"Nottinghill" Analysis

“Nottinghill” was a huge hit in 1999 and starred two of the most desired actors. After watching the film in greater depth it was clear what representation of British men was being portrayed.

The main male character in the film is played by, well known actor, Hugh Grant. This initial impression of his character, Will Thacker, is the stereotypical English gentleman. The mise en scene shows the attitude of Will Thacker in many different ways. The clothes that Thacker wears is smart casual and creates a relaxed, business feel to his character. Thacker wears smart trousers, a shirt with the top button undone, no tie, and a jacket over his shoulder. Throughout the movie, Will is always seen in similar clothing. The setting of the film, Nottinghill, instantly informs the audience that it is middle to high class area and creates social status.

“Heart-throb” and “dreamy” are just two of the many words used to describe Hugh Grant. The handsome actor immediately attracts female attention despite his messy nature, displayed through his home and work place. Another male character within the film is Will’s flat mate – Spike. Spike is revealed as very childish. This is done through his clothing, actions and speech. All of his outfits are very juvenile, big logos or just really outrageous. But Spike doesn’t seem to be that bothered by his clothing or attitude – for example, due to lack of clean clothes, Spike goes to Will’s wardrobe. Spike then goes for breakfast and a cigarette in a dive suit. Spike is unaware of his abnormal outfit and very messy and “slob” way of living, as he taps his cigarette ash into the kitchen sink.

The camera work used throughout the film creates more of a connection between the character and the audience. The most common shot of Will Thacker is central framing. This shows his importance within the movie. Also, many close-ups, eye-level shots and tracking are used to create emotion, connection and displays self deprecation. Contrasting camera shots are used for Spike. The rule of thirds is always used doe Spike – he is always positioned on a third and is never centrally framed. This contrasts with the main character and helps create his personality. Whenever Spike is in the scene he is always in the frame. The shots of Spike are always medium or long shots as it shows his outfits and actions, therefore creating humour in his presence.
Sound is also a key part of the movie. When Will Thacker is talking there is a low key, soft/calm music which reinforces that he’s easy going. Voice over is often used with Thacker’s voice – this shows he doesn’t like confrontation, which is supported by the way he removes himself from situations [for example the paparazzi scene]. All the diegetic sounds create a sence of realise. Will Thacker has a typical estuary English accent whereas, in contrast, Spike has a Welsh accent which is used to create humour.

Another film which represents British men is “Love Actually”. Both of the movies were written by Richard Curtis and funded by Universal Pictures. The estimated budgets for the two movies were £30million for “Love Actually” and $42million for “Nottinghill”. However, both of the movies were extremely successful all over the world and scrapped in a massive $600million combined. Because of the film being American funded, they had a large say in how the characters were portrayed as they also wanted the movie to be a huge hit in America. The representation of British men is emphasised in these two films as “typical British gentlemen” so that everyone who views the movie can connect with the character.