A Universal Picture, Written by Richard Curtis, Directed by Roger Michell.
In the late 90s/early 00s, Hugh Grant became the face of the British rom-com, and for a long time, the genre then became defined by the posh British guy, living in a charming location and presenting an idealised version of Britain.
While this is frustrating as it gives off more false ideas of what life is actually like in Britain, if you view the film on its own as a piece of a escapism, it’s a really good and charming movie.
The plot is nothing new but the two leads performances and a smart script from Richard Curtis really make it stand out.
Hugh Grant is on top form as ‘charming yet bumbling posh boy’ and makes you genuinely root for his character, and Julia Roberts is at the peak of her movie stardom, with the plot itself being quite meta for her.
She is just as charming as Grant while also adding some real emotional depth which helps the film stand out from the crowd.
This really has become a defining British rom-com, and it deserves that title.
Rating = 3.5/5
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