Feature: Two Weeks Notice

Romantic Comedy’s Royal Couple

We find out why it took so long for Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock to come together to make the hit romantic comedy, Two Weeks Notice

Written and directed by Marc Lawrence, who makes his directing début after penning the Bullock vehicles Miss Congeniality and Forces of Nature, Two Weeks Notice casts Hugh Grant as George Wade, a New York City real estate mogul with a tendency to rely on sexy female attorneys. They inevitably face the axe when they make a mistake that catches the attention of George’s less-than-patient brother, Howard (David Haig, of Four Weddings and a Funeral). After the latest such instance, Howard finally forces George to hire a female lawyer with real credentials.

Enter the very reluctant Lucy Kelson (Bullock). She’s smart, educated and cute as hell, but she agrees to take the job only because George promises to support her environmental causes by letting her choose which charitable organizations will receive discretionary monies under her control. In no time, however, George runs Lucy ragged, utilizing her less as his counsel and more as his personal assistant. She’s always at his beck and call, even skipping out of a wedding to help him pick clothes. Lucy reaches her breaking point and insists on quitting, something George will agree to only if she picks her replacement. And so we meet June Carter (Alicia Witt of The Sopranos), a sexy redhead and extremely capable lawyer who has her eye very much on her handsome new boss.

Naturally it doesn’t take long for Lucy to realize that she misses George; nor does it take George forever to understand that maybe Lucy actually meant something to him. Is true love in the cards for Lucy and George? Or will the ambitious June seize the opportunity and win his heart instead?

Of course, the answers are not high on the surprise scale. This is, after all, a Hollywood romantic comedy starring two of the world’s most popular actors. And, to hear the actors tell it, the film was as breezy and fun to make as it is to watch…

“Hugh and I got along great,” says Bullock. “We got together a few years ago and talked about working together and just couldn’t find the right thing. I knew that we got along great, but a lot of people get along great in real life and then, nothing transpires on the screen. Here, you’re dealing with two very manic, egotistical, moronic people such as Hugh and myself and it just worked. We complemented each other, and we just got lucky.”

Grant, in a separate conversation, concurs. “Sandra and I have been trying to do it for years and years,” he notes. “Work together. Let me clarify that. I don’t know why she’d want to work with me, but I wanted to work with her just because I’ve always admired her, thought she’s the girl, queen of that kind of stuff. She’s a brilliant comedienne, sort of gorgeous and charming. I just thought that could work. I think it helps if there’s a part of you that quite fancies the person you’re doing it with, that helps with the chemistry a little bit.”

by John Reading

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Film Review (Mar)

Photo © Warner Bros
Feature © Visual Imagination 2003. Not for reproduction

Taken from

Film Review (Mar)
#628, March 2003
ships from Jan 30 2003
News-stand Price
UK £3.00 / US $7.95

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