I’m not going to lie: I love chick flicks! I love Julia and Gwyneth and Renee and Meg. I love them all. What’s better than a chick flick you ask? A chick flick set in England! England is the most romantic and magical country in the world. My friend Becca and I are going to go next summer, and I’m so excited!
I’m also an unabashed Hugh Grant fan. I know a lot of typical guys (blah) will say they think he’s a “queer” and then go watch Vin Diesel objectify some supermodel while he blows up a helicopter while riding a snowmobile or something. News flash, fellas: you may be surprised to find out who the real “queer” is! Hugh Grant is great. He is well-read and classy and, above all, as British as they come. I don’t need to tell you that the Britons are a more cultured people than we illiterate US of A-ers.
For those of you who haven’t seen this movie, it is a nonstop swoon fest. It’s so lovely and charming and easily the most romantic movie I’ve ever seen. And it’s funny, too! Hugh Grant stumbles all over himself when he’s confronted by the glamorous movie star (Julia Roberts essentially playing herself in the movie), and his awkwardness is completely adorable and has me in stitches every time I watch it. (And yes, Chris, I can say a guy is adorable without wanting to “blow him”, geez louise. *rolls eyes*)
The premise of the movie is that Mr. Hugh Grant is the owner of a small bookstore in a little town in England called Notting Hill and he meets a gorgeous movie star who is there shooting a film. If we've learned anything from You've Got Mail, it's that a romantic comedy set in a book store is a recipe for instant greatness!
Oh, there is this one scene where Hugh Grant is trying to climb a fence when they're on a date and he keeps saying "Whoops-a-daisies"! It's so hilarious! Julia Roberts starts laughing I think for real and it's so heartwarming you just want to hug your television. I usually hug a pillow during this part.
Everyone is so great in this movie. Rhys Ifans (SUCH a cool name! I wish my name were Rhys. Or maybe my last name. Blake Rhys. Oh, that's way cool!) plays Hugh Grant's clueless and wacky roommate and eats a bowl of mayonnaise thinking it's yogurt! I was dying! Also the Britons pronounce yogurt as "yoghurt" and it's classy and funny at the same time. Jim Broadbent is in the movie and his wife is in a wheelchair and it's so touching and wonderful because he REALLY LOVES HER. That's the type of husband I would want to be! Except I hope my wife is not in a wheelchair.
The movie's a little long but it's so worth it for Julia Roberts's amazing performance, which I think solidifies this movie as BEST MOVIE EVER. The scene where she professes...oh I can't do it justice, I'll just type out the quote:
"The fame thing isn't really real, you know. Don't forget – I'm also just a girl. Standing in front of a boy. Asking him to love her."
You really can't ask for a more perfect movie moment than that. When I think about proposing to my future wife, I sometimes use that line, but with the words reversed. So emotional!
LOOK HOW HAPPY THEY ARE!
:) :) :) :)