Actually...excellent

Rating: 8/10 (16 March 2008)

Well this movie is actually...excellent. It includes lots of characters who are all in love in their own special way and the whole story is set in London five weeks before Christmas. We meet Billy Mack (Bill Nighy), old singer who tries to get back on top with help of his loyal manager Joe (Gregor Fisher); David (Hugh Grant) has just become the new Prime Minister and he instantly falls in love with his new personal assistant Natalie (Martine McCutcheon); Karen (Emma Thompson) and Harry (Alan Rickman) are married couple with their own problems; Sarah (Laura Linney) is women torn between a man she loves and her sick brother; Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Juliet (Keira Knightley) are fresh married, but Peter's best friend Mark (Andrew Lincoln) is in love with Juliet; John (Martin Freeman) and Judy (Joanna Page) met on shooting of porn movie; Jamie Bennett (Colin Firth) moves to France after he found out that his girl is cheating him with his brother and there he meets Aurelia (Lúcia Moniz), young Portuguese woman; Colin Frissell (Kris Marshall) hopes that he'll find 'normal' girl(s) in America; and finally there is Sam (Thomas Sangster), who is young boy and also in love, which makes a problem to his stepfather Daniel (Liam Neeson).
So many characters and so many actors that are beautifully composed in this movie. All that is achieved Richard Curtis in his directorial debut. His story is for everyone. I think that lots of people could find themselves in this characters that are full of life and very real. Maybe the only characters that are little stretched are the ones of John and Judy. It's hard to believe that porn actors are so shy like they are both presented. But here Curtis makes fun with everything. That's why I love Britons so much. They smile to others equally as they smile to themselves. "Love Actually" rises above many romantic movies because it has great story, capable direction, top class actors and magnificent soundtrack mixed with some old and some new songs. I really can't talk about all the actors in this movies cause it would last for days; instead I'll mention only two: Bill Nighy and Emma Thompson. Nighy brings breath of fresh air to his character while he's making fun with his manager, his own hit song and Britney Spears. Emma Thompson, ah Emma Thompson. She makes acting so easy, makes you feel that anyone could act. She's so natural and believable, such extraordinary actress. There is also lots of cameo roles (Billy Bob Thornton, Claudia Schiffer, Denise Richards, Sienna Guillory...) and one hilarious appearance of Rowan Atkinson as jewelery salesman (he's like Christmas ghost, you know when he helps young Sam).
Well, I almost forgot to say what is this movie about (at least how I understand it). It gives us a message; that we must search and struggle for love, we must make sacrifice, just like Jamie and Sam for example did, while Sarah choose the other way (her brother) and she gave up. Actually everything is said in the beginning; there is enough love on this world (great idea with airport arrivals). Actually, I advice you to watch this movie. Actually, I gave 10 to it, cause it's so much better then any other romantic movie I've ever watched. Or I could just say, love actually.