The Rewatchables - ‘Notting Hill’ With Juliet Litman and Amanda Dobbins

Episode Date: July 19, 2024

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. Producer: Craig Horlbeck Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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1999 series that we recorded in 2019. They have never run on this feed. We've been running them on Thursdays over the course of the summer. This is Notting Hill with Juliet Litman and Amanda Dobbins. I'm Amanda Dobbins. I'm Juliette Litman. And we are just two girls sitting in front of microphones asking you to listen to this podcast. This is Notting Hill.

There's something wrong with this yogurt. It's mayonnaise. There we are then. She rescued him. From a life without magic Oh my God, my flatmate. Hi. Thank you God.

Can he rescue her? Today's been a good day. From a life of success. The fame thing isn't really real. Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant. I wouldn't come outside. Why not? Notting Hill.

Juliet. So excited. We did it. We managed to live our lives to a point where we can talk about Notting Hill for work. I'm so excited. What a great, great movie. I feel like,

professionally, I have been leading to this point in a lot of ways. I just, I don't even know what to say. I just want to share that when I went to go watch this movie again, I watched it from the Stars app, which is one of our faves. Still on there. It's been on there. It starts like a year. Yes.

Anyway, mine restarted at the 49 minute mark and I couldn't remember like at what point I had fallen asleep watching it. Also weird because I bought that movie on iTunes, like have it on my phone like at all times, like just to watch whenever. It's a great 2.30 a.m. movie I can't sleep. Can you estimate the count on the number of times you've watched Notting Hill? I'm going to put it in like the 80s, like 84 to 87 range. How about you? I think I'm probably above 50. I don't know if that's a complete view. It's always interesting when we do rewatchables.

And I do doatively go and start from the beginning. And I'm like, huh, I haven't seen the credits of this movie in a while. One thing we can talk about later in the pod is I love the last scene of this movie. And I feel like I often don't get there to the final press conference. Actually, it's like a really good rom-com ending. I really enjoy it. Yeah, so we're going to do all of the categories that we do on rewatchables, and we'll talk about Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant and rom-coms in general. But first, I wanted to start this with a question for you. Notting Hill, released 20 years ago, 1999, directed by Roger Mitchell, written by Richard Curtis. We were watching this last night.

Is this a top 10 rom-com of all time? I think top five. Top five. I think it's top five. Yeah. It's really remarkable. And it's interesting because in a lot of ways, it's a comment on romantic comedies. and it has some significant deviations from the general script, which we'll talk about.

But I think it's like a tremendous movie and really holds up. Really holds up. I was trying to think of what age of the worst, which again will get to, not that many nominees. It's also really quiet. Like it's one of the reasons it's so good is because it's not like a flashy movie. It's very much mirrors Hugh Grant's personality in this movie. Yes. Well, is it personality, I guess I should say?

Yeah, so let's start with that. So this comes out in 1999, hence the title of this podcast, which it's a really interesting in Julian Roberts' career. We'll get to that. But Hugh Grant, I forgot, this is basically the movie that solidifies Hugh Grant as a thing. A little bit of a comeback movie for him. In between four weddings and a funeral and this, it's a little bit of a wilderness, a little bit of him going on a track.

And then from this movie, he's just like, comedy guy, forgot about his scandals. Let's just keep him moving. Yeah. And like, enjoy him. Exactly. So we should say four weddings and a funeral came out in 1994, also written by Richard Curtis, who has that kind of witty, dry Britishism style that is, I think, a huge part of the success of this movie. And Hugh Grant's like the best at Richard Curtis dialogue, so it's a great fit.

So that comes out in 1994. Everyone's like, oh, wow, Hugh Grant, what a dream boat. And then in 1995, he is very famously arrested on Hollywood Boulevard. And that kind of starts this scandal aspect. I don't know how much time we need to spend on that. I just wanted to mention it before. He's arrested for receiving oral sex from a prostitute on Hollywood Boulevard. Not too far from here.

And it sets up the very, very famous Jay Leno interview, which somehow Hugh Grant still agrees to go out on Jay Leno after this, truly. And Jay Leno famously asks him, so what the hell were you thinking is kind of the first. And he handles it and eventually moves past it. But I do think you're right that Notting Hill is like a major part of making that. happened. Yeah, definitely, because that happened, I think, in 96 or 97, and he doesn't really do anything between 96 to 97. He makes a guest appearance on the nanny, which is one of my favorite episodes in 96, and then he is off the scene until he comes back with Nanny Hill. So it's like a big

return. Exactly. Boy, is it a good one. And him and Julia Roberts at the time in this movie, one of the reasons they both agreed to do it was because of how it's like, they're both kind of coming out of a few rocky years with the press. Yes. And, and And it's very much a commentary on celebrity media and tabloids and paparosity culture. Yeah. So we'll talk about the Julia Roberts at all. We've talked about Julia before on this podcast. You can listen to The Rwatchables My Best Friends Wedding, where we talk about pretty much everything up to 97, which is my best friend's wedding.

And there's a ton of tabloid coverage. There's so much of it. And so my best friend's wedding is 97. And Notting Hill is two years after that. And there's not that much in between. there's conspiracy theory and stepmom, which don't sleep on stepmom. Great movie. Great New York movie.

It is. But so Notting Hill is, it's like post-comeback because she's gone through all of the tabloid coverage and the bad movies. But it is like still close to the comeback and is also commenting on the past decade in real time. And part of her press obligations for this movie was she did a big Vanity Fair profile in the June 99-ish. where she, which begins with her addressing paparazzi and like the tabloys being wrong about her. Yeah. So both Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts were very much in a moment of like kind of taking their narratives back.

It's actually very 2019. It's kind of like that would happen now. And when you were saying that Hugh Grant would never agree to Jay Leno in 2019, right. It's true. Like he would probably like make a statement on his Instagram account. Yeah. Go dark and then do like an as told to for like either a magazine or like something like that.

And like he would never do. neither of them would do the press that they have to. Absolutely not. I mean, we just saw Julia Roberts when she was in Homecoming on Amazon. Like, she only did, like, group stuff and Entertainment Weekly where they often, you know, it's sort of like something that you can work with a magazine. It's like the junket that is featured in Notting Hill, which is interesting about it is how prescient this movie is in terms of media and celebrity press narratives. Or maybe also, like, how much things haven't changed.

Maybe the mediums have changed, but the basic coverage has not. This also just in terms of Julia Roberts' career, she does Notting Hill, and this kind of really is the turning point. After this is Runaway Bride. It's also in 1999. But then the next year is Aaron Brockovich, for which she wins the Oscar, finally. I had forgotten when I was rewatching Notting Hill in there, I had forgotten that she wins the Oscar in the course of the second relationship,

the break after the second relationship. And I was like, oh, is that? I couldn't remember whether it was before or after Aaron Brockovich, and it turns out that it was, like, predictive. Sure. And his age very well. Yeah. And then after that, you've got Oceans 11, and it kind of starts the late period Julia Roberts as a movie star commenting on herself phase. Yeah.

It's like she kind of grows up with this movie. Yeah. And it's a new phase where, for both of them, really, where they just sort of like settle into like not middle age in terms of actual age, but like of their careers, like middle period of both their career. which is prosperous and successful. Yeah. And this movie also becomes like a major text for both of them in terms of how we understand them and their career choices and their personal lives for like the next 20 years. Yeah.

And it's just, it's so good. And it's actually pretty amazing to think about both of them now as like the adults they are and parents they are in 2019 versus who they were and like the baggage they brought with them in 1999. I kind of find it hardening. It's like, oh, people can change. People like you can have a new phase of your life. That's true. That's the generous take. The other take is that like you get old and like people don't really care. Also, by the way, Hugh Grant's personal life has not quieted down. No, it has it. Nor has his Twitter. He is a staunch remain guy. It's a great Twitter follow. That is how I follow Brexit is by a Hugh Grant. And also whenever they're airing tennis in the UK. But also like five years ago, he has several children now. And from two different mothers. And you know, it was like he went back and forth with.

typical Hugh Grant ensuciance. Anyway. Let's just say that one of his daughters is named Shao Shi, and that means happy surprise in Chinese. Okay, there we go. So that's where Hugh Grant's at. And I would say he's like a lot less combative. He's definitely in the I don't give a fuck base. And that's cool. Yes. Good for him. He should. Except for he gives a fuck about Brexit. Yes. Which I commend. About the press and the media, which we'll keep going back to that's such a big part of the movie. Yeah. Before we do the categories, let's just talk about nodding kill briefly. as a romantic comedy.

Okay. We should sort of defend our stances. It's the great, as a great romantic comedy. But it's also interesting time-wise. It comes out in 1999, which is 10 years after when Harry Met Sally. And kind of after a decade of the modern rom-com, boom. A lot of really good romantic comedies in those 10 years. I mean, Pretty Woman, obviously, is 1990, and that introduces Julia Roberts.

So that's an important one. Sleepless in Seattle for weddings and a funeral, which Juliet won't do a rewatchable with me about, but that's okay. It's important to me. And it's important to people who are listening to this. While you were sleeping, your favorite. I'm mentioning one fine day, even though it's not good, just because George Clooney is in it and you love it.

And this is a supportive podcast where we share interests. My best friend's wedding in 97, you've got male in 98, which is the most important one to us, but also the wedding singer, and there's something about Mary. And then in 99, you've got Notting Hill, along with Never Been Kissed, which, I'm skipping also. These are also my personal highlights. There are a lot more. Sure. There's also a lot of the teen movie or romcom genre that we've covered a lot on rewospables too.

Right. Yeah. There's. But so the 90s, at least to you and me, and this is like a, this is a specific interpretation, but they are dominated by Nora Ephron. Because you've got when Harry Met Sally, which kind of ushers in the new rom-com, the modern era. You've got Sleepless in Seattle. You've got, you've got male, which is our personal favorite. And I was thinking, last night. A lot of similarities with Notting Hill. Yeah, totally. I just want to say on the Nor-Effron tip, Yeah. This is my life. Also, I think, a 90s movie with Julie Kavanaer and Samantha Morton. Oh, yeah, you keep trying to get me to watch that. I still have never seen it. Gabby Hoffman, excuse me. Abby Hoffman is a member of the weather

underground. Gabby Hoffman, that's also written by Norathron based on a Meg Woltz or scripts. Like, that's like a, I mean, a novel. That's like part. The 90s were Nora Ephron's time. Yes. I wish I had been older in the 90s, specifically for that reason. Well, but we appreciated it now. Yes, of course. Of course. Anyway, Notting Hill is at the end of this decade and then kind of feels like a response

in a little bit. It is a commentary on movie stars, but it is also a comment on kind of fallen in love via the movies. Sure. You know, Hugh Grant is watching Julia Robert in those movies all of the time and it feels a bit like a response to the Nora Ephron stuff and also ushers in the more celebrity-centric rom-coms that will come in the next decade. Yes. Like the Kate Hudson's of it all.

And the Hugh Grant's, do an extent, because he's in a lot of romantic comedies after this with like two weeks notice, which except for the Trump appearance, I think, is fantastic. Great movie. Although the politics of it are really tough in retrospect. The politics in basically all of the romantic comedies, except for this one. And her affronts. A lot of hers, I think, are also, they stand up to time. But her movies also kind of exist in a vacuum. Yes.

For another conversation. That's true. I mean, also the Sleepless in Seattle, they just don't really know each other. But whatever. Magic. Doesn't matter. Okay. That's true. And we'll talk about that.

So our producer Craig, who watched Notting Hill for the first time last night and loved it. I feel like this is the best review that you've ever given a movie that you watched for the first time for this podcast. Yeah, it's only been 12 hours since I've seen it, and I love it. Okay. Great. He stayed up last night to finish it. But he did point out that in Notting Hill, they also don't spend a lot of time together, which I suppose is a rom-com trope. Sure.

Yeah, you got to have faith. I think for two people who like a lot of alone time, you and I. That's so true. It's like a really great depiction of what the relationship should be. It's like, that's enough time together. Some really important moments, a beautiful park scene, a lovely bath. And then see you later. See you a little bit.

I think that's really true. That's also focused on reading much. Yeah, it's great. It's very literary. It's very literary. But anyway, it's just an interesting moment in romantic comedies. And I think also definitely it was transitional and it influenced a lot to come. Yes, it did.

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Limited time. only. Prices and participation may vary. Prices may be higher for delivery. Category number one, most rewatchable scene. I have one, two, I have eight. Oh my God. Nominees, maybe nine. Oh, my God. Well, I don't know. It's extremely rewatchable. Let's go through them. Okay. Also, I should just say Julianne and I picked our answers separately and we have not consulted on them and we are going to present them to each other and you in real time and that'll be exciting. Your list is far longer than mine. So let's just go through your list and I'll tell you. you when I also have that on mine.

Okay. Sorry that I got excited about doing this movie. I support it. I'm just also a natural hierarchy maker, so it's like usually easy for me to jettison a lot because I basically rank everything I come into contact with. Okay, that's great. Like top one pages I've looked in a day, you know? Yeah, that's true.

Okay. These are chronological throughout the movie. The first bookstore scene when Julia Roberts is browsing and there's the interlude with the book down your trousers guy. Sure. What does it say? That's my signature and above it, it says, Dear Rufus, you belong in jail.

Good one. Do my phone number. Tempting. But no. I mean, that's just fantastic. She signs the book, too. It's amazing. She's like, you should be in jail.

Rufus, you belong in jail. Yeah. And also, like, a good encapsulation because it's Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts kind of circling each other. And there's also just one to two British weirdos being weird and British in real time. Also establishes her as kind of a bitch.

which I love. Yeah, I want to talk about that later. But, okay, we're going to go through the scenes. The movie junket. The movie junket I love. Horse and Hound. Yes, that's on my... Sure.

Hors and Hound is the magazine that Hugh Grant says he works for. Yes. It's fantastic. It's really good stuff. Okay. So, Honey, the sister's birthday party with a special shout out to the brownie scene. Uh-huh. Okay, competing for the brownie.

Yes. All right. But specifically, that's the dinner party scene, right? The birthday? Yeah, yeah, the birthday dinner party. Sorry, I was making sure it wasn't the one at the end where then the weirdo roommate proposes to her and she doesn't even know. Oh, no, that, yeah, no, no, they do have a lot of dinner parties in this movie, which

I really like. Which is one of the reasons why, like, when you're 13 or 15, you think it's a great picture of adulthood? Because that always seemed like a great way to socialize. I was just kind of like I should really have more dinner parties watching this last night. It's really aspirational. They make it look so easy. Totally.

I mean, the dinner party scenes is really amazing. Yeah, and even though they do make it look easy, there's all, there's a, there's, the baked-in joke about how his friend Max is a terrible cook and there's just always something going wrong, which is like real life. It's, you know, it's approachable while still being up. Okay. But the brownie scene, when they're competing for the brownie and everyone's like, here's why I'm a sad sack. And Julia gives her speech. Okay. The next one, so I guess I really like the dinner party montage is because the next one was the dinner parties without Julia where they're trying to find him someone new. Yeah. Emily Mortimer pops up. Emily Mortimer pops up. And then it ends

with, I think this is why I picked it. ends with that nice scene with his friends at home in and they're just talking about their feelings. It's a really supportive friend group. It's really sweet.

Yeah, that's why I thought the friends here are really good. It also contributes to like an overarching theme of the movie which is Notting Hill is a small village, which I've got some notes on. We'll get to that.

But it definitely contributes to it where his intro is like, you know, I live in this little part of the city called Notting Hill and here's my street. Although, you know, it's one I only know the neighborhood of Notting Hill post-moving Notting Hill.

Yes. So to me, I'm just sort of like, this is ridiculous, sort of a stowa house there. But a lot of that is because of the movie. I also have some notes, and I have that for some aging questions. Yeah. Okay. So they're day together.

When she comes back, they're running lines. They eat the ice cream. They talk about the fuzz on Mel Gibson's bottom. Hey, what do you put on your passport? Profession, Mel Gibson's bottom. Actually, Mel does his own ass work. Right. Why wouldn't he?

It's delicious. Well, the ice cream or Mel Gibson's bottom? Both, equally. Which you wouldn't necessarily lick both. Well, this is tart. And fuzz-free. It's a really nice day. It seems like a great.

That's the kind of day, though, that typifies a relationship that won't work out because it's like too much in isolation, you know? You're just like, oh, you guys are having a great... It is a perfect prelude to then the next day when the pop. I have some more thoughts about that. But just like we're, this is a viewing experience. This is positive only right now. As it just like watching it. Okay. Um, obviously that I'm just a girl speech. Yes. As far as the two bookstore speeches go, I prefer the two bookstore scenes. I prefer the first. I love the first one where she's, like, with Lewis. And it is like an establishing of tone and

carries the whole range, but also, you know, that's the most famous scene in the world. So we just have to be responsible. Sometimes it's important to include the obvious things. And then the press conference. Yes. I love the press conference at the end. Okay. Did I forget anything for you? No.

My three were to the dinner party seeing the press conference and the press junket. Okay. I guess I like media. I don't know. I do think that the movie junket is really good. It's funny. And it also moves quickly. And it also shows them in a type of, like, it's a different type of vibe for them that you get in the rest of the movie between Julia and Hugh.

Yes. Because they have to both be kind of more restrained. She might be the most likable in that. seen, in my opinion? Yeah, because she's, and you can also see just like she's turning it on, she's turning it off. You get to see the difference between like famous Anna Scott and private Anna Scott and you kind of understand that character the most in that episode. And they're both clearly just really enjoying the commentary. And it is also like, that's what those are like. That's really, really accurate. Yeah, totally. And Meade Barton pops up. Yeah, that's true.

I mean, I knew that that was part of- Of course. I do. I guess mine is the movie Dunkin, though. I do have a soft spot for the first bookstore scene. Mine's the first bookstore scene. I think it's also, she's just very, her sort of coarseness in it, into the lack of a better word, I really find appealing in a weird way. Yeah. Good one-liners, the book with a bit about the kebab. It's great. Okay. I can go with that. That seems good. That's great. That's great. All right. We agreed. Okay. The next category is what's aged the best. Again, extremely long list here. Do you want to start with yours? Sure. Okay. Number one for me. is Julia Roberts style.

I think that what she's wearing looks great, and she's wearing those vans way before they were cool. Juliet. I'm sorry. This is, no. This is a personal intervention.

Literally, Julia Roberts wearing fucking teal flip-flops in the final scene when she comes to present a priceless painting and declare her love for someone has haunted me for 20 years. It is unacceptable

if you are going somewhere to make an important important speech and make your case to spend the rest of your life with someone, do not wear flip flops. I agree with that. Man, woman, old, young, do not wear flip flops. Flops are for the shower in the beach, basically. But people wear Adidas slides, like, they're like high fashion now.

Okay, that's fine. If you're going to present artwork and beg someone to marry you, a shagal no less. Very few of this. You know, put on some real ass shoes. I still think it's aged well. I think people still dress like that. Why is she wearing bad suits from Express so much? I don't know.

That's a good question. Like all of the time. Like on her day off when she's wearing the beret and a weird suit from Express, and then she changes to some weird, like, two-piece hot topic number. A lot of it is bad tailoring, but a lot of those clothes are back. That doesn't mean that they're good. We're going through a fashion crisis right now, both men and women. They've aged well.

They're back in. That's what I'm saying. You don't like them, but they wouldn't look that out of place. I do not think that they've aged well. I think that they're horrific. This is, I have two things. I'm like, what's aged the worst? And Julia Roberts' wardrobes is one of them.

The flip-flops is a thing that I have to keep myself from tweeting about once every two weeks when I watch this movie because I'm so angry. It's an abomination. Agree or disagree. Okay. Well, this category is going horribly. Particularly the vans. Okay. Whatever.

Like, wearing vans is just. Everyone here is wearing vans now. We have a special 1999 category and that's what that's for. Okay. Fair enough. All right. Keep going with your list. London. London looks wonderful and also quite similar. And also like a great picture of a booming

city that has like many different neighborhoods. I have Notting Hill as a neighborhood, which echoes your point of like we learned about, I learned about Notting Hill from this neighborhood. Do you a photo of yourself in front of the blue door? I don't. I do. It's not even from that long ago. It's from 20, what year are we in? It's from 2017. Is it still there? Yes, it is. Is it the same one? Because I will get to half-ass trivia, but apparently it moves and now it lives like in Surrey or something? It's not sorry. I'll look up where it is. Because yeah, they didn't film it and they didn't film most of the movie in London. But yeah, it's still, the building's still there. All right. Well, that's great. I have not been there. I still do think kind of, it was clearly

like Richard Curtis, who wrote the movie lived there as he was writing in. It's like based on his life and based on all of his friends. So it was clearly like a cool place that I was not quite old enough to know about at the time. Sure. And has then since been so horrified and is kind of, there's like they got the portobello road market and everything. It's like lovely neighborhood. There's an electric house. So house is there.

So there you go. Another one, Hugh Grant's gentle hipster. I just feel like that type of character. I think that Hugh Grant's one of the first ones is sort of like bookish, but and then emotionally unavailable to the host of women who are just passed with the movie very quickly. I just feel like that's an archetype that has really. proliferated since. Yeah, I do feel like he kind of, there is a Hugh Grant archetype now that is really

introduced in four weddings and established in this movie. And it's like, oh, he has a Hugh Grant-ish term. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And it lives on. It starts here, but it's memorialized here. Yes, absolutely.

Okay. And then lastly, the commentary on celebrity culture. Yeah. That's the number one for mine. Yeah. I mean, it is really insightful and, you know, And prescient, like, even though the kind of the structure of celebrity culture, or not the structure, excuse me, but like the sort of the media that comes out of celebrity culture has changed.

Like, it's online now and it's the Daily Mail. It's a little bit different. This is kind of like all of the principles still apply. And Hugh Grant says he took this role because he wanted the mail on Sunday and the Daily Mail to stop printing incorrect stories about him. So I guess that much has not changed. Yeah. There's that scene when she's having a total temper tantrum, and she's like, you don't get this.

Like, this photo will be filed every time I do anything, they will bring it back up, which is, like, oppression. Because, I mean, that was certainly true at the time. And now it's, like, worse with the internet now. Worse than ever. Yeah. Yeah. That was on the top of mind. I think also a corollary to that is, like, Julia Roberts' decision to do this movie has aged tremendously well.

Because in that Vanity Fair story that ran at the time, I think it says that she was kind of like, why would I? do this at first. Yes. She didn't like the script that much. Right. And there are parts of it even that she doesn't really agree with, like the Gildes Beach. But it really cemented her comeback and kind of gives her the credit of being thoughtful about celebrity and her place in it. And kind of gives her some ownership back over her own narrative.

Like, I don't even know if that's intentional or if she feels that way. But to us watching, I think it's very smart. Where would you go now for that kind of profile? I don't know if it's Vanity Fair anymore. I don't think it's a profile. Because if you're Julia Roberts level famous, you don't want to surrender that level of control as someone else to interpret for you.

So you're probably doing a podcast interview. I was going to say Mark Marin maybe. Maybe Bill Simmons podcast. Yeah, there you go. Or if there were, you know, I don't know what the female version is, but something like that. Well, I think Amanda, there isn't a female version. Yeah, that's true. And also, notably, this

piece is written by a man in there. I don't think that's an accident on Joe Roberts's case. And also, we can double back on this in half-assed research, but a lot of the people that they also like threw at her to be opposite her, T. Grant, were like much older and she called Richard Curtis out on that. Or I guess for the Alec Baldwin or not, excuse me, not for a few grand. And also she kept kind of like adding money to how much the character your manna Scott makes. There's a lot of sort of latent sexism that she called out, like,

in the making of this movie. Yeah. So. I agree. All right. I have a few other things that have aged best. Please. Okay. I think the script is really great. There aren't just like the references are not out of date. Totally. Even if they are like, even if no one has a like travel book shop anymore. I have a theory about that. There's not a lot of like technology or sort of like intervention of outside forces or whatever. It is very much like. a series of vignettes and then a series of montages. Yes. And as a result, there's not a lot of kind of like small moments that stick out where there's

like a random cell phone or like a Kindle or whatever. Right. So like without like technology, it's like harder to date the movie. That's true. And it's also more interested in like the small universe of Notting Hill and the people within it. It's character driven. Yes.

Even beyond the Hugh Grant and Joy Roberts characters. And that's easier to keep going. A couple more things. The nudity clause explanation. Yeah. Just generally useful piece of information that I have thought about a lot as I go about my daily movie watching and celebrity watching life. Really good. That's all.

Yeah. I mean, I just still useful. I'm sure they've updated it somewhat in the age of the internet, but just to have a general sense of the legal language around this stuff. Yeah, it's true. I can't think of another movie lays it out like that. Yeah. And then the final speech. Yeah, I mean.

Which is just, you know, we'll talk more about it, but which has a life of its own outside of this movie. Great stuff. What's age the worst? I had two, and one of them was the freaking wardrobe. So I have, you know, I've made my case on that. How do you feel about her hair in this movie? I feel fine about it. It's not worst case. It's interesting because I feel like it's one of her first movies where she has like no body in her hair. And like that's so not the image of pretty woman, Julia Roberts, or Mystic Pizza or Steel Magnolias or Runaway bride. It's like a totally different look. I like it. I like it, but it's just a very different look for her. I think it's believable off-duty as well. And it's like it's not always perfect and sometimes looks a little flat or fried as.

And you also see her in various wigs throughout the movie portions of the movie. So you can just kind of see like the chameleinell aspects. It is a good portrayal of being an actress on her level. An A-lister. I think travel bookstore just, that's just aged horribly. Yeah. Just the concept of it. I mean, a bookstore is alive and well.

But a travel bookstores specifically is problematic because there's so much like online travel guide, Yelp, AiryMB, TripAdvisor. I mean, like, travel books in the same way. Yeah. Like, I would agree. Those are out. It's just, there's no way to defend it. Okay. What story do you think you would have now if this was made in 2019?

Hmm. Is it still a bookstore, do you think? I think maybe he has a bar, pub. Oh, interesting. Although that would be a little bit hard because then he'd also be like in the hospitality line, like his friend. Yeah, I was also going to say just like, like, like, like, he's friend. Yeah, I was also going to say just like lifestyle-wise, he needs a job that allows like for a tremendous amount of free time and running, yeah, probably a coffee shop or like not a

the LA version would be a cactus store, but like what is like a plant store or something? Sure. Yeah. That's funny. A glasses store? I recently went to Saturday in New York City and Soho. Yeah, with the coffee shop. Yeah.

I feel like maybe he could have that kind of like clothing store or like some store meets coffee. shop, whatever. He would have a hybrid. Right. But it would have to be, like, the thing about it being a bookstore is that he is bookish. And I don't know, like we don't have the two, bookish is still bookish in 2019. Oh no. A comic bookstore. No, that's what I was about to say. I was actually going to say that we do not have a 2019 equivalent to British bookish, because it's not a comic bookstore. That brings different associations and different cultures to bear. I mean, 1999 British, British is just perfect. There's no improving upon the form.

Okay. I would agree. Do you, I have one more, what's age is the worst. Do you have any? Alec Baldwin being in this movie. Oh, uncredited, in fact. In some ways, it makes a lot of sense. He's totally an asshole boyfriend.

I was thinking about putting it in what's aged the best and the worst because, like, this has come to bear for sure. But it's like, you know, it's like I didn't want to see Alec Baldwin. in a star is born, and I, like, don't really need to see Alec Baldwin in this movie. I just, I don't need it. I was like, is he in a stars born? Yeah, he hosts at SML. Oh, right. And introduces her. I forgot about that. And it's just like two seconds. And you're just like, why is Alec Baldwin here? And I kind of, like, he works in this movie because you are bringing associations that are real. And I guess in 1999 you were as well. But I think you're bringing different associations now than you were 20 years ago. I think it's funny that he's like the slick American. That's like,

Because now I think he'd be more like the ugly American. So that's a good point. Right. Like the concept of the Baldwin brothers has not really aged well. Especially the most famous Baldwin now is probably Haley. Unfortunately. No, that's true. That's true.

Unfortunate truth. All right. The 1999 Award, this is our special category. A few contenders. So one of mine, I'll just get out of the way, was travel bookstore. Yeah. I just think that is like that is not something that would exist anymore. The lonely planet heyday.

Yeah. There we go. All right. name of the Harvard. Oh, let's go. The Harvard had like their own travel. Oh, that's right. I forgot about that. Travel guide line. Which is so obnoxious. Wait, the other one I have is Julia Roberts suits. So I'm just really mad. I was going to say the jacket she wears to the dinner scene is really bad in very 1999 to me. They all are. She's just wearing bad clothes from Express. I like it. Why wasn't the wardrobe budget hire on this movie? That's a good question. Maybe they thought she was

a bad dresser off or like. I mean, actresses often are. This is kind of pre-stylist. So in a way, that makes sense, but also fam now. I'm going to say the one you say nothing at all song that is on the soundtrack and plays when they're in the garden scene that I just feel like to me

that's like super 1999. That is right, 1999. And then there was like several covers of that song that you might know. The one that was in Notting Hill is by what's his name? Bronin Keating.

And then there's the Allison Krauss version. Yes, that one's very famous. Then there's another one by a guy. Like there's just a lot of versions of that song and I think it all started because of Notting Hill. Definitely did.

That's why I know all the words and was melting them at the top of my lungs in my house last night. Yeah. And then there's just a lot of versions of it. And like at the time, I thought it was like a really sweet song and now I think it's really bad. Yeah. Anything else in most 1999? Just the concept of recifens. I just feel like as an actor, he's super 99 to me as well.

And then he just played the same role over and over and over again after this. That seems right. Yeah. Yeah. What else do you have? That was it. I'm just like I'm so really bad about J. H. Roberts's wardrobe. I'll never get over this. The freaking flip-flops. The flip-flops are really

bad, you're right. Okay. All right. That's fine. Maybe she was getting a pedicure. Okay. Casting what-ifs. Very few. Yeah. So basically, they were not going to make this movie without Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant. Yeah, which is kind of cool. I think the Julia Roberts of it all makes a tremendous amount of sense just because she was the biggest movie star at this point and her life had been complicated by the tabloids at great length. So if you want the meta-commentary, there's really only Julia Roberts. Yes. It seems like, and then for the friends, there aren't even that many rumors out there, partially because none of these people were that famous at the time. Yeah. Like Hugh Bonneville now is famous because he was Lord Grantham. But...

Very true. You know, at the time in the U.S., these people were not famous. Yeah. The Hugh Grant, you could see where maybe they would try someone else, but at the same time, Richard Curtis says, and I agree with this, that, like, Hugh Grant is the best Richard Curtis performer. Totally. And he really does make the rhythms of this whole movie work. So in the same sense that you, like, you need Julia Roberts for the meta part. You need Hugh Grant to kind of interpret the script and bring all the charm to life.

And then you've got to cast their friends to match with Hugh Grant. Right. It kind of goes from there. It all revolves around him. Yeah. Do you think there will be a Hugh Grant cameo in yesterday, the movie coming out from Richard Curtis? directed by Danny Boyle about if the Beatles didn't exist?

I don't think so for two reasons. Number one, I think they have to spend all of their cameo money and energy. No, Juliette. On the freaking Beatles. On the people who are literally inspiring that. Classic Juliet. I feel like he's probably really expensive, too. I'm sure he is, but I think it's probably in Ed Sharon's interest and to appear in this movie.

Also, if he's appearing in Bridget Jones, well, also, remember, he was in the The Third Bridget Jones. Maybe he just likes it a cameo. I think that's true. But anyway, maybe they had to spend a little time on Ed Shear and... It didn't even occur to me that Beatles would be in this movie. Okay. Well, there are two of them still alive.

I know. For rights reasons and credibility, you probably want to have them show up at some point. Fair enough. And also, I don't think... Hugh Grant has talked a lot about how the great joke in all of these movies is that everyone thinks he's like his characters and Richard Curtis. cast him because he's nothing like them and he's like not a bumbling guy who can't get a woman, which like we know Hugh.

On that note, of course he was with Elizabeth Hurley for 15 years. Two years after they broke up, she had a child. And he is that child's godfather. I think that's beautiful. They're still friends. Yeah, I think that's great. It's lovely. Right.

Unexpected. But also, I mean, yeah, if you read anything about his personal life, you know he is not like the Will Thacker's out there. Right. And he just doesn't, he seems like he has a real sense of humor. Yeah. Again, I just really recommend him as a Twitter follow. And a huge sense of self.

Yeah, but I don't think that it's like a joky, I'd love to like be in yesterday playing myself type of way. That's true. Okay. All right. Next. Moving on. Dion Waiter's Award.

Deon Waiters Award. Which is for making the most with the least. Yes. Yeah. I'm going with Emma Chambers, his sister. Interesting. Okay. That could be a forgettable role, but she's like quirky and weird.

I think she's good. She is. I've got a couple. Okay. Martin, James Dreyfuss. Yes, very good. Who's the assistant in the bookstore. And the bit with when he comes in the end and it's just like I really loved ghost.

Yes. And she was like, that wasn't me. I've always wondered what, um, what Patrick Swayze is like in, in real life. I can't say that I know Patrick called that well. But he wasn't that friendly during filming. Well, I'm sure he was friendly to Demi Moore who acted with. him in Ghost. Oh, right.

Sorry. Always been a bit of an ass. That's a really good scene. And also speaking of the Beatles, the whole thing when he's like, I saw Ringo Star once, but it was from a long way away and it probably wasn't him. Like, not a classic anecdote. You know, it's pretty good. So he's good.

I think that the married couple, Max and Bella, who are played by Tim McInerney and Gina McKee, they're very good. They, like, instantly have a believable relationship. it's like not the typical best friend in a rom-com thing where they're just kind of being over the top and are there to serve the interest. They kind of have their own story. Yeah, they're very sweet.

And you believe in their relationship with William very easily. Yeah. They're good. Man was I excited to see her in Bodyguard? Like just so excited. Yeah. And then Recyphins is... Yeah.

He does a lot. This scuba bit is pretty funny. It's really funny. Also, when he's wearing the... the goggles at the movie theater when they go to see her movies. That's really funny too. Sets it up well. Yeah.

He's really, I mean, he's very charming and also like super memorable. Okay. Yeah. You're staying with honey? I'm staying with honey. I'm going to go with Martin. Okay. I just laugh every single time.

It's really funny. He adds a beat to those scenes that is very much needed. And he brings the bookstore stuff to life. Yeah. He's also like the comedic relief in those moments. Yeah. Great stuff. Okay.

Do you want to do, you wanted to add a special best internet research? You wanted to add a special best cameo. Oh, yeah. Which I kind of feel is sort of like the Dion Wader's Awards. So let's do it there. You had your nominees. Would you like to present them? Sure. Emily Mortimer.

Yes. As a date that doesn't work out. But she's very nice. Alec Baldwin is the American boyfriend. Misha Barton is a co-star in the space movie. And I think those are my three. Yeah. There are three extremely recognizable people who maybe weren't.

Misha and Emily Mortimer, it's pretty early in their careers. Super early. Misha Barton is literally 12. Who is your winner? Or do you want me to pick? Well, I mean, I know your winner is Misha Barton. No, it's kind of Alec Baldwin. I think in that one scene, he really makes a big impact. He's such a dick when he's ordering from him.

Yeah. He's such an asshole. And the part about the big fat girlfriend and don't order too much. Yeah. It's very gross. Yeah, I'm going with Alec Baldwin. I was going to go with Emily Mortimer just because I would like to... I have a lot of nitpicks, even though I love this movie.

So I'll just get this one on the way now. Why doesn't Q Grant's character go? on a date with Emily Mortimer. I don't know. Just give it one shot. They basically do, and he's like, she's perfect. She seems really charming. I know. Just date your way out of it, man. It's implausible. He should go out of a day with her. It totally doesn't make sense. Yeah. Okay. Okay. So as a result, she's my best cameo. Okay. Okay. Okay. Uh, half-ass internet research. Yes. There's a lot of this. There's a lot. There's a lot. Do you want to, should we just go back and forth sharing our interesting, interesting notes? Or I can just read them to you. Okay.

here's one. As you kind of alluded to this, but there is a scene when Hugh Bonneville meets Julia Roberts at the birthday party. And he doesn't know who she is. And he's talking about how he's a stockbroker. And he's asking how much she makes as an actor. So the script says 10 million. And then in future takes, she changed it to 12 million. And the third take, she said 15 million. Hugh Bonneville later asked Roberts why she kept changing the figure. She replied, I'm kind of tired of lowballing. That's pretty good. It's really good. I have no idea whether it's true, but I believe it of Julia Roberts. And it makes me laugh. All the stories from the set of this movie sound like she was like taking the reins. She's like, it's my time. And that encapsulates it really well.

Yeah. In the vanity fair piece, they talked about how just nervous everyone was about Julia at all times, which I can't. They allude to all of the reports from like the early to mid-90s when she was like, quote, difficult on set. And she talks about it and addresses it and says, like, she doesn't really think it's fair. And then they spent a lot of time talking about how her room. one was nervous. And in the Vanley Fair piece, they see it as like, she's such a big deal and she's so intimidating. It's Julia. And I couldn't tell how much of that was that they were nervous because she's intimidating and how much they were nervous because she is abrupt. Yeah. One of the,

also in that the Vanity Fair article is just a font of information. Yeah. It also says that Hugh Grant was nervous around her, so his voice would rise inactive, which I don't believe, but okay, fine. It's a vanity fair, so it might be true. Yeah. 15 million is also allegedly. what she was paid for Notting Hill. So that's a lot for 1999. It is. That would be a lot in any year, but particularly that one. I think it would be like a lot, a lot now. Like 25 now? Well, I don't know. Points on the back end. I think it's points on the back end. I don't know if moviesters are getting $25 million to make romantic comedies anymore. No, they're definitely not. That's the thing about this movie is it also would obviously never be made now. Yeah. Well, maybe it would, but it wouldn't

be put in studios. It'd be on Netflix. Yeah, exactly. I would love it Richard Curtis' streaming economy. great. Let's do it. I agree with you. That would be fantastic. Okay. Here's some more trivia. The House with Blue Door where William lives is real, as Juliet said. It once belonged to Notting Hill screenwriter Richard Curtis. Okay, but here's the follow-up. This is what I was talking about. The House with a Blue Door used in the movie was sold the year following the release of the movie. The original Blue Door was removed and auctioned. The replacement door was painted black so that no one would recognize it. Soon, however, someone later spray painted on the wall next to door. This is the The Hollywood Door.

Oh, wow. So I think that that's what happened. It's been on a journey. That's the picture that I have. Okay. I'll show you after this podcast. Yeah, but you're there. Can we share it with people on the internet?

But you're there. And I think that that counts. At a great time. Okay. And apparently the original Blue Door is now on a property in Hope Cove, Devon. Oh, lovely. With a view of the ocean, I hope. It deserves it.

Yeah. How nice. All right. Here's another one. The final cut was three and a half hours long, 90 minutes. I don't believe this. Me neither. What is three and a half hours?

What could they have done? Maybe they spent more time together or maybe I don't know. Because I don't feel like much is missing from this movie. Like there's not a lot where I'm like, God, we really need more of this. I agree. It's a great life. So would you, I would love to see three and a half, like release the 90 minutes. Release the tapes.

How much would you pay for it? A lot. I would too. Like $60 maybe. Oh, wow. Okay. I was going to say 20. Like I would pay the price of owning a movie digitally to just own the extras of this.

I would pay a lot, yeah. I'm curious. Give me more, yes. According to Richard Curtis, Anna Scott was a hybrid of Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn. Interesting. Okay. Which maybe explains the one thing I find interesting about the Julia Roberts' performances. She really is cut off and removed and, like, distant and is not at all personable in a way that we don't associate with Julie Roberts.

and obviously that's trying to connect, you know, create the idea of you're a celebrity and you have to deal with people all of the time and you just want privacy and you're kind of above earthly human pursuits. But there are aspects of Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly and those sort of more distant Hollywood stars in it, I guess. Yeah, definitely. It is a really different portrayal of like a famous woman. Like she's also like she's vulnerable and she's put in a vulnerable position, but she's not. like needy or clingy or whatever. She very much has the power in their relationship and I think that's like kind of uncommon

and particularly in rom-coms. Definitely in rom-coms. This is one of the only I think Hugh Grant is the protagonist of this movie. Oh, definitely. And you don't get that many romantic comedies where the guy is the protagonist

solely. Sometimes you get a duke, like I even duo, that's the Nora Ephron movies. And a lot of times you get it being focused on a woman who works in publishing and has to learn to love herself, right? But you don't get that many. And they really are just kind of the Hugh Grant movies. I know. I can't think of another one off the top of my head. Four weddings and a funeral. Yeah. Yeah. Right. But you hate it. I just don't have the same emotional

connection to it. Thank you for indulging all of my grievances in this one. All right, anything else. We mentioned the thing where Hugh Grant's voice goes up when he's really nervous. So bizarre. Yeah. And oh, I wanted to talk about the person who wrote the Istam. book. Oh, sure. He teaches in Istanbul. It is the author of nine books in the city in real life. So he has actually been to Turkey. Oh my goodness. As they say in the movie. Great. Okay. That's great

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Apex Mountain. Hugh Grant, I'm going for it. This is his Apex Mountain. He's so good in this movie. This is how I want to remember him. It doesn't get better. This is his apex. I think that's totally true.

Yes, thank you. Because it makes a lot of money. It sets up the rest of his early 2000, which is when he cements itself as a rom-com star, but none of them are as good as this one. Yeah. He looks quite handsome. He's gotten past the scandal of his life, part one.

God, what a three-year stretch he had, or four years. So he goes, so he's in Notting Hill in 99. Then he is in Small Time Crux in 2000. Bridget Jones's Diary 2001. About a Boy, 2002, which I've seen more than Notting Hill. Two weeks notice in 2002 as well. Hold on. How have you seen About a Boy more than Notting Hill?

I love it. Absolutely love it. I don't dislike it. I enjoy it. Still, how have you seen a bad boy more times than that? It's been in my insomnia rotation for longer. Okay. But isn't that like kind of depressing when you can't sleep?

I love it. I just think it's such a sweet movie. The only problem with it is when Nicholas Holt's character is just ringing the doorbell and he won't stop for a long time. It's really loud in the middle of the night. That's the only problem with it. I guess you do like romantic comedies that involve music. Yeah, I just think it's like really sweet

and I love Rachel Weiss. Like, I don't know. I love that movie. I do love Rachel. It's so good. And then, I mean, I love two weeks on us, too. So for three years, beginning with Notting Hill, he just like, and then Love Actuals in 2003. Yeah. What a great time for him. Yes. Amazing. Okay. I agree with you. Apex Mountain for Hugh Great. Yes. Julie Roberts. I don't think so. I don't think so either. I think that she is better in my best friend's wedding, though I prefer this movie. I would agree with that. And I think my best friend's wedding sets up everything that happens. next. And it's also kind of like she did it. She made it back. She beat, you know, the Hollywood system and all of the angry people. I agree with you. Okay. Richard Curtis. Um, I think this is the apex. You do? I, so after this, he makes Bridget Jones's diary. Right. Which is extremely important to me. One of the top five most important films.

It's tough. I mean, it's a great, right movie. And I think uses like Hugh Grant in a great way. You guys Colin Firth, you get Renee. And then, you know, he makes Love Actually, which I think, and also directs Love Actually. And it's not my favorite of his films, but is probably the most successful. Yeah. I'm not in The Love Actually Hive, but it's a good movie. I just think it's really overrated. And I think that's because men like it and they've co-opted the narrative. Men like Love Actually. Yes. I, okay. I believe you. I think men like a lot of these movies. I think they particularly like Love Actually. I don't know why. but they just do.

I guess because it features a lot of men in positions of power taking advantage of the one of your work for them. Probably. And also, like, it just doesn't have the emotional depth of a lot of these other movies. It's very sweet, but in some ways it's unearned, in my opinion. Yeah. But it also does introduce the, it doesn't introduce, but, like, it makes the ensemble thing a major thing.

Again, I'm not fed into, except for he's not that into you, which I love. It made a lot of money, and I think Siments his career. So I would agree, even though it's not my personal apex, that love actors. actually is probably Richard Curtis's. What a great career he's had as a writer. Yeah, I'm very excited for yesterday. Me too. I can't wait. Is there anyone else here that you want to do from an Apex Mountain perspective?

I mean, it's probably Recyphins too, but he's not big enough to qualify. All right. Then that's a natural transition into the Joey Pants Award, which is the one for that guy. Right. I mean, also, Recyphins. I was like, to me, this has to be Recyphins. We could rename it to the Recyphins Award. Yeah, that's very true.

I think really you could kind of do Hugh Bonneville, but then he became early great. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. It is true that everyone else, all of their friends in this movie have become like the Notting Hill friend to me and everything else that they do. Yeah, particularly Gina McKee when I saw her in Bodyguard. I was like, oh my God, that's a Will's friend. Yeah. Yeah.

Okay. The next Saul Rubenick Award for overacting. Hmm. I don't know. Is there an obvious choice here? Maybe Alec Baldwin? I don't know. I was honestly, like, honey skirts the line.

Sometimes it's a bit much, but she's also supposed to be that way. So it's not really overacting. It's like overriding. Yeah. You are the most beautiful woman in the world. And more importantly, I genuinely believe, and I believe for some time now, that we could be best friends. So what do you think?

Oh. Lucky me. I don't really understand how they are siblings. I know. They spend no time together. They aren't similar in any way. They don't look like. Right.

That's true. When his mom's calling in the climactic scene, it's just like, you know, honey could handle this also. Why is like you being, why are you responsible for the foot? Although he is the responsible siblings, so I get it. But I'm just like, this is important. That's really the only one. This is a pretty understated movie.

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Absolutely. Okay. The only scene where that's not true, is when she's filming. And it's... The Henry James?

Yeah, the Henry James movie. And she's, like, talking about how he's no one. And she's kind of, like, overplaying it. But I think that's intentional. I mean, as we were talking about this, it was, like, the only real dramatic scene is her just having a total temper tantrum. Yeah. But she's good at that.

It's all, like, frighteningly realistic, to be quite honest. Sure. When the paparazzi photos happen. Yeah. Okay. Picking Nits. I love this movie more than life itself and I still have some. Oh, there's plenty.

Okay. Here's my number one. We can go back. in for. Hotel security throughout London. Yes. Very poor. Very, very poor.

Particularly getting up to the junket, I think. Oh, no. And then also be able to call her and just go to her room. Right. So, like, this was a thing, especially in the 90s when people like still called hotels. Yeah. I mean, that's a 90s thing, actually. Totally.

That's most 99 is like calling the front desk of a hotel. But people, I think celebrities would use fake names. Yes. But number one, that he's just able to just keep guessing Disney characters. And they're like, sure, right. And then he can go through. He gives private information about where the press conference is. I guess it's not private.

It's a public event. But still. And then also the next one, he just basically sails through to the press conference. They do have to do a thing about a blockbuster card that's pretty funny. But I just, it seems far more permeable than it should. I totally agree with you. Okay. Some more at the end at the press conference.

How do they know how to call him now? on him at all. There's so many people in there. He's all the way in the back. I do think it helps that he's wearing a pink shirt. It's like one. I like the pink shirt on him. I think a few grants, like very classic Oxford buttoned down wardrobe throughout this movie is a nice choice character-wise. But then he at the end is like the only one wearing pink and he says the guy in the pink shirt. It's a good strategy. Okay. All right. Fair enough. Okay. William Packers finances. Yes. Let's talk about it. And also his divorce. I mean, that's a severed one.

It's like, why are multiple women dumping Q Grant? Yeah, why is this guy divorced at all? He was cheated on, in fact. Right. For someone who looks like Harrison Ford, which I get, it is a different vibe. And some women are going to go for that. But he's like, he is divorced and he also his friend dumps him for Max. Yes.

Bella dumps him for Max. Which I just like, this is hard for me to believe. I agree with you. They do their best to establish him. Maybe he's boring, too nervous, too tentative. Maybe he's distant. Maybe he's not super emotionally available. Sure. Protecting himself all the time. Right. I mean, it's like he won't go on a day with Emily Mortimer. He's just sitting there kind of like judging everyone and fumbling. So possibly it's hard to invest long term, but this strange belief for me personally.

I agree with you. Okay, but I want to talk about his finances. Okay. So he's divorced, but he still has a house in Notting Hill, like a full ass house. But he's had to take on a lodger for the money or for the company? I think probably for the money, but still think about how much that's worth in a historic part of London. A lot. Plus, he runs a travel bookstore. Well, at the time, perhaps it was lucrative. No, they talk about how it loses 300 pounds after a major sales push in the movie.

The evidence is there. There's no way to explain it. It's an unanswerable question. How does he have money? Okay. I think he doesn't. It is answerable and it's just incorrect. Well, what about the friend whose restaurant was out of business? What's he doing for money? Well, he quit his job and it's all the money that he ever earned. I mean, they all also, the Hugh Bonneville, the stockbroker gets fired. Right. Everyone's a little down their luck. Yeah. I mean, my next thing was just like the real estate questions in general. Their homes are so nice. Lovely houses. And, you know, this is a trope. But they're living in London, which is extremely expensive. Especially then. One of the most expensive places.

to live. Right. And no one is like deeply employed. No. That I can tell. No one. Okay. Why are multiple women dumping Hugh Grant? We talked about that. One more. Answering the front door in your underwear. Yeah. Just don't do that. I just, especially Hugh Grant's character is not going to do that. In the middle of the day, in like boxer briefs. Yeah. That's just not how it's been established. She has a sport coat that goes with him everywhere he goes. Everywhere he goes. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. It doesn't make sense. Also for her, she didn't need to contact anyone at any point in the time that she was with him. She's just like off the grid. Well, until it goes wrong and she immediately calls her publicist. By the way, this one publicist stays employed through a lot of screw-offs. I know, how does she still

have a job? That's kind of what I, when she's at the Henry James set, I'm like, you're still here? This is really happening. But yeah, she does call him and she was like, my plan was not a brilliant plan. So it's like she had almost told her, like, I will be off the grid. contact me. This does lead to one of my unanswerable questions, though. Let's hear it. Which is just, does Anna Scott have any family or friends? No. It seems not. Because they show the wedding and there's like not a single person. She's not contacting anybody. Which I thought a lot about that People Magazine article that we talked about on the My Best Friend's Wedding podcast, which was the wedding that she called off to Kiefer Sutherland was going to be held on a studio lot. And like her

agent was going to be her bridesmaid. She, Julia Roberts, did not have a lot of friends. Yeah. Do you have any other unanswerable questions while we're doing it? I don't. I don't know. The universe is so contained. It's sort of like if you extrapolate, surely there's like a lot of things to ask. I'm like, yeah, I'm good. It's fine. I have one more thing that's under, it's like picking nits slash unansweral questions. I just want to reiterate before I talk about this. I really love this movie and I think it's a success. And I find it very emotional. And I just, want to have a dialogue. Okay.

You know. Do Joy Roberts and Hugh Grant have any chemistry? That's a great question. Because I was seeing, when I watched it and I was like, oh, it's the sex scene. I can go to the bathroom right now, which is like, you know, a little bit that is that in a rom-com, this sex scene often doesn't happen, actually. I think he's really, in my opinion, only had chemistry with Sandra Bullock and his movies. I think that's true.

They have a good friend vibe. when they're running lines together and, like, hanging out, like, it seems like a fun day. But sexual chemistry, no. I agree that there's not a lot of sexual chemistry. And I think they seem to be good friends. There's real affection in the morning after. They're very comfortable. Yeah.

But it's not... Not sexy. Yeah, that part is, like, slightly weird. My bar has been lowered so far close to the ground by John Snow and DeNus Targaryen who literally have negative sexual chemistry. I'm like, yeah, they're fine, because everything's better than that. Yeah, and I think also it doesn't totally matter in the context of this movie because it is about kind of like hero worship and falling in love with someone from afar and celebrity and movie and kind of things that aren't like the fits and starts of a relationship. Yeah, and aren't really about like the intimacy which is established after the fact.

So they are almost in parallel tracks for a lot of the movie and it's not it's not about sexual chemistry. It's about all the other aspects. Sure. But yeah, I don't know. That's okay. I think it's a valid question. But like that's kind of true in a lot of rom-coms, I find. As I was thinking about it, I was like, who has great sexual chemistry in the-

In a lot of rom-coms don't have sex in them, too, which sort of like skirts the issue. Right. But there is, like, aside from just throw down sexual chemistry, they're just like is a, you know, a buzz that two people have and you think that it's going to go well. And, like, Nora Ephron movies are basically asexual, but Tom Hanks and Brian have chemistry. Agreed. And Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, like, definitely have sexual chemistry. It's kind of the main thing for a while. Oh, yeah.

Right. So it's just interesting. I don't really think it matters in the context of this movie. I don't find him particularly sexual in general. That's part of it for me. He's definitely not playing that in this movie. Like I said, he's wearing, like, Oxford's and Sport Coats and is just kind of like I have a bookstore. And great glasses.

Yeah, that's true. And scuba goggles when he doesn't have the glasses. Okay. I feel like we acknowledged the question, but in a respectful way. Absolutely. Okay. Thanks for- We still support this movie. Thanks for going through that with me. Of course. All right, best quote. Okay. So I wrote down some other quotes and then I deleted them because I was like, this is useless. Can we just play the clip? I live in Notting Hill. You live in Beverly Hills. Everyone in the world knows who you are. My mother has trouble to remember. my name. Fine. The same thing isn't really real, you know.

And don't forget. I'm also just a girl standing in front of a boy asking him to love her. I mean, it's the defining rom-com speech in my mind. It really is. The only thing close to it, in my opinion, is Billy Crystal at the end of when Harry and Matt Sally, when he's like, when you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want to start as soon as possible. Yeah.

I mean, there's nothing else. comes close. Well, for me, the other one is also written by Richard Curtis, which is in Bridget Jones diary, which is, I like you, just the way you are. Which was literally a reading on my wedding. So, because I just really like it and I didn't want any other sappy shit. But yeah, it's funny. I was reading the Janet Maslin review in the New York Times in 1999 for this movie and she likes parts of it and then talks about the like treakly speech that Julia Roberts is forced to perform at the end. And it is really funny that like these things take on a life of their own and something that could present as a little corny or a little like, oh, God, in the moment is just now what makes this movie endure.

It also reminds me of Tom Cruise with Anna of Jerry McGuire. You complete me. Oh, yeah. Like, it's also like, it's just like the like rom-com speech hall of fame. Yeah, it becomes a shorthand. Yeah, totally. Absolutely. Also, speaking of that, Roger Ebert, love this movie, three stars. Good for Roger.

Jane and Mazen liked it. It was well received at the time. Yeah. And, like, made decent box office, I think. Yeah. But, yeah. Okay. Could this movie work as a 10-episode Netflix show in 2019? I don't know. Whenever we come up against this question with movies I love, I'm always like, no, because I just think it works as is.

But I think, yes, actually, this one. And I say that because I love Love Sick on Netflix. Yeah. And it has a similar tone. I just think, to your point, like, give us a Richard Curtis streaming empire. Yeah. Like, does this particular story need 10 hours? Probably not, though possibly they could spend more time together to shout out Craig's point. But the strength of this movie is that you also want to live in the world. Yeah. Give me a nodding hell show. Exactly.

And that's kind of to Netflix and TV. You want to spend time with the people. You just want to be immersed in the world. And I would spend 10 hours in this world. All of his friends can have their own subplots and everything. It could be like friends, but not in hell. Yes, exactly. It'd be great.

Oh, now I'm in. All right. Final question. I realize I don't know the answer to this. We're going to work through it together. My personal answer. Who won the movie? I think it's you, Grant.

He's just so pleasant in this movie and the most pleasant he's ever been. Yeah, I agree. I think that's true, too, but I'm a Hugh Grant Stan. And so I always feel like... I'm not, though. Like, I like him, and I appreciate his contributions to the movies I like. Yeah. But he's not, like, someone I'm, like, really into.

And I just think he's really great and just so likable in this movie and charming. And it is his movie. He is responding to the Julia Roberts character. And I think she gives, like, a great performance. It's not a supporting performance. And it really is about her. And I think that she is a winner from this movie. Sure.

Because of just it helps people understand her. But I, and I think also Richard Curtis is a winner from this movie because it really cements him as someone you want to watch these stories from. But yeah, I agree. He just, he kills it. 10 out of 10. Totally agree. Love Hugh Grant.

Okay. That's it. This has been Juliet. We did it. This has been Notting Hill. It's been delightful. What a great hour it's been. Thanks for listening to The Rwatchables 1999, presented by Luminary Media.

We'll be back next week. The Insider. The Insider. Great stuff. Thanks, Juliet. You're welcome. That was the Rwatchables 1999. Never ran on this feed. Thanks to Julia and Amanda.

And thanks to Craig Horbeck for producing as well. We will see you on Monday with the movies from the 80s. Stay tuned.