Typically English, typically Curtis

Rating: 9/10 (14 August 2004)

*****THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY NO SPOILERS IN THIS!*****
This is a beautiful little piece about the loves and lives of about 15 interwoven characters in the lead up to Christmas. It explores love, lust, greed, jealously, betrayal and why humans get knocked down but they'll get up again all for the sake of love.
The opening scene says all really (NO SPOILERS! :-) ) it shows shots of people coming from the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport, running from the barriers into the loving arms of the partners, friends and family. Hugh Grant (who I dislike but his performance is great!) says over the pictures
"General opinion is starting to make out that we live in a word of hatred and greed. But I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often it's not particularly dignified of newsworthy. Fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the twin towers as far as I know none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge.
They were all messages of love. If you look for it I've got a sneaky feeling that you'll actually find that Love Actually Is All Around"
I cannot fault the casting or any of the performances in this movie but the outstanding members of cast are surely Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, Andrew Lincoln (who made me bawl!) Hugh Grant, Billy Bob Thornton and the young Thomas Sangster whose performance was surprisingly good for someone so young.
Why should you see this movie? Because there's no cynicism, just a beautiful piece about putting your heart on the line for love and the lengths people will go to to get it. The humour and wit is very English (which, personally, I love) and it will make you laugh and cry  and with so many stories it's constantly fast paced and doesn't drag. Also there's some lovely scenery of London with all the Christmas lights!
I think the main thing is not to go in feeling cynical, be prepared to get mushy and just enjoy it for the entertainment it is about love in the 21st century.