Love Actually
Year: 2003
Director: Richard Curtis Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Colin Firth, Gregor Fisher, Martin Freeman, Hugh Grant, Keira Knightley, Andrew Lincoln, Laura Linney, Heike Makatsch, Kris Marshall, Martine McCutcheon, Lucia Moniz, Liam Neeson, Bill Nighy, Joanna Page, Alan Rickman, Thomas Sangster, Rodrigo Santoro & Emma Thompson Runtime: 136 mins BBFC: 15 Published: 08/12/20 |
I’m not much of a Christmas film person, I don’t really know why beyond the fact that I tend to find them somewhat tedious. But every now and again one comes along that I rather enjoy, and of course it then becomes a yearly ritual alongside the copious amounts of horror films I watch throughout October. I’m also a sucker for a good rom-com, the cheesier the better as far as I’m concerned, I’m a hopeless romantic at heart and there’s nothing I can do to change it. So, it’s only fitting that one of my favourite Christmas films is also one of my favourite rom-com’s, and it’s actually Love, Actually.
The 2003 Richard Curtis film takes an ensemble cast of British great’s and weaves together multiple stories about different types of love, as well as the joy and sadness it can bring, set in the five weeks preceding Christmas.
Firstly, we have washed up rock star Billy Mack (Bill Nighy) and his manager Joe (Gregor Fisher) who is currently in the process of promoting his new Christmas single in the hopes of getting it to Christmas number one.
Then we have newlyweds Juliet (Keira Nightley) and Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Peter’s best man Mark (Andrew Lincoln). Though Mark has never really liked Juliet, she is determined to make it work between them for the sake of Peter.
Jamie (Colin Firth) has left his wife after discovering her cheating on him with his brother. He retreats to France where he hopes to write a new book in an attempt to get over his wife, wherein he forms a bond with his assistant Aurelia (Lucia Moniz) and the two attempt to learn to communicate to each other in order to express how they truly feel.
Harry (Alan Rickman) is the director of a design agency who is happily married to Karen (Emma Thompson). However, when his new secretary Mia (Heike Makatsch) begins to make advances on him, Harry begins to question what he desires in a relationship.
Karen’s brother David (Hugh Grant) is the new Prime Minister. He becomes very fond of one of his members of staff, Natalie (Martine McCutcheon), and as a result begins to wonder where his duties to his country and his duties to himself begin and end.
Widower Daniel (Liam Neeson) is left in charge of caring for his deceased wife’s son Sam (Thomas Sangster). Whilst Daniel is stuck between grieving and learning to look after Sam on his own, the two bond over Sam’s new school crush and Daniel vows to help him win the girl.
Sarah (Laura Linney) is one of Harry’s employee’s who during her time working for him has fallen head over heels for co-worker Karl (Rodrigo Santoro), though caring for her mentally ill brother leaves her little room to pursue her romantic dreams.
Colin (Kris Marshall) fancies himself as a ladies man but insists that English women are just too boring to understand him, so he plans a trip to America where he plans to bed as many women as he possibly can.
Finally, there’s John (Martin Freeman) and Judy (Joanna Page), two professional stand-in actors. They meet on set where they are stand in’s for the sex scenes, and over the course of filming begin to fall for each other as they keep each other distracted with their extremely British small talk.
The 2003 Richard Curtis film takes an ensemble cast of British great’s and weaves together multiple stories about different types of love, as well as the joy and sadness it can bring, set in the five weeks preceding Christmas.
Firstly, we have washed up rock star Billy Mack (Bill Nighy) and his manager Joe (Gregor Fisher) who is currently in the process of promoting his new Christmas single in the hopes of getting it to Christmas number one.
Then we have newlyweds Juliet (Keira Nightley) and Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Peter’s best man Mark (Andrew Lincoln). Though Mark has never really liked Juliet, she is determined to make it work between them for the sake of Peter.
Jamie (Colin Firth) has left his wife after discovering her cheating on him with his brother. He retreats to France where he hopes to write a new book in an attempt to get over his wife, wherein he forms a bond with his assistant Aurelia (Lucia Moniz) and the two attempt to learn to communicate to each other in order to express how they truly feel.
Harry (Alan Rickman) is the director of a design agency who is happily married to Karen (Emma Thompson). However, when his new secretary Mia (Heike Makatsch) begins to make advances on him, Harry begins to question what he desires in a relationship.
Karen’s brother David (Hugh Grant) is the new Prime Minister. He becomes very fond of one of his members of staff, Natalie (Martine McCutcheon), and as a result begins to wonder where his duties to his country and his duties to himself begin and end.
Widower Daniel (Liam Neeson) is left in charge of caring for his deceased wife’s son Sam (Thomas Sangster). Whilst Daniel is stuck between grieving and learning to look after Sam on his own, the two bond over Sam’s new school crush and Daniel vows to help him win the girl.
Sarah (Laura Linney) is one of Harry’s employee’s who during her time working for him has fallen head over heels for co-worker Karl (Rodrigo Santoro), though caring for her mentally ill brother leaves her little room to pursue her romantic dreams.
Colin (Kris Marshall) fancies himself as a ladies man but insists that English women are just too boring to understand him, so he plans a trip to America where he plans to bed as many women as he possibly can.
Finally, there’s John (Martin Freeman) and Judy (Joanna Page), two professional stand-in actors. They meet on set where they are stand in’s for the sex scenes, and over the course of filming begin to fall for each other as they keep each other distracted with their extremely British small talk.
All the stories in Love Actually tie in with one another, aside from Billy’s though his song and music video often crop up in the background of other scenes, and provides Sam with his motivation to become a musician to woo his crush. With that many storylines and characters, you may think that the film is difficult to follow or overly complicated, but thanks to all of the stories being very straightforward it’s very easy to keep up with. This simplicity could also be seen as a negative but personally I think it’s great because of how many different rom-com tropes the film is juggling at any one time. The film certainly doesn’t feel any simpler than your average rom-com, but due to the fantastic juggling act that the editorial team have created it’s rather impressive how all of the stories tie together and work so well.
In recent years Love Actually has garnered some flack for some questionable moments, most notably the ending to Juliet & Mark’s storyline. In this after Juliet learns that the reason Mark seems to dislike her is because he’s actually been in love with her all along, Mark turns up to Juliet & Peters flat and confesses his love to Juliet in a way that also apologises for his negative demeanour to her. She, without Peter’s knowledge, then kisses Mark. This is without a doubt the most problematic sequence in the whole film because it not only gives Mark (who’s acted like a prat for most of the film) exactly what he wanted but he’s also potentially ruined his best mates marriage for the sake of a kiss. Mark’s being a total weirdo and the film implies we are supposed to be happy for him, but in all honesty, this is a scene that makes me annoyed more than anything and I’m certainly not alone there.
Another storyline that is considered ‘problematic’ is David & Natalie. Most people tend to have issue with many jokes about Natalie’s weight are made throughout the film when she is very clearly not a big woman. This is somewhat problematic, but David goes out of his way to point this out to everyone who makes these kinds of jokes…so I actually don’t see why that’s all that problematic because he’s defending her the whole time. The only part of this story I do have a problem with is David’s reaction to walking in on the President of the United States (Billy Bob Thornton) sexually harassing Natalie, and David pushes Natalie away for this until she apologises. Now I understand that it may not have been immediately obvious to David that Natalie was not consenting to what the President was doing, but he never gives her the opportunity to explain herself which is the most frustrating part.
In recent years Love Actually has garnered some flack for some questionable moments, most notably the ending to Juliet & Mark’s storyline. In this after Juliet learns that the reason Mark seems to dislike her is because he’s actually been in love with her all along, Mark turns up to Juliet & Peters flat and confesses his love to Juliet in a way that also apologises for his negative demeanour to her. She, without Peter’s knowledge, then kisses Mark. This is without a doubt the most problematic sequence in the whole film because it not only gives Mark (who’s acted like a prat for most of the film) exactly what he wanted but he’s also potentially ruined his best mates marriage for the sake of a kiss. Mark’s being a total weirdo and the film implies we are supposed to be happy for him, but in all honesty, this is a scene that makes me annoyed more than anything and I’m certainly not alone there.
Another storyline that is considered ‘problematic’ is David & Natalie. Most people tend to have issue with many jokes about Natalie’s weight are made throughout the film when she is very clearly not a big woman. This is somewhat problematic, but David goes out of his way to point this out to everyone who makes these kinds of jokes…so I actually don’t see why that’s all that problematic because he’s defending her the whole time. The only part of this story I do have a problem with is David’s reaction to walking in on the President of the United States (Billy Bob Thornton) sexually harassing Natalie, and David pushes Natalie away for this until she apologises. Now I understand that it may not have been immediately obvious to David that Natalie was not consenting to what the President was doing, but he never gives her the opportunity to explain herself which is the most frustrating part.
My personal favourite storyline is Jamie & Aurelia’s. I feel it’s the funniest and also one of the most believable stories in the film, that also goes on the biggest arc. It always leaves me feeling warm and fuzzy inside when Jamie confesses to Aurelia that driving her home everyday is the best part of his day because it’s where he gets to spend the most time with her, and she confesses that getting out of the car is her least favourite part of the day because she doesn’t want to leave him, yet neither understand what the other is saying.
Harry & Karen’s storyline always illicit the strongest reaction from me however, and I’m sure many will agree with me when I say that watching Karen unwrap that CD on Christmas Eve makes my blood boil. It’s surprising how emotionally engaging each of the stories are considering none of them are particularly long when you look at them in isolation.
As a whole package I feel Love Actually is a great film and it’s something I look forward to revisiting every year. It’s got humour, it’s got sadness, and it’s got joy. The ensemble cast provide great performances and the clever composition of the film makes it incredibly easy viewing despite how much is going on. If you’re yet to watch Love Actually and you’re a fan of rom-com’s or Christmas films then I think you owe it to yourself to change that and check out one of the best British rom-com’s of all time.
Harry & Karen’s storyline always illicit the strongest reaction from me however, and I’m sure many will agree with me when I say that watching Karen unwrap that CD on Christmas Eve makes my blood boil. It’s surprising how emotionally engaging each of the stories are considering none of them are particularly long when you look at them in isolation.
As a whole package I feel Love Actually is a great film and it’s something I look forward to revisiting every year. It’s got humour, it’s got sadness, and it’s got joy. The ensemble cast provide great performances and the clever composition of the film makes it incredibly easy viewing despite how much is going on. If you’re yet to watch Love Actually and you’re a fan of rom-com’s or Christmas films then I think you owe it to yourself to change that and check out one of the best British rom-com’s of all time.