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On dedicating one’s life to missing Hugh Grant films

Having spent the last several years of my life dilligently avoiding romantic comedies starring Hugh Grant (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Bridget Jones’s Diary, About a Boy), I now find that yet another- Love Actually- has skulked into a theater near me, just waiting to not be seen. As one who believes that the love lives and neuroses of yuppies- especially those portrayed by Mr. Grant- are not fit cinematic material for children or adults, I’m pretty sure I’m making the right decision. But I hope someone can assure me of that.

By the way, I’m not by any means dissing all British film comedies of recent years. I thought Chicken Run was pretty nearly a masterpiece.

Comments

Mrs Mullen’s Blazing Dress    
  7 November 2003, 11:16 pm

I can assure you that you are making one of the wisest decisions of the day.

Although Bill Clinton could’ve learnt a thing from old Hugh.

Check out 24hr Party People

Norman Geras    
  8 November 2003, 12:25 am

Well, on this I’d say loosen up, Gene. That’s four good nights out you’ve missed.

Emily    
  8 November 2003, 12:42 am

Gene,
I wouldn’t categorize About A Boy as a “romantic comedy”. I generally don’t enjoy that genre, but Boy was a superb, funny, touching film. Don’t let yourself miss it.

Sydney P    
  8 November 2003, 1:52 am

I’ll be there with bells on, but purely for Alan Rickman. Ooooh, and Colin Firth. It’s just possible this movie is aiming to please a certain chromosonal demographic…

Anthony C    
  8 November 2003, 2:33 am

Romantic Comedies? Bring ‘em on, man. Bring ‘em on.

Love a good romantic comedy, me. Not that they’re all good, mind…

Tim Newman    
  8 November 2003, 9:28 am

If you see one film with Hugh Grant in, make it Roman Polanski’s “Bitter Moon”.

Jackie D    
  8 November 2003, 11:18 am

I totally agree with Emily on About a Boy. And Bridget Jones’ Diary is terribly funny as well. Denial of pleasure in the name of classist snobbery just ain’t right, Gene.

clive    
  8 November 2003, 12:04 pm

The trouble is that the British film industry is currently obsessed with doing rom coms (though not all of them are making it to production), mangling non-rom coms by trying to make them so, ditching completely projects which are not, etc. It’s the latest (or probably last-but-one as it looks as if the tide is turning to horror) in the waves of ‘commercial pressure’ you get in film - which is not even proper market pressure, as it’s just a group of people trying to mimic whatever was recently successful.

By the way, Four Weddings I can see why people like. The bit where John Hannah recites the Auden - that really gets to me. But Notting Hill and Bridget Jones’s Diary are completely beyond me. I love lots of popular movies, it’s not that I insist people speak at length in French and then pause for longer. Just thought they were weak scripts.

Gene    
  8 November 2003, 7:25 pm

Thanks for all the comments, but you have to understand: ridiculing certain films (including some I haven’t seen) is for me far more entertaining than actually seeing them.

Andrew Zalotocky    
  8 November 2003, 8:37 pm

I’m all for sneering at Hugh Grant, as he has made his career out of portraying a ludicrous
mockery of Englishness for the benefit of American audiences. Send him to the Tower!

ChrisB    
  10 November 2003, 2:24 pm

Have to say I am proud to join you on Nott Hill and Four Weds which I’ve, if not studiously avoided, certainly managed to avoid with pleasure. However I agree with Emily on About a Boy - a really great film, with only tiny cringe moments - I watched it oddly directly after suffering the debilitating experience of watching Mike Leigh’s grim All or Nothing. I normally like Leigh but All or Nothing didn’t do it for me, it seemed to condescend to its characters too much, though as an exercise in portraying limited opportunities it made its (limited) point. Terrible irritating score too. Naked and Topsy Turvey though, British films to be praised, even if Naked is oddly Germanic!

That said Bridget Jones was funny too I’m afraid. Love Actually however looks terrifying and will not be on my movie-going schdule.

Top Ten movies post anyone?

ChrisB    
  10 November 2003, 2:27 pm

A PS if anyone does Top Tens categories will help

- A PPS not so sure about Small Time Crooks, I found it almost as irritating as All or Nothing and probably equally debilitating to the human spirit! Though the change of role for Mr Grant may be a limited positive, it could have been so much better as a film - pastiche of pastiche isn’t a case of two negatives equalling a positive!