Arts: The Week in Review: The Film - Notting Hill

THE FILM

NOTTING HILL

Hugh Grant returns with Julia Roberts as the love interest in Richard Curtis's follow-up to Four Weddings and a Funeral. Grant plays a bookshop owner who embarks upon a fairy-tale romance with a world-famous actress.

"Those who aren't fussy about intricacies of character or crispness of writing will find Notting Hill enjoyable - perhaps even uplifting," said Anthony Quinn, adding: "It's not a crime to settle for the mediocre. But nor is it a crime to wish that this film were a great deal better." "Well worth seeing - a clever, amusing heart-warmer based on an inspired premiss," trilled the Daily Mail. "Richly satisfying... All it has been cracked up to be," sang The Daily Telegraph. "As a romantic comedy which plays up to our naivest, most innocuous fantasies, it is very enjoyable," confessed Time Out. "A film which takes few risks and asks nothing of you," declared The Express.

Even with its predictable characters and whimsical plot Notting Hill is good, though not as good as it should be.

Notting Hill is on release in London. It goes on general release on 28 May.

Certificate 15.

124 minutes