Love Actually Movie Review:


As a screenwriter, Richard Curtis has conjured up entertaining romantic comedies with “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Notting Hill.” Now not only writing but also taking the reigns as director, Curtis delivers his best work with the wonderfully delightful “Love Actually.”

The film itself is very busy, following nine differently interwoven storylines that center on the theme of love. The love in each story is mostly romantic love, but some of the characters also inhibit puppy love, family love, and platonic (friendship) love. Though the film focuses nearly on twenty characters in the story lines, they are mostly all connected in someway, sort of like “Magnolia” in a toned romantic-comedic structure.

The stories more or less take place in London during the Christmas holiday season. There is a new Prime Minister (Hugh Grant) in office that begins to fall for his sweet secretary Natalie (Martine McCutcheon). The Prime Minister’s sister is Karen (Emma Thompson), who is married to advertising manager Harry (Alan Rickman), whom she suspects is having an affair with his secretary. Harry continuously counsels his co-worker Sarah (Laura Linney) into expressing her feelings of love to another lonely co-worker named Karl (Rodrigo Santoro). A close friend of Harry and Karen has passed away recently and the friend’s widowed husband, Daniel (Liam Neeson), is trying to mentor his 11-year old stepson through the grief and also falling in love for the first time.

The interweaving stories also involve Jamie (Colin Firth), a love scarred writer who begins to fall for his Portuguese housekeeper Aurelia (Lucia Moniz), though she can’t speak a word of English. There is also Mark (Andrew Lincoln), who believes his best friend’s new wife (Keira Knightley) is a perfect woman. Colin (Kris Marshall) is a young man who works as a catering assistant that believes the love of his life is waiting for him in the Wisconsin area of the United States. In addition to, is the story of washed up rock star Billy Mack (Bill Nighy) who is hopping for a Christmas hit with his song reconstruction of “Love is All Around” into “Christmas is All Around.” Mack knows that the song is pitiful, but hopes that it revives him and his manager’s careers.

Curtis beautifully tells these stories with some attention going on more than others, but the film is nothing short of lovely. The humor and romance are balancely blended and the holiday spirit is also felt throughout the film. With already being a proven screenwriter of clever and charm, Curtis shows he can take his script to screen with “Love Actually.” The only real flaw that is noticeable, but does not cripple the film, is its quantity of characters and storylines. There is a lot progression in this film, but what Curtis does with the structure for the most part works. It is also a plus that he had a good editor for this film.

Bill Nighy’s rocker Billy Mack is one of the best comedic characters to be seen this year in a film. Nighy steals a lot of the show by delivering many one-liners, which include references to the character’s applied sexual interaction with Britney Spears. Hugh Grant continues to show why he is one of the most charming actors on earth as the newly elected Prime Minister. Other standouts from the talented cast include Liam Neeson terrific performance as the widowed Daniel, Laura Linney’s emotionally intact performance as Sarah, as well as Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman’s balanced chemistry as a wife and husband couple. Additionally, the great Rowan Atkinson makes brief appearances as a mysterious figure that is more important to the film than first perceived. The whole cast in the film is great, until Shannon Elizabeth and Denise Richards arise towards the end of the film in cameos.

“Love Actually” is just a fun romantic treasure that will have you laughing, feeling in the holiday spirit, and leave a warm feeling inside. This is a gem from Richard Curtis that will be a sure winner with most adult audiences.

Grade: A-

11/09/03

Joseph C. Tucker

Screenwriter Richard Curtis makes his directorial debut with the holiday comedy, “Love Actually”. Curtis has been a successful comedy writer since the early 1980s in England. Curtis had his hand in such great British comedy series as “The Black Adder”, “Mr. Bean” and a personal favorite “Spitting Image”. Curtis made his motion picture screenplay debut with the unknown gem 1989’s “The Tall Guy” which starred Jeff Goldblum and Emma Thompson. In recent years, Curtis has been creator of such great romantic comedies as 1994’s “Four Weddings and a Funeral”, 1999’s “Notting Hill” and 2001’s “Bridget Jones’s Diary”.

In the latest gem from Curtis, we are exposed to the lives of six main sets of people as Christmas grows near. In the first set, we find Britain’s new Prime Minister (Hugh Grant) having a crush on a co-worker (Martine McCutcheon). In the second, a stepdad (Liam Neeson) tries to connect with his 11-yr old stepson (Thomas Sangster) when the child finds he has fallen in love. The third is about a writer (Colin Firth) and his connection with his Portuguese housekeeper (Lucia Moniz). The fourth finds a shy but extremely busy woman (Laura Linney) falling for her ideal man. The fifth deals with a couple (Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman) as they try to raise a family and the husband’s wandering eye. And finally the sixth, deals with a fading rockstar (Bill Nighy) who is trying for one last number one song.

There are so many amazing performances in this nearly flawless film but it is the power of the script that is the power of this movie. The film does a brilliant job of blending all aspect of when a heart goes a flutter. There are outrageous romantic times, awkward sexual times, heart-breaks, infatuations and a lot to love. It is the type of film that every couple should see for the holidays.

This script is purely amazing and so deserves a nomination if not a win for best original screenplay. The way it handles each delicate moment with such tenderness and feeling. These characters feel real even if they are in a comedy. There are so many treasure able moments.

I was also so impressed with the how the casting of the film dealt with the amazing ensemble cast. Each performance was perfect for the part. There is so much to be heralded here. This is the best comedy of the year.

(4.5 out of 5)

So Says the Soothsayer

Dean Kish

It’s only five weeks until Christmas in London, and love is in the air for a large variety of citizens. There’s a married couple (Emma Thompson and national treasure Alan Rickman) facing relationship woes. An emotionally-burdened office worker (Laura Linney), who secretly desires a co-worker. A widower (Liam Neeson) who is trying to piece his life back together while helping his stepchild (Thomas Sangster) land a girlfriend. Two adult film lighting stand-ins (Joanna Page and Martin Freeman) who connect while at work. A lonely young man (Andrew Lincoln) who secretly desires his best friend’s wife (Kira Knightley). An aging rocker (Bill Nighy) who is taking his manager for granted. A romantically undesirable man (Kris Marshall) who feels he must travel to America to find love. A writer (Colin Firth) who is pining for his maid (Lucia Moniz). And the Prime Minister (Hugh Grant), who can’t keep his assistant (Martine McCutcheon) out of his head. All these people collide during the holiday weeks as they try to find love in the face of overwhelming odds.

Love Actually is the latest film from Working Title (Notting Hill, Bridget Jones and Four Weddings) and all the usual clichés are present and correct. We have the obligatory Hugh Grant and Colin Firth playing professional Englishmen, the last minute dash to the airport for love and a heavy dose of treacle. There is one major addition though and that comes in the form of first-time director, Richard Curtis. He saves the whole thing from being a re-run of tired rom-com’s.

The structure of the film is like a fluffy version of Robert Altman’s Short Cuts with it’s interweaving stories. The problem with this approach is that some,inevitably, work better than others. Standouts include Bill Nighy’s ageing rock star, the porn stand-in’s and the love triangle. The one’s that work least well are the Hugh Grant/Martine McCutcheon and the Colin Firth segments. The lowest point of the film sees Grant dancing around 10 Downing Street to the Pointer Sisters. Yes, you read that right.

Curtis wisely got his hands on the best cast he could and this shows in the better parts of the film. The story with Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman is very affecting because it’s about real emotions and problems rather than some rom-com staple. Thompson in particular is excellent here. Also impressive is Laura Linney as a woman who has a chance at love but has to choose between this and her sick brother.

It’s two films in one - shiny happy rom-com and serious drama- but they sit awkwardly together. For every celebratory shot of a love connection, Curtis gives us a relationship that is on the brink of crumbling, or never even getting a chance to begin. The film closes with a moment of reassurance, but under the buttery crust lies the truth about relationships, and “Love Actually” deserves major credit for steering clear of becoming a complete syrupy mess.

It’s better than I expected and gets a cautious recommendation. One final thought : How much longer can Hugh Grant keep getting away with it?

Derek Maher

Billy Mack (Nighy) says it is all round. Daniel (Neeson) has tragically lost it but is determined to help his stepson find it. Colin (Marshall) thinks he has to go to America to find it. Mark (Lincoln) knows it is unrequited. Peter (Ejiofor) and Juliet (Knightley) are joined by it. John (Freeman) and Judy (Page) are acting it. Sarah (Linney) longs for it. Harry (Rickman) is tempted by it. Karen (Thompson) thinks she is going to lose it. Jamie (Firth) runs away from it. David (Grant) thinks as Prime Minster, it never really mixes with politics. What is it? Love, actually.

The one thing the British film industry does really well is the romantic comedy and Love Actually is no exception.

If you liked Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill or Bridget Jones’s Diary, this is a movie that you won’t want to miss. The man who wrote all these hits, Richard Curtis makes his directorial debut and makes it easy for himself by sticking to a genre in which he excels.

On paper this can be seen as the ultimate British Rom-Com. A superstar UK cast, with a splattering of Americans for good measure, come together to bring us nine interweaving stories about every aspect of love. It covers all facets of the strongest emotion from young, first time infatuation and new, passionate lust to loss, insecurity and pining from a far. The most primal of connections between two human beings is explored in a touching, emotional and extremely funny way.

Curtis cleverly interweaves the stories, jumping from one emotion to another. One moment of sadness or pain is relieved by a moment of farce or pure laugher. While each story may have, at the most, only fifteen minutes of screen time, you are drawn into each of them because of the endearing characters and the familiarity of the situation. You have either been through the same thing or know someone who has had that experience.

The enduring quality of the stories is brought to life by the magnificent cast. The best of British inject passion and well, love into their roles making the characters very believable. Hugh Grant is at his Rom-Com best. He seems to come alive when given a Richard Curtis script and this role is no exception. Alan Rickman, Emma Thomas and Liam Neeson exude class as they have the most difficult and challenging stories to contend with. The lovely Martine McCutcheon shows she has a gift for comedy. Keira Knightley looks as beautiful as ever and you can’t help but sympathise with Andrew Lincoln’s character’s predictament. Colin Firth is as good as ever and Bill Nighy’s aging rock star assault on the Christmas number one is hilarious. Martin Freeman and Joanna Page almost steal the show with their outrageously funny job as movie stand-ins and Kris Marshall lives the dream as he travels to America.

Richard Curtis’s script is a real winner. Cleverly entwining comedy and sadness that will have you feeling a cornucopia of emotions as the movie bounces from tears to laugher as the stories unfold. You can’t help but like this crowd-pleasing film, which even has the time to make fun of the Americans by saying all the girls love a British accent and the US President, played nicely by Billy Bob Thornton, is a bully and abit of a lothario.

Love Actually is not just a great date movie, having just enough mush for the ladies and laugh-out-loud funny bits for the men, but also a great film for anyone. It might have slightly too many stories going on at once but they are all easy to follow and only one or two are not nicely resolved. If you can’t find at lease one thing to enjoy in this movie then your life must be devoid of the one thing the movie is trying to impart, Love is all around, actually.

Star Rating = * * * *

Jamie Kelwick

Writer Richard Curtis (Four Weddings, Notting Hill, Bridget Jones) finally takes control of his own material, directing this sprawling ensemble romantic comedy. You almost need a flow chart to keep track of the characters, but somehow Curtis and his gifted editor keep it all clear for us. Nine love stories are intertwined as Christmas approaches....

1: The new plain-talking British Prime Minister (Grant) is immediately drawn to his plain-talking tea lady (McCutcheon). 2: The PM's sister Karen (Thompson) is worried about her husband Harry's (Rickman) relationship with his secretary Mia (Makatsch). 3: Harry's star employee Sarah (Linney) has a secret office crush on a hunky coworker (Santoro). 4: Karen's recently widowed best friend (Neeson) is helping his young stepson (Sangster) cope with his first crush. 5: Mia's art gallery owner friend (Lincoln) has trouble relating to his best buddy Peter's (Ejiofor) new wife (Knightley). 6: Peter's novelist friend Jamie (Firth) escapes a bad relationship in the South of France, but begins to fall for his Portuguese housekeeper (Moniz) even though they don't speak a shared language. 7: A loser (Marshall) heads to America where gorgeous girls will find his English accent irresistible, or so he hopes. 8: Two movie stand-ins (Freeman and Page) struggle to express their feelings, despite outrageous physical intimacy on set. 9: And ageing bad boy rocker Billy Mack (Nighy) is trying for a comeback with a Christmas novelty single, a reworking of Love Is All Around, both a fantastic gag and a witty reference to Four Weddings.

Curtis plays with every conceivable permutation of the rom-com and doesn't forget to include some serious and even sad moments. He's also a smart enough filmmaker to play with cliches without ever falling back on them; the overall structure is carefully manipulative and we don't mind at all, even as it builds to the big, contrived scenes. Standouts in the cast are Nighy (a deliriously funny role with all the best lines), Thompson (in a startlingly complicated Oscar-worthy turn) and Grant (on peak form as a dream PM who dares to stand up to the US President--a slightly miscast Thornton). Honourable mention goes to Firth, Lincoln, Neeson, Linney, Rickman and the superb Sangster. More problematic are the too-broad McCutcheon, the lightweight Knightley and the criminally underused Ejiofor.

Besides the sheer joy of watching this film, it's also worth seeing for what it has to say about romance--both the sweet fairy tale fluff and the more melancholy realities. By touching on virtually every conceivable amorous notion, Curtis continually hits both the hilarious funny notes and the meaningful emotional ones. Love actually is all around.

Rich Cline

 

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