It's quite good, actually

Rating: Null/10 (27 November 2003)

Rating: *** (out of *****)
Well, we've arrived at one of the season's most-awaited films  Richard Curtis's directorial debut, Love Actually. Like many, I hold Curtis's written work in very high regard, especially the likes of Blackadder, Four Weddings & a Funeral and Bridget Jones's Diary.
So the thought of seeing a film both written and directed by him is bound to cheer up his fans. But Love Actually has more going for it than that, like a star-studded British cast and the Christmassy setting. I remember how Notting Hill pleased many of us in the summer some four years ago, so what will stop Love Actually doing the same at Christmas? On this evidence, absolutely nothing.
The film has not one, but at least NINE significant plotlines. That tells you this film is obviously going to be an ensemble piece. And what an ensemble there is.
We have the Prime Minister (Hugh Grant) falling in love with a tea lady (Martine McCutcheon). Then we see Colin Firth as an author who falls for his Portuguese maid (Lucia Moniz), Liam Neeson as a widower looking for more love while helping his son (Thomas Sangster) to cope with a schoolboy crush, and Alan Rickman neglecting his wife (Emma Thompson) in favour of flirting with a younger woman.
And that's not all. Mark (Andrew Lincoln) is hopelessly smitten with Juliette (Keira Knightley), the new wife of his best friend (Chiwetel Ejiofor). Colin (Kris Marshall) is looking for women in America. Love could be blossoming for two porn stars (Martin Freeman & Joanna Page) & two office workers (Laura Linney & Rodrigo Santoro). And, last but not least, ageing rocker Billy Mack (Bill Nighy) has an unorthodox way of attempting to top the charts. Love is definitely all around.
Cynics have already attacked the film. Yes, some of the subplots in Love Actually are a little too incredulous. Yes, it has no substance, no real plot and is more sentimental than Curtis's previous offerings. But haven't critics seen enough Richard Curtis films to realise that journeys into "Curtisland", as we call them, are meant to take you away from reality? We want Love Actually to be funny and sometimes moving, and that is precisely what it is. At not one point were my eyes diverted away from the screen, which is probably the best compliment you can give to this kind of film. The detractors can talk about the excessive sentimentality all they like. Frankly, if Curtis's formula isn't broken in any way, why should he modify it?
The stories may be simple, but the plotting isn't. Rather, the plotting is a little too ambitious. There are few  if any  real characters to be found. Here's an example: at the beginning, instead of watching Juliette, we feel more like we're watching Keira Knightley in a wedding dress. Knightley, like many, doesn't have much to do, for she is merely the object of Andrew Lincoln's affection. Speaking of Lincoln, I didn't see a lot of difference between his Mark and Teachers' Simon. But that sums up the cast in general. The unknowns are more credible in their roles because we are not distracted by star recognition. I mean, who won't see a little of My Family's Nick in Kris Marshall's Colin? Or a bit of Martin Freeman's alter ego from The Office in his character? I think you get the message. Even Hugh Grant is pretty much being himself as the PM (although he is careful not to tread too far towards his About a Boy persona). Still, him and Billy Bob Thornton, who plays the US President, are great fun to watch, and Martine McCutcheon is convincing in her film debut (mind you, she's been around for so long that you forget that's the case). The only real character, however, belongs to Bill Nighy, and he is hilarious in his role. Everyone else just plays themselves, looking like they're having a ball.
Just like Richard Curtis. He has taken few risks, adopting a laid back approach and letting the actors enjoy themselves. As a result, instead of coming up with the ultimate romantic comedy, as the ads have trumpeted, he has made what is purely a solidly entertaining diversion. But the film will be a success. To cover such a large ensemble in 2 ¼ hours was overambitious, and it shows (in this respect I was reminded of Gosford Park), but Curtis has still done enough to make his audience feel happy. And that's exactly what you want from a romantic comedy, isn't it?