Delightful Holiday Film - If You Suspend Your Disbelief (And Please Try)

Rating: 8/10 (28 December 2013)

Touching, moving and yet a movie that leaves you feeling good - even if you shed a tear in the process. Yes, it's imperfect but it's so good in its better aspects that it's easy to sit back and just enjoy this good-time holiday pic. And helping us forget the few corny moments of the film are the many wonderful vignettes put in by a wide variety of fine actors. Also making this an 8-star movie are the touches of real life that ring true on a deeper level and speak to serious issues we all have to deal with - all the while providing comic relief in most cases (not all). I'm not a huge fan of Hugh Grant but he provides some wonderful comic moments here, as the British Prime Minister - including a somewhat Scrooge-like transformation that warms your heart near the end of this film. Bill Nighy is brilliant - and if you're not aware of his work, you will admire him after seeing this film. But perhaps Emma Thompson is the one who most gives this movie its greatest depth. It is her role that demanded the most acting skills and she rises to the challenge - as she always does. What a great actress - and even in this light comedy she impresses. There are aspects of the ending that are cliché and could have been better but slog through the final concert scene and the airport scene because the final video statement will really get you, summing up all the disparate stories in one neat heart-warming visual commentary. You'll need a handkerchief - even though it's mostly laughs you'll enjoy. Because Love Actually does have its "aw!" moments.