Wonderful Actually

Rating: Null/10 (13 January 2005)

I am beyond mystified by those who attempt to critique this movie as though it was supposed to be on the par of Gone With The Wind or something equally "important".
It was a great movie with an upbeat attitude towards finding love whether you had it and didn't realize it, discovered it for the first time or just found the right person, but were a dollar short and a day late.
The characters are not supposed to be DEEP or well fleshed out, they are just characters in a story about LOVE not characters. I have come to the conclusion that those who hated it or took it apart have no souls or are afraid of love. No other reason could exist. That or they think "JACKASS" is the height of comedic talent and can't get past egger humor.
Some of the comedy highlights are laugh out loud. Nighy's character as an old rocker getting his second wind was just fabulous and his comment during the TV show about not paying for drugs just made me laugh loudly.
Hugh Grant was just terrific. His character is the PM and just like those further down the ladder of life is looking for love and it comes out of nowhere. I especially found his accommodation of the three little girls to be particularly nice. Too bad you know something like that would never happen in real life. Politicians are too in love with themselves to think of others.
Alan Rickman's character is perhaps my favorite. I do have to agree he should have made a romantic overture of some sort near the end. Would have made it perfect. BUT I can relate.
I wondered about the differing "class" schools as well until I saw it for a second (and third and fourth) time and realized there is a quick comment about several schools coming together for the first time to do this show.
The story involving Keira Knightly was so bittersweet as to be heartrending. Finding love but just a little too late.
My second favorite was the little boy Ben and his newly discovered True Love. That boy should go places, what an actor.
The funniest are the porn stars. Just funny as all hell. Having worked in that industry years ago(as a cameraman)I can relate to seeing people in that situation having a hard time relating to people in a way those outside of the industry could never understand. Just funny funny funny.
The most romantic though was the writer and his housekeeper. That was my favorite. Love can transcend borders, language and culture differences.
The best fantasy was the English young man going to America to get some. You do have to think the director would have done the obvious and have him come back to England realizing he could find love at home. BUT he doesn't and the end result is hilarious. Loved that bit.
So for all those naysayers out there, get over it, this was not supposed to "Lawrence of Arabia" or anything of that ilk, just a nice, funny romantic movie.
No heavy characterizations needed.
No Oscar worthy dialog ala Shakespere.
No deep understanding of back stories.
No delving into why a PM would love a commoner.
No wondering why the director didn't direct this as though he was going after the Oscar of all time.
(BUT ya know I would love to see the extra 80 minutes I keep hearing about on a director's cut DVD, maybe a special order only release ya know? With the Angel bit and all that.)
The director did a fine job of conveying the point behind his movie.
Love actually is all around us. We just need to open our eyes.
That's all.