Films involving Limb & Spinal Conditions

Limb & Spinal Conditions: Minor Films no photo.

Title	Notting Hill (1999)
Alternative/Original Title
Disability	Limb Wheelchair
Country	UK
Length	125
Genre	Comedy
Rating	4
Director	Roger Michell
Cast	Julia Roberts Hugh Grant Rhys Ifans Hugh Bonneville Emma Chambers Tim McInnerny Gina McKee James Dreyfuss
Notes	From the same stable as 4 Weddings this time with the horse faced Julia Roberts. Sorry I'll retract that. Since seeing "My Best Friend's Wedding" I think JR is at least human. Andy McDowell has a talent for comedy in 4 Weddings and I hope JR has too because I'm looking forward to seeing this film. One of Grant's ex-girlfriends, now married, is in a wheelchair. I'd be interested to know how this ties in with the plot. ******************* The first time I saw this film I was disappointed because I was comparing it with 4 Weddings. This is a more serious film with fewer laughs though still very funny at times. Julia Roberts is the mega star who falls in love with the bookseller played by Hugh Grant. Grant is Hugh with only subtle variations and with his comic timing he should stick with comedy. Julia R. doesn't have that timing which surprisingly Andy McDowell does. For me the pivotal scene is the round the table discussion about who has the most miserable existence. J.R. is left to the last and delivers a fine speech brilliantly punctuated at the end while still leaving the issue in the air. It is also your chance to decide. You might plump for Gina McKee's character who uses a wheelchair. McKee is a fine actress who makes the part her own yet one wonders if a disabled actress might have played the part. After all J.R. is playing a mega star. What would have been the difference if a fine actress had played the mega star and a disabled actress had substituted for McKee? The announcement by her that she is not able to have children produced a still moment for me. Grant's character says later he doesn't know if this was caused by her accident. Perhaps we can plead that this is comedy and comedy uses broad strokes. Establishing the strong sense of the deep bond between McKee's character and her husband is favoured over her independence (he carries her upstairs to bed and lifts her into the car).

Back to Home Page