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Love Actually (2003)


Love Actually (2003)


6/10


Starring
Alan Rickman
Bill Nighy
Colin Firth
Emma Thompson
Hugh Grant
Laura Linney
Liam Neeson
Martine McCutcheon
Rowan Atkinson


Directed by Richard Curtins


Writing a review of Love Actually is easy, but penning down the plot without giving away spoilers—that can be hard. But don’t worry, no spoilers here. Love Actually has, in many ways, become one of those movies you’ll catch on TV during Christmas. It’s beautiful, well-written, and does justice to the many stories it carries, loosely linking them together.

The movie is finely tuned. It places each story in a section of life that you can relate to, which makes the movie even more charming. The cast is perfectly suited for their roles, making the entire journey worth every minute.

The movie has about nine stories happening simultaneously, and the way Richard Curtis crafted it, it’s not hard to follow. We have Billy, a fading musician, who covers a song he dislikes. His manager, wanting to make the song a hit, promotes it heavily.

Next, there’s a story about a young woman getting married to her man, while the best man secretly harbors a huge crush on her and wishes she were his.

Another story follows Jamie, who finds out his wife is having an affair when he unexpectedly comes home early. He retreats to a secluded place and starts developing feelings for the housekeeper.

Then there’s the tale of Harry (played by the late Alan Rickman), a married man with a wandering eye. He wants to have an affair with his secretary, Mia, but his plans keep getting tangled up by a bumbling store clerk (Rowan Atkinson).

The very awkward story of the British Prime Minister and the American president both involves a crush on a lady named Natalie, who works at 10 Downing Street. The Prime Minister has feelings for her, but the American president seems to think he owns everything and flirts with her.

The story of Sarah is a bit sad, as we see her life being overshadowed by her care for her mentally ill brother. But this Christmas, she decides to care for herself as well and allows a man into her heart.

The funny tale of John and Judy is about two people acting out a sex scene in a film, who end up falling for each other.

These are the main love stories in the movie, though there are other stories that didn’t hit home for me but were still funny.

The movie opens by paying homage to those who died in the 9/11 plane crashes before diving into the various love and comedic stories of people trying to get their lives together. The movie also takes some jabs at the political climate of the time.

As Richard Curtis wrote the screenplay and made his directorial debut here, the movie was a huge box office success. Although critics were divided, many audiences, including me, loved it.

I’ve seen Love Actually so many times in my life that I’ve lost count. I wonder if that’s the same for you.

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