A Delight, Not to be Missed!

Rating: Null/10 (24 April 2004)

LOVE ACTUALLY is one of the sweetest, most audience-friendly films I've viewed in quite a while. A tale of 8 relationships during the weeks before Christmas, it manages to give each subplot not only humor, but also humanity and compassion, as well. You care about all of the characters, and they are so deserving of happiness that you can't help but root for them to succeed.
While all the stories are well-done, three are my favorites; Hugh Grant, as the new, charismatic Prime Minister, discovering the void in his life is being filled by the klutzy staffer he has to transfer (Martine McCutcheon); Colin Firth, learning Spanish so he can propose to the girl (Lúcia Moniz) who helped him recover from a cheating girlfriend; and Laura Linney, as a woman whose romantic aspirations are put on hold by a mentally ill brother (the only subplot without a happy ending...although the Alan Rickman/Emma Thompson subplot is iffy!)
With a memorable pop music soundtrack, some funny cameos (Rowan Atkinson and Billy Bob Thornton shine), and a London that is shimmering and nearly too beautiful to be true, LOVE ACTUALLY will be a film that will DEFINITELY grace my DVD collection.
This IS the perfect 'date' movie!