Hugh Grant has starred in many films since then, but his best role is still Charles of this film, who unwittingly finds his love in Carrie, an open-hearted American played by beautiful Andie MacDowell at his friend's wedding. One miatake is, he foolishly couldn't realize it before he let her go after one-night stand. But as the number of ceremony goes up (including one funeral), he gradually comes to notice that he threw away the best thing in his life. And while he is wondering what to do, friends around him start to search for their real love, including his own brother David, his timid friend Tom, Tom's sister Fiona, and Charles's eccentric roommate Scarlet. But where should Charles go? Going back to his countless ex-girlfriends? Or, Carrie? But she got already married.
To be honest, a little abrupt ending of the film damages an entire movie's strength a bit, but all comedies have to pay the price to end the show within an appointed hour. What is incredibly splendid about "Four Weddings" is that the characters are all so lively and sparkling with witty dialogue that you think they are not acting at all. Actually, on top of Hugh Grant, many actors are still associated with the roles in this film even if they got more populality after this film; Kristin Scott Thomas is later to be nominated Oscar for her turn in "English Patient," but she will be remembered as deliciously aristocratic Fiona. John Hannah made his name popular through the Hollywood blockbuster series of "Mummy," but still he is kind-hearted Matthew to those who have seen him recite W H Auden (most touching moment) in "Four Weddings." This is that kind of film that changes the cast's life. It happens once in your lifetime.
With this great ensemble cast, we have fantastic script by Richard Curtis, filled with funny lines uttered by completely believable characters. He does not fail to take great care of minor characters, and give them equally good moments. Look how Serena, in love with handsome David who is hearing impaired, learns sign. Trying to impress him, she mixes up "nice" with "mice," but, you know, when boys and girls are in love. nothing can stop them from understanding each other. Cute.
Brilliantly written, "Four Weddings" is a superb model of romantic comedy. If you like this type of movie, you surely will fall in love with it; and if you're not, your mind will be changed just like mine (I didn't expected much from it, so I didn't go to theater until the last day). And the film never forgets the sad side of life as the title implies. Sad thing is one of the cast Charlotte Coleman, who played most unconventional bridesmaid Scarlett, has passed away recently. She is terrific.
Eccentric barely describes Spike, his Welsh roommate with a shock of wild blond hair. Never have I seen a more comical opposites since Felix and Oscar of the Odd Couple. Spike is clearly the Oscar of the pair, but then again, I doubt if Oscar would have worn a T-shirt saying, "Get It Here", with an arrow pointing downwards, or unwittingly mistake mayonnaise for yogurt.
In the course of meeting Anna, he in turn introduces her to his small group, including a married couple, Max and Belle, the latter in a wheelchair, a stockbroker named Bernie, and William's wild-looking sister Honey, whose bulging eyes and feathery hair makes her nevertheless lovable in a different sort of way.
However, they live in two different worlds. As William puts it, "I live in Notting Hill, you live in Beverly Hills." Both have different schedules, lifestyles, and perspectives on things. Yet his inner smile lights up whenever she pops in and spends some time with him. And applying a metaphor used, Anna is a goddess. "You know what happens to mortals who get involved with the gods?" That's terrible for William, who confides in Spike that it's like "taking love heroin and I couldn't have it again. I've opened Pandora's Box and there's trouble inside."
Anna is a typical box-office draw who has to put up with the tail side of the fame coin. The many boyfriends, the laying out of her private life in the tabloids, but also how she's unable to live an ordinary life and how she has to put up with unkind words, as when she overhears a group of businessmen saying how actresses are equal to prostitutes and that she is the definitive actress. Ouch! But despite the fame, in the end, she's "just a girl asking a boy to love her."
The one pullback aerial shot that has the couple approaching the bench dedicated to a loved one, while Ronan Keating sings Keith Whitley's "When You Say Nothing At All" was a perfect combination of great camera work enhanced by a haunting love song.
Hugh Grant has another winning role and seems to have the knack of starring opposite great female leads and being compatible. Be it Andie McDowell (Four Weddings) or Emma Thompson (Sense And Sensibility), he does himself and Julia Roberts great credit. After seeing this at the theatre when it first came out, I sighed with relief that I finally found the most charming movie with Julia Roberts since Pretty Woman. All the actors portraying Williams' small circle also lend great support, but Rhys Ifan steals the show as the outlandish Spike. Those who liked Four Weddings will definitely go for Notting Hill, which has a tad more sweetness, like apricot and honey.| Web Site Index | FBT Home Page | Search | Historical | October 2006 | November 2006 | December 2006 | January 2007 | February 2007 | March 2007 | April 2007 | May 2007 | June 2007