Brochure for the perfect life

Rating: 6/10 (10 September 2013)

One friend of mine describes Curtis as the Marmite man - you either love him or hate him. Another friend can rant about the failings of Love Actually for so long that I start to replay Shallow Grave in my head and recast him as the poor lodger.
This is Love Actually mark 2. The familiar Curtis characters, gentle English wit and the ain't life grand message, are all present and correct. The only thing missing is Hugh Grant. But Domhall does a lovely impersonation.
Everything was set up perfectly for a great story, one which shows that even with the chance to redo any moment, life goes its own way. Unfortunately Richard never took the opportunity to tell us a story. Instead he delivers one man's life collated in delightful Kodak moments - the kind of life I am sure many a man would have like to have, certainly most of their girlfriends would like to believe so. We have idyllic childhood, bohemian family, endearing romance, with barely a hiccup to mar his perfect existence as the years slide by.
Richard Curtis has said this is his last film and perhaps it is best it is. If he cannot bring himself to write even one day of rain and screaming children into his character's life, does he really have anything to say that a John Lewis ad can't do in a fraction of the time?
Enjoy on a rainy day, take someone you can curl up with, while the rose coloured glasses are still on and see the life you'd like to imagine you might have unfold. Just don't go for a riveting story.