Movies from the Heart—Notting Hill

Last week we looked at the pairing of a very unlikely couple in The Heartbreak Kid This week we’re going to run into another couple who are from such different worlds that the odds are this relationship will never work out. It’s 1999’s Notting Hill by Richard Curtis.

First, I have to say a few things about Richard Curtis. He’s a prolific writer of romantic comedies—many of which I’ve talked about in the past. And also has directed many of his comedies. What’s particularly appealing about Curtis is his absolute mastery of dialogue. He has an ear for how people talk and is able to create distinctive characters—that’s a real gift, and it’s one of the things that makes his films stand out.

Notting Hill tells the story of a bookshop owner who runs into—literally—a movie star. That encounter leads to some conversation which leads to another meet which leads to a date. But it comes to an abrupt end when her boyfriend shows up. Time goes by and he finds her on his doorstep with a problem and, well, they get together again—this time kind of seriously.

Take a look at the trailer for the film.

Like many trailers, it gives too much away. It’s way more fun with this one to see how it all unfolds AS it unfolds. So much so that I was half tempted to not include a trailer at all. But I wanted to make sure that this is a film that you’ll pay attention to. It’s definitely worth seeing if you get a chance. And if you don’t happen to live there, it’s also like a mini-trip to London!

Do pay attention to the dialogue in the film—as I mentioned before, this is something Curtis excels at. Notice how his characters don’t always speak in complete sentences, they’re halting and hesitant sometimes, too. How does a writer manage to create dialogue that is so natural-sounding? How can you learn from Curtis’s mastery and create better dialogue for your own work?

One of the things you’ll notice that he does is jump around a bit… characters speak in phrases, half- sentences, brief thoughts sometimes. And all of this just makes his dialogue sound so real, so natural.

How can you do that? Do this exercise—take yourself to a café or anywhere that you can sit near enough to eavesdrop on a conversation. Record the conversation on your phone. Then go back and input it into your computer, word by word, pause by pause. What you’ll discover is that people talk in half-sentences, they change on a dime to a different subject, they interrupt each other… normal conversation is a revelation when you put it down on paper.

Once you realize that, you’ll be better prepared to write unique dialogue. Promise.

Next week, a long-titled movie—and you don’t see them that often—10 Things I Hate About You.

Copyright © Diane Lake

09Feb25

Email Diane a question to Diane@DianeLake.com