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Notting Hill

Notting Hill

Can the most famous film star in the world fall for the man on the street?

1999124 minPG-13Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
Director
Roger Michell
Starring
Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant, Gina McKee, Tim McInnerny

London bookstore owner William Thacker's quiet life turns upside down when a chance encounter with famous actress Anna Scott sparks an unlikely romance challenged by their vastly different worlds.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Notting Hill?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Notting Hill streaming on Paramount+ via The Roku Channel.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Notting Hill?

Notting Hill earns 12 badges, led by Cultural touchstone and Top 10% in Comedy.

Show 4 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Notting Hill worth watching?

Notting Hill's Midcredits score is the 89th percentile of all films, from 2M ratings across 6 sources. 76% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

89th percentile

Better received than 89% of films

93rd percentile among Comedy90th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)88th
Approval (how many liked it)86th

73 /100

88th percentile of all films

93rd percentile among Comedy90th percentile among 1990s

Critics 68 · Audience 74

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.3 — solid but not unanimous.

76% liked it

86th percentile of all films

90th percentile among Comedy87th percentile among 1990s
76% rated it 7–1024% rated it 1–6

Critics 84% · Audience 79%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 7 wins / 16 noms overall

  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical

99th percentile

2M ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Comedy99th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 53% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$42M
Opening weekend$22M
Domestic gross$116M
Worldwide gross$364M

Returned 8.7× its budget — 99th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is a simple, formulaic romantic fantasy about a normal man and a famous woman, with amiable performances and a charming London setting.

Fans praised

  • Grant-Roberts chemistry carries the fairy-tale romance
  • witty, sharply quotable dialogue from Richard Curtis
  • warm, eccentric supporting cast adds comic depth

Detractors panned

  • Anna Scott is an unlikable, manipulative love interest
  • plot is absurdly implausible and drags with repeated break-ups
  • lead romance feels unearned, no believable spark

What stands out

DialogueDivisive75

witty one-liners like 'I'm just a girl' are iconic but divisive

ActingDivisive72

Grant's stammering charm vs Roberts' luminous but self-playing

HumorDivisive65

British self-deprecation lands; cringe moments for some

CharactersDivisive63

Spike steals scenes; Anna called shallow, William a pushover

Emotional impactDivisive62

final park bench scene evokes warmth or eyerolls

PacingDivisive50

overlong at 124 min; montages substitute for relationship development

Plot and storyDivisive45

predictable boy-meets-loses-wins formula with repetition

Originality35

fourth-wall self-awareness but cloned from Four Weddings

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 10 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 5 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 1 point apart
  • Critics vs users 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is Notting Hill like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Romantic: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are in the mood for a love story.

It takes its time, has a few laughs and leaves you feeling good. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Romantic.

The answer rests on this: Moods
RomanticHopefulJoyful
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
WarmPlayful
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its romantic premise straight with warmth and gentle humour, never mocking its characters or their feelings.
The rideThe film maintains a warm, romantic register throughout, with lighter comedic beats and emotional weight concentrated in the final act.
StructureConventional beginning-middle-end told in order.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

Feel-goodHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves a warm, uplifting feeling that love can cross impossible divides.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Comedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11% (this title): Romantic comedy 4% (this title) · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Romantic comedy: Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.

11% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeA classic romantic comedy following the unlikely romance between a bookstore owner and a film star.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfRomanticlove
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% (this title) · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% (this title) · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Romantic love · 15% of filmsSelf-worth · 7% of filmsFame · 3% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores whether love can bridge the gulf between an ordinary man and a global celebrity, while both grapple with their own sense of value.
StanceThe film affirms that romantic love can overcome differences in fame and status, treating its core theme with earnest celebration.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticStylized realism
Orchestral modernPopSupportive music · hybrid · Trevor Jones
SettingNotting Hill, London, around the travel bookshop and the celebrity hotel circuit
MusicFeatures the iconic love theme and several period pop songs that underscore the romantic and whimsical tone.

Content guide

Is Notting Hill okay for kids?

PG-13

Notting Hill is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for sexual content and brief strong language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (4/100), sexual content at moderate (40/100), language at moderate (44/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (35/100) and frightening material at minimal (4/100). Overall it is heavier than 19% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 22 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany6
  • France12
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea12
  • BrazilL
  • Argentina+13
  • Belgium18
  • CzechiaU
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandS
  • Greece13
  • Hungary16
  • MexicoC
  • NetherlandsAL
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/12
  • RO15
  • SpainA
  • SwedenBtl
  • Switzerland12
Overall
Mild · all five categories
Heavier than 16% of all filmsHeavier than 19% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 3%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 75%
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 56%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 66%
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 3%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is language, heavier than 56% of PG-13-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Notting Hill have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Notting Hill?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Julia Roberts
as Anna Scott
Globe nominee: Golden Globe nomination — Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or MusicalTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Hugh Grant
as William Thacker
Globe nominee: Golden Globe nomination — Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or MusicalTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Gina McKee
as Bella
Tim McInnerny
as Max
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.
Rhys Ifans
as Spike
BAFTA nominee: BAFTA Award nomination — Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting RoleTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Emma Chambers
as Honey
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Hugh Bonneville
as Bernie
newcomer then · star now
Richard McCabe
as Tony
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.
James Dreyfus
as Martin
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Dylan Moran
as Rufus the Thief
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Notting Hill?

Movies like Notting Hill include Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), Fever Pitch (1997) and Love and Other Disasters (2006). Of the 12 closest matches, all are romantic comedies, and half are friends-to-lovers stories.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Richard Curtis wrote 4 of these 12. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Notting Hill?

1.8K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: friends to lovers. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.