Notting Hill by Original Soundtrack (CD, May-1999, Island Records USA)

Love the movie. One of the best romantic comedies. All the songs are placed wonderfully with what is going on in the scene of the movie. You don't have to see the movie to like the soundtrack but you'll like the songs even more if you do.

Great sountrack! I love the movie so now I can listen to all the songs! Any fan of the movie will appreciate this CD.

I bought this CD because I loved the music in this movie. It wasnt one of my favorite Julia Roberts movies, but the music is awesome, to me!!! The CD came in excellent condition as promised, fast shipping!!

The Notting Hill CD arrived very quickly and in great condition. What else can you say about a CD that takes up 100 little characters for my review. I think you should have different criteria for different items. The CD was exactly what I was looking for and representative of the Movie of which I was encouraged to purchased this fabulous CD.

I SAW THE MOVIE AGAIN RECENTLY AND THE MUSIC WAS SO GREAT I AM GLAD I GOT IT THERE IS NOTHING LIKE A VERY ROMANTIC STORY THAT HAS JUST THE RIGHT SONGS. I LOVE IT AND IT PLAYS LIKE NEW THANKS 1938CARMEN

I love all the songs that are in this cd, my favorit ws "She" from Elvis Castello, this is also the reason why I purchased the cd but turn out that i love every song in it. This cd has mostly slow song, very romantic.

I bought this soundtrack at a great price, and i am very happy with the product. I was glad to find older cd still in such good condition!

What a major disappointment. I'm not speaking of the movie;it's the soundtrack that leaves me cold.
"Notting Hill" is a situational comedy that is deeply moving and charmingly acted. It is the story of an actress whose popularity is without peer;and it is the story of a bookstore owner whose commonality is absolute. Yet,this is an engaging love story of their incidental meeting and their undeniable attraction. Their opposite backgrounds and their opposing stations in life make their love so improbable---and this is precisely what drives the plot.
The stage is set for emotional music to move the emotions of we viewers. But what we get leaves us flat,in my opinion.
Well,not totally so. Elvis Costello's rendition of the Charles Aznavour hit is a Godsend. It is nothing short of beautiful in sound and words. It tells us that her smiles and laughter are his souvenirs;her existence is his purpose for being. It also tells us that her eyes may never show their tears,but that,after all,she is just like him. She says,"I'm just a girl asking a boy to love her." How befitting this song is as it recaps their relationship as the movie nears its conclusion. (When I finally received this cd after a winning bid,I downloaded and played "She" on my nano an almost embarrassing twenty continuous times as I pedaled away in the gym. Costello's rendition is that wonderful).

B U T

B U T

B U T.....




But where do we go from here? For those of you who have viewed the movie,consider all the superb scenes,and the possibilities for musical accompaniment. But what do we get?
Boyzone's "No Matter What" is a pleasant enough tune,but it has nothing to do with the film. And so it impels no emotion. Shania Twain and 98 Degees have very pleasant voices,but "You've Got a Way" and "I Do Cherish You" do nothing to stir my desire to see this unlikely couple make it. Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine" gets us back on track because it expresses such a loss when she is gone,and such disappointment in wondering if and when she will come back. Of course,"How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" by Al Green is admittedly a gorgeous,sentimental,soft melody about longing,but little else is said in the lyric that is relevant to the storyline. Skipping to the last two numbers on the soundtrack,Trevor Jones plays two instrumental guitar scores entitled "Will and Anna" and "Notting Hill". They are pleasant tunes,but they simply don't serve. They explain nothing and conjure nothing. They seem to fill space.
I saw this movie at least five times in the theater,and a few times on television. It grabbed me that much. But the music should have been better selected. I ask the movie viewer to think of the scenes they adored,and fill them with one's own selection of melodies in their vast universe of love songs. Fill these scenes with songs that really show us the love saga of Will and Anna. I think you might just find that you've created a markedly better selection.