Notting Hill

1999

Notting Hill

Critics Consensus

Charming performances provide romance aplenty.

83%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 100

79%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 508,303

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Movie Info

Can a beautiful and internationally famous American actress find happiness with a frumpy British bookstore clerk? She can -- at least for a while, it seems -- in Notting Hill. William Thacker (played by Hugh Grant) is a bookseller at a shop in the Notting Hill district in West London, who shares a house with an eccentric Welsh friend, Spike (Rhys Ifans). One day, William is minding the store when in strolls Anna Scott (Julia Roberts), a lovely and well-known actress from the United States who is in London working on a film. She buys a book from William, and she is polite and charming in the way a famous actress would be with a star-struck sales clerk. Their relationship would logically end there, if William didn't run out a few minutes later to buy some juice. While dashing back to the shop, he bumps into Anna on the street, spilling juice all over her blouse. Since he lives nearby, William politely offers to let her stop by his house to clean up; since William seems harmless enough, Anna agrees. When Anna has to stop back to pick up a bag she left at William's house, they kiss -- just in time for Spike to show up. A romance slowly blooms as his friends and family (not to mention the world at large) wonder out loud what he's doing dating a movie star. Notting Hill reunites Hugh Grant with producer Duncan Kenworthy and screenwriter Richard Curtis, who previously worked together on the international hit Four Weddings And A Funeral. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Cast

Julia Roberts
as Anna Scott
Hugh Grant
as William Thacker
Richard McCabe
as Tony
Rhys Ifans
as Spike
Emma Chambers
as Honey
Hugh Bonneville
as Bernie
James Dreyfus
as Martin
Dylan Moran
as Rufus the Thief
Roger Frost
as Annoying Customer
Tim McInnerny
as Max
Julian Rhind-Tutt
as Time Out Journalist
Gina McKee
as Bella
Lorelei King
as Anna's Publicist
John Shrapnel
as PR Chief
Clarke Peters
as Helix Lead Actor
Alec Baldwin
as Jeff King
Matthew Modine
as Movie-Within-Movie Actor
Arturo Venegas
as Foreign Actor
Yolanda Vazquez
as Interpreter
Mischa Barton
as 10-Year-Old Actress
Henry Goodman
as Ritz Concierge
Sam West
Dorian Lough
as Loud Man at Restaurant
Sanjeev Bhaskar
as Loud Man at Restaurant
Paul Chahidi
as Loud Man at Restaurant
Matthew Whittle
as Loud Man at Restaurant
Melissa Wilson
as Tessa
Emma Bernard
as Keziah
Emily Mortimer
as Perfect Girl
Tony Armatrading
as Security Man
September Buckley
as Third Assistant Director
Philip Mankium
as Harry the Sound Man
Samuel West
as Anna's Co-Star
Dennis Matsuki
as Japanese Business Man
Patrick Barlow
as Savoy Concierge
Andy de la Tour
as Journalist
Maureen Hibbert
as Journalist
Rupert Proctor
as Journalist
David Sternberg
as Journalist
Ann Beach
as William's Mother
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Critic Reviews for Notting Hill

All Critics (100) | Top Critics (30)

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Audience Reviews for Notting Hill

  • Dec 27, 2017
    What a charming movie this is. This film and its pairing of Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant is right up there with the best romantic comedies of any time period, and it feels a bit like 'Roman Holiday'. Roberts turns in a fantastic performance, mixing the regal elements of her character with vulnerability, strength, and playfulness well. She hits all the right notes without overdoing it, keeping the feel of the movie light. Grant delivers perfect British witticisms and one-liners, and is highly lovable. His friends in the film, including his roommate (Rhys Ifans), are all brilliant and add humor and depth. There are also some nice scenes in the London itself. Certainly a target for cynics, but to me, sweet and enchanting.
    Antonius B Super Reviewer
  • Mar 22, 2015
    The weird bits and small quirks Curtis works into the screenplay are enjoyable (as is Julia Robert's performance) but the ever mounting cliches he also insists on drag the whole thing down.
    Alec B Super Reviewer
  • May 27, 2012
    Like I've said in a previous review, all a romantic comedy needs is a tangible chemistry between the two actors and a clever script. "Notting Hill" delivers the goods. It's lacking in many technical standpoints and can get a little too sappy at times, but the characters are so alluring and the script is so witty that it overcomes the choke points of this film. I found myself laughing out loud at the humor and I found myself really caring to see more progression within these characters' relationships. "Notting Hill"'s a great romantic comedy that's sure to please all movie-goers.
    Albert K Super Reviewer
  • Feb 06, 2012
    Movies that start off with a big full camera image of Julia Roberts would usually be automatically starting at a 3 star level but this one increased its numbers because of Hugh Grant. Yes he is a scoundrel and probably has oodles of personal issues but no one plays the everyman like Grant.
    John B Super Reviewer
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