Potentially great film ruined

Rating: 2/10 (25 May 2004)

Series of loosely connected love stories centred upon middle-class London. We are offered broken love, unrequited love, true love and impossible longing. The tales are funny and sad, bitter and sweet, and, for the most part, wish-fulfilling a la Notting Hill, another Richard Curtis outing.
The numerous stories involve the Prime Minister, an ageing rock star, a writer, a widower and his stepson and various professionals experiencing diverse but well worn crises. The ensemble acting is peerless from all involved so it is the most endearing of the characters themselves should be singled out. In no particular order there are Laura Linney's American in London held back by her brother's illness; Thomas Sangster's ten-year-old with a crush on a classmate; Bill Nighy's rock-star-of-the-year-1973; Lucia Monez's Portuguese housekeeper; and Hugh Grant's bachelor Prime Minister.
This is a chequered film and has very funny highs and a couple of extreme lows. The most touching tale by far is that of Colin Firth's writer falling for Lucia Monez, despite the fact that neither can speak the other's language; and the most pointless about two actors standing in for porn stars during a film shoot. This latter thread was unnecessary and prevents the film being suitable for young children, which is a shame. But even the porn stars did not find the depths plumbed by Hugh Grant's Prime Minister when he railed at the US President at a press conference. In a film about human emotion, this trendy and crass political interjection was uncommonly lame and totally out of place. With the porn stars, this scene ruined - as in ruined - what could have been a great film. Wiser heads should have ruled and the offending celluloid excised and ceremonially burned. Sadly, it is too late and some brilliant writing and brilliant performing have been tarnished forever by four or five minutes of gormless film which should have been removed at the editing stage. What were they thinking of?
Please keep your politics out of my entertainment.
I have not, to date, rated a film, but this is going to be the exception. Without the Prime Minister's tirade and the porn thread: 10 out of 10. With the porn stars added: two out of 10. With the tirade: zero out of two million.