Notting Hill: Romance in Life

10 years have passed since 'Notting Hill' - the movie was released. With impeccable performances by Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant, this movie easily mesmerizes and conquers. Be it the sequence where Anna Scott faces William Thacker, a travel bookstore owner and tells him that 'she is only a girl standing in front of a man asking her to love her' or the sequence where she meets William's friends and presents her case to win the last brownie on the dinner table, the movie is simply full of tender moments and sweet situations.

Personally I have simply not been able to get over the closing sequence of the movie where a very pregnant Julia can be seen resting her head in Hugh Grant's lap on a bench in a park and with Hugh Grant reading out to her. The sunshine smile on Julia Roberts makes you want to watch that moment over and over again. 

And if the leading pair does not swell your heart, there is an exceedingly well balanced portrayal of a cripple essayed by Gina McKee who successfully evokes your empathy without burdening you with the sadness that is part of her character Bella's life.  

Buy a DVD and watch the movie if you have not already done it on HBO or maybe you could come down and borrow it from me. I am sure once you have seen what I am talking about you shall know what I mean here and why am I going gaga over this classic.

But then the objective of this article is not to advertise the movie or write its review. I am sure there are already couple of well written reviews available on the net. Here is one, if you are too lazy to google yourself. You may also want to download the track 'She' by Elvis Costello. (Here are the lyrics). It is one of those songs that you can put in a loop on your music system and hear it over and over again.

Anyway, as I mentioned before, the point is not to analyze or review the movie. The point actually is to recall that you live only once and that romance in life should never end. 'Notting Hill' as a work and medium of expression entices you and simply brings out your hidden and probably lost amorous feelings from the depths of your being, nostalgically reminding you of that little squishy feeling in your heart that you probably nurtured when you were 15 or 16. 

I guess it is important to be able to feel the romance in life no matter if you are 15 or 55. A heart which can breathe and a spirit that can dream immaterial of what juncture of life you have reached is probably the only boon one should ever pray for. It is the sheer idea of being able to battle the atrocities of mundane life and fill the cup of each passing moment up to the brim that can help you keep your chin up in adverse of adversities.

I know I am going a little abstract here but then I am sure people who croon along with the lyrics of "Yeh Kahan Aa Gaye Hum" from 'Silsila' whenever it plays on the radio or people who feel compelled to whistle to the tune of "Main Zindagi Ka Saath Nibhaata Chala Gaya" when the going gets tough would be able to relate (in whole or in part) to what I am trying to put in words here.

And maybe your teenage stint of trying to woo the girl next door or on the next bench in the classroom made you spend regularly on goods from the nearby Archies Gallery, romance in life actually can come for free. A cold winter morning ignited by a cup of coffee and the warmth of someone's palms around your fingers or a finger held casually while walking across the park on a clear summer evenings is often all you need to appreciate the satisfaction of being around the love of your life and it sure needs no cash. Be it the promise you made to yourself to buy a flower for your special someone till you die or the smile you share reading the comic strip from the newspaper together, life can be simplified to suit your means, pocket and dreams.

I guess to that effect, being a romantic at heart is more about coming to terms with your inner self and finding peace within your being and surroundings.

Anyway, the crux is to be able to keep your eyes open and watch out for little joys in life. It is important to not let the child within you grow up completely. Be fanciful, day dream and let the world be your chorus. Follow your heart, feel the romance and take my word, go watch "Notting Hill - the movie" for once.