Cheerful, Upbeat Froth

Rating: 8/10 (4 November 2003)

Happily, Richard Curtis makes films that are easy to watch - great actors, simple themes, and snappy one-liners. I'm not sure this movie has either the emotional resources or the 'endless re-watchability' of "Bridget Jones's Diary," "Notting Hill," or "Four Weddings," but once around was certainly fine, and I might try it again. Not all the storylines in his multi-story lovefest were equally sustainable; one might have wished for half the number of stories and significantly more time devoted to the better ones, but the truth is, one never quite gets as much of Hugh Grant or Colin Firth or Emma Thompson as one wants, so perhaps it didn't really matter that their characters' screen time was diluted by some lesser adventures. In any event, the ride was fun, several funny moments were quite memorable, and it was particularly enjoyable to see Bill Nighy let loose again in his patented, unchained, not-dead-yet persona. The adorable little kid is Hugh Grant's cousin, who already has many film credits to his name. Look out, next generation! He's a heartbreaker-in-waiting.