A good romantic comedy with a few great moments

Rating: 8/10 (26 November 2004)

This was a funny, heartwarming romantic comedy that made a few sacrifices to mainstream cliché. Some of the interwoven story lines seemed original, or even edgy, like Laura Linney's romance and the budding fondness between the two porn stars. The British Prime Minister, on the other hand, was the same character Grant has played all his other movies, inappropriately plunked onto Downing Street. And his feelings for his aide Natalie seem to come out of absolutely nowhere.
Love Actually was remarkably similar to Magnolia, one of my all-time favorites. But these clichés take away the edge the movie could've had.
I'd love for the director to go back and give it another try. There are plenty of great scenes to start with.