a good place for a relationship.

I liked that they then moved on with their lives for a bit, although Hugh was heartbroken. Then he finds out she’s in London again and she actually took his advice and her career is taking off. And then there’s the iconic scene where she comes back to his bookshop and asks him out and he says no.

Here’s the thing, I liked that he said no. Their relationship just didn’t leave much to be desired. Although having said that her line about being just a girl wanting love touched even my heart.

But then they go on a ridiculous wild goose chase to find her. Also how did it take the journalists that long to realise Hugh was the guy who opened the door?

I mean yeah it was cute but it wasn’t great. It didn’t touch me that much and to be honest I preferred the scenes where Hugh was with his friends, those were funny and generally drew me into the film.

I find it hard to believe that someone as cute as Hugh had trouble finding a girl or maintaining a relationship. I mean his personality didn’t stink so why?

All in all I give it a three out of five, it wasn’t my cup of tea but it wasn’t awfully made.