Notting Hill analysis

Notting Hill is a Romantic comedy, we know this because there were many clear indications during the trailer. The first convention we see is that two people who you wouldn't expect to be together are, this also ties into 'the perfect person'. It shows that they have been made for each other and belong together.

Further into the trailer we are introduced to his best friend. This is another very big convention. The best friend of the main character tend to be stupid but funny. We can tell that the best friend is funny because he thinks mayonnaise is yogurt but also implies that he is not well educated.  Best friends in romantic comedys are often an obstacle to the happiness of the lead character - and often also find love themselves, and therefore a life beyond their friend, as a subplot.


 This type of sense of humour is aimed at women as they would be the ones to find it funny. The man could be relatable to other men. This is because he thinks she is too good for him and thinks she is way out of is league.
The characters during the trailer show some clear stereotypes, for example we expect the best friend to be stupid and in sense rely on the main character for help or guidance throughout the film. The famous women has a typical stereotype from where she is famous. When think of famous people we think of cameras, looking good all the time and that everyone knows who you are, this is the typical stereotype for the woman during the trailer. There is always cameras around her or waiting for her where ever she goes, this is how we know she is famous. The man in the film is a normal working class citizen who you would not think would end up being with a celebrity. There is a clear contrast between the two main characters.

Cliched moments where characters confess their feelings to others is a generic convention and in Notting Hill there is a key moment where Julia Roberts's character tells Hugh Grant's character how she feels.  She says shes just a normal girl wanting to be loved. This appeals to the target audience because all girls feel this way. They can all relate to her character and in a sense feel sorry for her as that's all she wants, she just wants to be loved and in a happy relationship with someone that adores her.