Love Actually (2003)
All you need is love
Starring: Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Keira Knightley, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Laura Linney, Martine McCutcheon, Bill Nighy, Andrew Lincoln, Kris Marshall, Martin Freeman, Billy Bob Thornton, Rowan Atkinson, Gregor Fisher, Joanna Page, Marcus Brigstocke, Lucia Moniz, Elisha Cuthbert, January Jones, Shannon Elizabeth, Denise Richards
Director: Richard Curtis
Running Time: 135 minutes
US MPAA rating: N/AUK BBFC rating: 15
Comedy, Drama, Romance
I sometimes feel I'm all alone in not sharing the national enthusiasm for the quintessentially British films of Richard Curtis. When I watch the likes of 'Notting Hill' or Four Weddings and a Funeral I find it hard to believe they come from the same pen that brought us 'Blackadder' and 'Not the Nine O'Clock News'. Compared to the biting wit of those early TV shows, this stuff all just seems phony and utterly toothless.
'Love Actually' is a film about love, as the title suggests. Part of the problem is that it's not about much else. A marvellous ensemble cast comes together to play out a series of spuriously-linked set-pieces about various dullards getting the hubba-hubbas for each other. Included in the jumble is Colin Firth as a novelist who falls for his Portuguese maid Lucia Muniz, Emma Thompson who suspects hubby Alan Rickman of extra-marital naughties, and Hugh Grant as the Prime Minister who drools over tea lady Martine McCutcheon when not standing up to America (now there's a thought!).
From a British perspective, it has the most impressive cast of the year. It mixes faces known for their TV work (e.g. Martin 'The Office' Freeman, Andrew 'Teachers' Lincoln and Kris 'My Family' Marshall) with those already well-known on the big screen circuit such as Grant, Rickman, Liam Neeson and Keira Knightley.
The performances are good and the production values are high - it's just a pity that most of it just isn't particularly funny. What's more, it substitutes depth for countless sketchy sub-plots, involving a string of characters we never get to spend enough time with to care about. Nor, to be honest, would you probably want to. The majority of them are far from fascinating individuals.
It's also unbearably warm and soft-centred, to the point of over-whelming falseness. Particularly vomit-worthy is the thread involving Neeson's attempts to guide his stepkid through the pitfalls of puppy love. Pass the sick bag.
This is Curtis' first stint in the director's chair - let's hope he didn't get too comfortable, because this is a film in desperate need of, for want of a better word, direction. There's no overall focus, and subsequently no overall point. His is a world where gathering crowds of extras are always waiting to applaud whenever any couple share their first kiss, and everyone who falls in love automatically has that love requited. It's a nice world, sure - but it's also a very boring one.
It's Got: Bill Nighy getting by far and away the funniest scenes in his role as a past-it rocker plugging an atrocious Chrimbo single.
It Needs: A decent ending, as opposed to one that doesn't make a great deal of sense.
Alternatives: Bridget Jones's Diary, Notting Hill, Four Weddings and a Funeral
Summary: Plenty of people will love this film (you know who you are), but personally I couldn't wait to escape the theatre by the time the full 135 minutes had been wrung dry.
Review by Gary Panton
Review Date: 20th November 2003
External Links
Official Web Site
Love Actually at the IMDB
Comments6 Comments |
| Lust, Actually That should be the name for this film. Most of the pairings result from some infatuation that may never lead to the real thing before the characters realize they are NOT meant for each other. For example: - two people who might hate each other if they really knew what each other was saying - a world-leader-avec-intern combination - pushy employee and her boss The two most touching expressions of affection seem to be: - from people who meet at work and develop a friendship before a love for each other - between long-time, devoted friends That so much can happen in under 4 weeks - in particular the "language immersion" - is stretching the credibility! Aside from that, maybe the director or writer is having the last laugh - showing REAL love - but only to the viewers who can cut through to the few examples and discover it! |
| Comment by:- Lynne | | 24 June 2004 | ip: logged |
| Well, I actually liked the film. I am a 49 year old caucusian male once divorced (three children)and remarried. Is there a bunch of unbelieveable stuff in it? Not doubt! But if anyone watches movies for moral direction that person is in dire need of a better moral compass. Might I suggest a church of his or her choosing? Aside from that, the movie is touching. Yes, I'll agree the scenes with Liam Neeson are a huge stretch from reality but I actually liked the writer/housekeeper-different-languages scenes. For me, there were the best and most realistic scenes in the movie. Very touching. |
| Comment by:- Bob | | 17 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| This movie is todo lfongfds |
| Comment by:- adfasfdsa | ads | 09 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| I agree with adfasfdsa. The movie is definitely todo lfongfds. |
| Comment by:- Harry Webb | | 09 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| does it have much of colin firth in it?? |
| Comment by:- carol | | 16 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| I actually enjoyed this film. It's fun and entertaining, not to be taken too seriously... |
| Comment by:- gilletbd1977 | www.thedvdreport.com/dvd_revie... | 01 February 2005 | ip: logged |
