The story is of a romance between a British bookshop keeper (Grant) and a famous American actress (Roberts) who happens to walk into his shop in London's Notting Hill district.

Divorced from his wife who left him for another man, he shares a flat with Spike, a flaky and sloppy Welshman.

Shortly after she leaves, Will goes to buy his colleague Martin a juice, but bumps into Anna while rounding a street corner, spilling it on her.

At a restaurant the next day, Will and Anna overhear a party of men at a nearby table discussing her, first praising and then disparaging her and equating actresses to prostitutes.

Anna invites Will to her hotel room, but after discovering that her movie star boyfriend, Jeff, has unexpectedly arrived from America, he leaves.

Over the next six months, Will's friends Max, Bella, Bernie and Tony arrange a series of dates for him, but Will, heartsick over Anna, is uninterested in another relationship.

When he discovers Anna is back in London making a film based on a Henry James novel, something he had suggested, he visits the set unannounced.

Will meets his friends and sister at a restaurant with Anna's partly opened gift: Chagall's original La Mariée ("The Bride").

Will admits his mistake, and everyone races across London to find Anna, who is holding a press conference at the Savoy Hotel.

[8] Much like the film, Curtis's friend was an everyday person who met the well known celebrity in a shop (Harrods) and they ended up having a relationship.

[11] Four Weddings and a Funeral director Mike Newell was approached but rejected it to work on Pushing Tin.

[14] Stuart Craig, the production designer, was pleased to do a contemporary film, saying, "We're dealing with streets with thousands of people, market traders, shop owners and residents, which makes it really complex".

Through a health and safety act[clarification needed], the production received permission to film and constructed the scene in 24 hours.

Michell said in Entertainment Weekly that the painting was chosen because Curtis was a fan of Chagall's work and because La Mariée "depicts a yearning for something that's lost."

[19] Originally, Charles Aznavour's version of "She" was used in the film, but American test screening audiences did not respond to it.

The film premiered at the Odeon Leicester Square on 27 April 1999[21] and opened in the UK on 21 May 1999 and in the United States the following week.

The website's critical consensus reads: "A rom-com with the right ingredients, Notting Hill proves there's nothing like a love story well told—especially when Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts are your leads.

"[23] On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 68 out of 100 based on 34 critics, indicating "generally favourable reviews".

[25] Variety's Derek Elley said that "It's slick, it's gawky, it's 10 minutes too long, and it's certainly not "Four Weddings and a Funeral Part 2" in either construction or overall tone", giving it an overall positive review.

"[27] Nitrate said that "Notting Hill is whimsical and light, fresh and quirky", with "endearing moments and memorable characters".

[29] Desson Howe of The Washington Post gave the film a very positive review, particularly praising Rhys Ifans' performance as Spike.

"[31] Sue Pierman of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel stated that "Notting Hill is clever, funny, romantic—and oh, yes, reminiscent of Four Weddings and a Funeral", but that the film "is so satisfying, it doesn't pay to nitpick.

"[32] Roger Ebert praised the film, saying "The movie is bright, the dialogue has wit and intelligence, and Roberts and Grant are very easy to like.

"[33] Kenneth Turan gave a good review, concluding that "the film's romantic core is impervious to problems".

[34] CNN reviewer Paul Clinton said that Notting Hill "stands alone as another funny and heartwarming story about love against all odds".

[37] Some criticised the film for giving a "sweetened unrealistic view of London life and British eccentricity".

[44][45] One month after its release, it lost its record for highest-grossing opening weekend for a romantic comedy film to Runaway Bride (again starring Roberts).