Writer/director Richard Curtis enlists a plethora of some of the finest British actors (and a few noteworthy Americans) to tell several different love stories. While it seems that there may be a few too many characters at first, the overall flow of the film allows the viewer to keep track quite easily. The cast is led by the ever-so-charming Hugh Grant as the British Prime Minister. While some critics have called this casting unbelievable, Grant actually pulls it off by portraying a more human, but yet stronger PM that we would all love to have leading us. His dance to the Pointer Sisters' "Jump for My Love" borders a bit on ridiculous, but it is nevertheless fun to watch. In the film, the PM is caught between leading his country with a clear head, or giving in to his feelings of attraction to his tea server Natalie (played by musical actress Martine McCutcheon).

And then there's Emma Thompson, who plays Karen, sister to Grant's PM and a long-married devoted mother. She suspects that her husband Harry (Alan Rickman) may be cheating with a sexy co-worker. Her performance, simply put, is a revelation. The scene where she is in her bedroom is an example of phenominal acting. Hollywood Foreign Press and Academy members: please take notice!

Another strong performance award goes to Bill Nighy, who provides most of the film's comic relief as aging rock star Billy Mack. He puts out a cheesy Christmas record and then publicly bashes it. But in classic Hollywood ending style, he does have an epiphany and realizes his wild musician life has been missing true affection.

Liam Neeson shines as widower Daniel who tries to help his young stepson win the heart of a popular school crush. Equally sweet is Colin Firth as Jamie, a man recovering from a broken relationship in France who falls for his monolingual Portuguese maid. You know what? This film is such an abundance of great performances that I will run out of space discussing them all! Everybody shines! My only cast complaint is that Rowan Atkinson should have been given more screen time.

What I also love about "Love Actually" is that Curtis doesn't, if you'll pardon the pun, wrap up each story in a happy little Christmas package. There are a few sad, realistic moments, particularly in the Karen/Harry subplot and in Laura Linney's turn as Sarah, an assistant who has waited so long to be with the man she loves. She realizes, in some of the film's key dramatic instances, that family matters are getting in the way.

All in all, Curtis has struck gold again, in tradition of movies like "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "Bridget Jones' Diary." Yeah, some of the love stories may be a little far-fetched, but aren't they all in fantasy movie world? What matters is that they are sweet and not without their share of obstacles. This film is a nice departure from some of the more disturbing violent films as of late. But be warned: it is a little more adult than most other comedies in theatres. The innuendos, language, and nudity earn the R-rating. So see it without the young kids, but do enjoy.


(4+) Actually Quite Entertaining but Definitely Deserves "R"   November 12, 2003
 139 out of 191 found this review helpful

My rating is based on my enjoyment of this film. It has both major strengths and serious weaknesses, and as other reviews indicate has fostered very strong reactions, both positive and negative. Its format is somewhat disconcerting if you are not prepared for the methodology of the director. It contains nudity, profanity, sexual situations, and several situations that are very suggestive and some moviegoers may consider to border on the obscene. However, the situations that some people may consider offensive actually serve a purpose in developing the overall theme of the film.

Love, in all its manifestations - wonder, joy, pain, happiness, passion, grief... is the theme of the film. A very talented ensemble cast is utilized to tell several somewhat interrelated stories concerning the emotional lives of the various characters. The cast includes Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Laura Linney, Kiera Knightley and Alan Rickman. There are also telling cameos by Billy Bob Thornton and Rowan Atkinson. There is one other essential element of the story, it begins five weeks from Christmas and there are several aspects of the various vignettes where the seasonal aspect is a crucial element.

One of the more interesting and complex stories involves Liam Neeson and his young stepson preparing for the funeral of his wife, which has been moving scripted by her prior to her death. As he subsequently tries to deal with his grief, he is worried about the fact that the boy is isolating himself in his room. He is surprised to discover that while his son is disconsolate at the loss of his mother, more importantly he is heartsick over his unrequited love for a girl with whom he attends school. As they concentrate on his son's dilemma and develop a plan to attract her attention, the dialog ranges from comic to quite profound. And, as the movie progresses to the time of the school Christmas pageant their story gradually becomes interwoven with several of the others. Some of the most hilarious segments are in another thread of the movie involving Bill Nighy as a washed up pop singer trying to recycle one of his old love songs as a Christmas record. He effectively caricatures the dissolute rockers who abused their bodies for too long with drugs, booze and sex. Yet in the end, the alternate humor and pathos of his situation are resolved in a very effective and quite emotional scene. In yet another thread, a scene with Emma Thompson listening to a Joni Mitchell recording and thinking about the "both sides" of her life and love is a real tearjerker.

So this is a roller coaster of laughs and cheap humor combined with real insights about love and the pain that it can cause. If you aren't living in a bubble, you will probably relate to the experiences of at least one of the characters to some degree and knowingly nod in recognition of the similarities of others to people that you know. It is arguable whether the message of the film would be better conveyed with a fewer number of stories examined in somewhat more depth, but I think the result is quite powerful. Lives which seem only tangentially connected turn out to have a profound influence on others, and we really feel that we have come to understand the characters that we have been watching.

My first difficulty with the movie is that the complexity of developing so many stories means that it is well over two hours long (with the previews and unconscionable ads we were in the theater for well over two hours). Second, the audience is introduced to a very large number of characters during a very short period of time, since all the stories are interspersed sequentially as the movie proceeds toward Christmas Day. Very few individual segments until the finale are more than three or four minutes in length. However, the disorientation that I felt at first from the constant scene shifts was offset by the fact that this technique was successful in keeping the audience very interested; the film actually seemed shorter than it was because of the constant action. So, it was fun while actually conveying a message at the same time. I also want to see it again, since this is the type of movie that I often enjoy more during subsequent viewings. I find that once I know the basic story line and the relationship of the various characters, I can then pay attention to a lot of the details that went were difficult to appreciate because there was so much constantly happening during the film. (In fact, as I was thinking about the film prior to writing this review a few such instances came to mind.) So, go see this film when you have time to relax and want to laugh and contemplate life for a few hours.

Tucker Andersen


Love Actually is wonderful, despite the political undertone.   November 15, 2003
 52 out of 107 found this review helpful

I was in a very blue mood, in need of a pick up, when I went to see this movie, all by myself mind you. I thought it was one of the best romantic comedies of recent years. It will surely be the sleeper that "Sleepless in Seattle" and "When Harry Met Sally" were. I didn't go to it based on the writer/director's previous works because I thought "Notting Hill" was one of the most boring movies of the century. But, it seemed like a feel-good movie, and that is what I needed.

Some say that the number of story lines, characters was too much, but I disagree. Each brought their own special tone to the movie. Even the porn stand-ins. I know a lot of people thought the nudity was unnecessary, and uncalled for, but, in my opion, it was simply trying to emphasize that even in such rediculous situations, love can be found. And the idea of the couple who have seen each other naked, imitated sex, were so sweet and innocent, timid in their coupling as when John shyly attempts to kiss Judy, was very sweet, in my opionion. Yes, the scenes were a bit much, but, I think they worked for the movie, and it is rated R after all.

The one scene that I initially resisted was that of Colin Firth's character Jamie falling for his maid, who didn't speak English. At first, I thought how rediculous, they don't really know each other. Then I realized something in the opening scenes of their relationship when she jumped into the water to retrieve his papers. It was that scene that made me realize how he had fallen for her, and how that was a possibility given his past experience of being cheated on. This woman, who barely new him, was sensitive enough to chase after his rediculous manuscript, in cold waters, that is love.

Their were several jabs at Americans that *almost* turned me away from the movie. First, the jab of the Prime Minister at the US President (Hugh and Billy Bob). Sure, it probably was meant to come across as the PM putting the US Pres in his place over his handling of the assistant, but in reality, lets face it, it was a political jab at the US. I know the Brits may be upset at their own PM for his handling of recent events, and as polls show, so are the vast majority of Americans, but this movie was not the appropriate place for such comments.

The second jab at Americans was when the less than gorgeous Colin was able to come to the states, Wisconsin at that, and immediately get 3-4 girls to bed him? Just because he had a British accent? What do non-Americans think of us American women?! I know few women who would do the same. Of course, he did find them in a bar, but even so, it really makes me wonder what the Brits think about us American women.

I do think that more time could have been given to some characters, such as we never really know if Harry (Alan Rickman) bedded his secretary, but, overall, I thought it was a poignant movie with a great reflection of love. And it may have seemed like some of the "love" was forced, since after all this was just a 5 week period, but I thought it was all appropriately encountered.

I think one of the best played out seens was that of the hysterical (yeah, he almost stole the movie) scene of Billy Mack with his manager. At first you think it is going to turn into a gay thing, but then you realize that it wasn't. It was instead a man who realizes that he does indeed love his manager, who has put up with him for so many years, and stood by him through the thick and the thin. The embodiment of a good friendship, and a man admitting his love for another man. That almost brought tears to my eyes.

And finally, the real scene stealer, Miss Olivia Olson as the American Joanna who has stolen the heart of Liam Neeson's character Daniel's step-son Sam. The movie was worth the 6$ (matinee) just to hear her rendition of "All I want for Christmas." I had to immediately go to Wal_mart when I realized the soundtrack was out. That little girl can SING!

So, if you just need a feel-good movie, can tolerate a little bit of nudity, (ok, a lot of it in some scenes) and can handle a little bit of US bashing (it is a film made by the Brits after all), then I highly recommend this movie. Don't let the political undertone ruin it for you. Just stick to the "Love Actually" portion of the movie to see that Love is actually everywhere, from the newly found romance of the PM, to the love of a 10 year old school boy, to the love of a man and his longtime friend and manager, to the love of a sister for her mentally ill brother. I walked away feeling both happiness and sadness. How is that for a movie?

Go see it and judge it for yourself. :-)


Magical!   October 17, 2003
 37 out of 43 found this review helpful

If there is a film out this year that is destined to make your heart smile and eyes tear, it's this film. It's Christmas time again in London as unexpected (almost magical) things happen in very simple, heartening ways to the most unlikely people. With love lost and love found, courage found and courage lost, this movie is all about the love we have in our daily lives. The love we receive from those unknown people to us (sometimes form those who show slight animosity toward us.)

The characters will capture your heart (Emma Thompson is phenomenal.) For me, the scene that really did capture me was that of Emma Thompson in her bedroom listening to Joni Mitchell's perennial Both Sides Now. That scene made me cry.

This is the sweetest movie I have seen this year. I highly recommend seeing it during the Holidays with people you love.


A very heartwarming flick...   March 9, 2004
 34 out of 43 found this review helpful

Now, how many of us have actually experienced love in real life the way actors and actresses portray it in films? Love actually brings together a very potent mix of comedy and romanticism into its whole state of affairs. You get several situations in this film all of which are connected to love and that of course is the main ingredient. Set in the very English environment you get the best of everything. The characters are excellent on their own, from the prime minister of Britain to the lonely office girl downtown, to the fading rock star, love is simply all around. What makes this movie special is the down to earth element that simply decides to sell well. Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Kiera Knightly, Martine McCutcheon, Alan Rickman, Laura Linney, Bill Nighy and Rowan Atkinson all come together to deliver one excellent holiday movie, in a very long time, not to forget the excellent soundtrack to boot.