Didn't work.

Rating: 5/10 (29 October 2005)

Firstly, the score of 5 means average. Therefore, this film is average - the nicest word possible for this overly sweet romance from Richard Curtis.
I like Four Weddings and a Funeral,not a popular opinion for film buffs but I thought it was witty, and save for MacDowells risible performance, well acted. It was a change for British comedy, but it is such a shame it spawned so many bland and lifeless films - mainly from Curtis' own hand (wrote Notting Hill, directed Love, Actually).
Now, you may think I am a miserable old sod, not liking this new rom-com fare...and you may well be right. I am a fan of romantic comedies, yes, such as Woody Allen's films. Annie Hall, Manhattan for example - but what makes them work is that they are sad - Annie Hall in non linear fashion, charts a relationship through its highs and lows, whilst Manhattan, taking place in the black and silver backdrop of Gershwin's in the titular city, also explores relationships. Yet these films almost end (or in Annie Hall's case, start) on a series of down notes, which agrees with Dante from Kevin Smith's Clerks (1994) that life is a series of down notes.
And therein lies Love, Actually's problem - the story, even though it has some down notes, they are ALL resolved in the completely "coincidental" ending, where the characters' paths all seem to cross. Almost too coincidental, the Hollywood ending that Allen avoided in The Purple Rose of Cairo. Curtis is all too happy to resolve the ending in this film. Even though Four Weddings does end happily, at least it had the courtesy to include some laughs - which this film seems have forgotten about.
The main laughs for mainstream viewers might well have come from Hugh Grant playing Prime Minister (and strangely enough, himself), dancing and pratting around with house maid Martine McCutcheon. I expected laughs from the morose dead pan of Alan Rickman - instead the story was at its most dramatic with him. I did enjoy his section of the story, because although it was clichéd, it was enjoyable to watch.
As for the other stories in this film, they were cringe worthy. Liam Neeson and his son hunting for women was really quite a bore...Keira Knightly and her two lovers was underdeveloped...the guy who went to America, also in hunt of sex and (love, actually!)...Colin Firth's story of love in a foreign climate was well handled admittedly - as for the rest, I have already forgotten them.
Films that handle a lot of characters like this, are normally paced rapidly. Think Altman's Short Cuts, Anderson's Magnolia and Boogie Nights. If Curtis would have paced the film up, injected a little life into this film, it probably would have been a bit better.
"Loce Actually" had its moments of comedy, its moments of drama - but overall, it never really came together. The happy ending was too sweet, and the lead up was badly directed - the acting was fine. So an average film, with an ending that will be rotting your teeth and burning your brain with anger.
Ah, but I'm a cynic. If you liked this film I recommend you seeing: Annie Hall, Manhattan, Crimes and Misdemeannours - romance/drama that is subverted.
Happiness - this film also explores a lot of characters. Enjoy.