Love Actually

Synopsis: Nine interwoven stories about love in all its guises.

Love actually is all around. This is the premise for the film’s nine mini-plots or short films that are woven into a bigger story about the joy and pain of love. Or the total agony of love, as one character puts it. Unsurprisingly, the tone and qualities of the film are reminiscent of director Richard Curtis's very successful scripts for Four Weddings And A Funeral, and Notting Hill; yet the varied stories give it the opportunity to be both fluffier and more serious.

The film opens with a bit of political context about love in the heart versus hate in the world, which at first seems discordant yet does have a point. The nod to the political gets a further run as Hugh Grant’s self-effacing Prime Minister achieves a moment of gravity (and national adulation) by taking the US President (Billy Bob Thornton) to task.

But Love Actually is essentially romantic confectionery, although not overly sweetened. The film does touch on the dark edges of love – betrayal, unrequited desire, divided loyalties - yet love wins through for the most part, crashing through class and cultural barriers and so on.

There is a fairly diverse group of characters with different issues and impediments to overcome. The stereotypes of the genre are even given a little shakedown. My only niggle was that if one of the lovers was older, fatter or richer; it would be the man. Ethnic diversity also gets a nod, but this film is essentially white bread with a bit of roughage.Along the way, there is great use of music.

These quibbles aside, Love Actually is consistently entertaining, not always predictable, and occasionally thought-provoking. It really makes one wonder how the average romantic comedy gets by with just one love story, when nine provides much better reflections of the essence of romantic coupling.

The multitude of well-known and lesser-known faces provide great performances for your movie dollar. Alan Rickman struggles with the temptations offered by his secretary. Emma Thompson is threatened by her husband’s divided desires. The friendship of two men is troubled when one marries Keira Knightley. A lonely Hugh Grant meets a potential kindred spirit at No. 10. Colin Firth and his holiday housekeeper don’t share a language, but are thinking along the same lines. Liam Neeson, recently widowed, and his stepson together face love’s rocky road.

All in all, Love Actually is a largely appealing and at times moving reminder (should you need one) that love actually is all around, especially at Christmas time and in airport arrival lounges.

Want more about this film?

Want something different?