Actually Lovely

Rating: 9/10 (25 November 2003)

A wonderful British feel-great film, 9/10.
There are cynics who will label this film "too sugary" and unbelievable; and there are romantics who will love every second of this film, and come out brimming with warmth and happiness. Maybe it depends on your current situation (are you in love yourself?), or maybe it doesn't at all. As you will probably already know from posters/trailers, there are at least 9 couples/relationships in the film, and each relationship covers a different aspect of love. Many of these relationships appear to be based solely on desire (but how can you really build an impression of deep love with 9 relationships in 2 hours? And many relationships in real life ARE initiated by desire). My point: whatever your current situation, you'll find a character you can relate to.
One thing I didn't realise before seeing the film was how much of a Christmas film it is. There's nothing wrong with that - after all, Christmas is a time when people come together, and express their true feelings of love and friendship. "Love Actually" is a wonderful Christmas film, which I look forward to watching again and again each Christmas. Do see this film in the cinema now, as it probably won't have the same impact if you watch it a while after Christmas.
For lovers of British film and television, there are myriad well-known and loved UK actors to delight you (whether they have central roles or just cameo appearances) - I was pleasantly surprised to see Andrew Lincoln & Nina Sosanya from the UK TV Series "Teachers" taking good roles. I say pleasantly surprised, not only because I'm a fan of "Teachers", but also because Richard Curtis hasn't relied on big-name stars to fill every role - and that's a good thing. It's all well and good having great actors like Alan Rickman & Emma Thompson playing their part, but most viewers will be thinking of Emma Thompson playing a character, and not see just the character she's playing. It's also entertaining to see one or two of America's well-known stars making appearances in this film (Billy Bob Thornton, Denise Richards, Shannon Elizabeth) - I guess it just goes to show how much appeal Richard Curtis' films have (both for the audience and actors alike).
I'm surprised not to have seen more (or any?!) reviews mention one of my favourite films, "Magnolia", which also weaves together the lives of about 10 people, and their relationships with each other. There are many similarities between the two (the intricate interweaving of many people's lives and their relationships, loving and losing), but also many differences (Magnolia is a great American drama, which shows several aspects of life; Love Actually is a great British romantic comedy, which shows aspects of love, making us laugh and warming our hearts).
Love actually IS all around - it's your decision as to whether you choose to see it, seek it, feel it, and give it.