Love Actually (2003)

Directed by: Richard Curtis | 134 minutes | drama, comedy, romance | Actors: Hugh Grant, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Laura Linney, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, January Jones, Martin Freeman, Rowan Atkinson, Martine McCutcheon, Andrew Lincoln, Bill Nighy, Chris Marshall, Keira Knightley, Rodrigo Santoro, Billy Bob Thornton Chiwetel Ejiofor, Denise Richards, Elisha Cuthbert, Ivana Milicevic, Shannon Elizabeth, Thomas Sangster, William Wadham

Love comes in all shapes and sizes. True love, silent love, impossible love, old love, extramarital love, platonic love. Love between brother and sister, love between parent and child. Precisely because of its diversity, love is a rewarding subject for artists (and certainly not just for the romantics among them). Filmmaker Richard Curtis – author of traditional British comedies such as ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’ (1994) and ‘Notting Hill’ (1999) – pays tribute to love in ‘Love Actually’ (2003) and shows her in all her facets. Not shying away from the dramatic side of love, this romantic comedy follows a group of Londoners leading up to the ultimate time to spend with your loved one: Christmas. The different storylines intersect here and there and come together at the end. One story is sugary sweet, the other bittersweet and the third downright cynical. However, we never get off the pink cloud, because ‘Love Actually’ is a feel-good movie made of the purest water.

A story with so many different characters and storylines is difficult to summarize. Moreover, you can easily reveal too much if you elaborate too broadly about the events. It is therefore no easy task to give a short introduction to the main characters. Christmas is approaching and former rock star Billy Mack (Bill Nighy) tries to revive his career with a dragon from a Christmas record. However, Billy’s rebellious behavior during promotional activities does not work in his favor. While he doesn’t seem to care much for Christmas, there are others who use this time of year for special occasions. Juliet (Keira Knightley) and Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor), for example, who have decided to get married just now. A Christmas party at work provides the saucy Mia (Heike Makatsch) with an opportunity to woo her boss (Alan Rickman). For others, it’s a lot harder to spend the holidays with their great love: Sarah (Laura Linney) and John (Martin Freeman) both struggle in their own way with the question of how to manage their colleague, whom they are secretly in love with. to approach. And even the new Prime Minister of Great Britain (Hugh Grant) is distracted by the charming tea lady Natalie (Martine McCutcheon) from an important meeting with the American president (Billy Bob Thornton).

Others are reminded of old soreness at this time of year. Writer Jamie (Colin Firth) caught his girlfriend in bed with his brother and flees to the south of France to focus on his work. Portuguese housekeeper Aurelia (Lucia Moniz) soon offers a distraction. Daniel’s (Liam Neeson) wife recently passed away and he now has to make do with his stepson Sam (Thomas Sangster). The two grow closer, but not in the way Daniel expects. Juliet and Peter’s wedding is not a happy event for everyone. Especially Peter’s best friend Mark (Andrew Lincoln) has a hard time with it. Usually a beacon of tranquility for those around her, Karen (Emma Thompson) makes a disturbing discovery and feels her familiar, homely environment slowly slip from beneath her. Nevertheless, for many, Christmas remains above all a time of hope. For example, for Colin (Kris Marshall), a nervous dreamer who doesn’t have much success with British women and therefore decides to spend the holidays in America. They must love his funny accent there!

The lives of all these people will change dramatically in the run up to Christmas. Richard Curtis knows how to connect all the characters in a natural way and let the storylines flow into each other in a fluid way. The great strength of ‘Love Actually’ is the fact that it makes so many different characters come to life. While there are stories that will make the enamel pop off your teeth, sweet as they are, Curtis brings back the balance by alternating with a cynical note. The biggest supplier of those witty, typical British one-liners is Bill Nighy. Humorous moments are also provided by Hugh Grant, Martin Freeman, Joanna Page and Rowan Atkinson, who makes two cameo appearances. The dramatic storylines are generally more effective because they capture the viewer’s imagination more. Everyone can imagine how someone feels when they find out that their partner is cheating. We’ve all had a quiet love. Curtis can certainly build on his fantastic cast in the dramatic segment, which is carried by veterans such as Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman and Liam Neeson. Laura Linney and Andrew Lincoln also provide emotional highlights, in which we almost feel their hearts breaking. Their characters are touching, insecure and vulnerable and try to stay strong. Moreover, they are realistic: they could live right down the street from you.

The cinematography in ‘Love Actually’ is warm and atmospheric, as you would expect from a Christmas film. Not spectacular, but certainly decent. Craig Armstrong’s beautiful score is here and there drowned out by an all too present soundtrack. Fortunately, it ends appropriately with the truly beautiful ‘God Only Knows’ by The Beach Boys. The music contributes to the optimism and warmth that this film radiates. Richard Curtis forges together as many aspects of love as possible into a kaleidoscopic whole, in which reality and fantasy stand side by side. A wonderful combination that turns out surprisingly well. Love Actually is the ideal movie to watch when you’re feeling miserable, because it reminds you that – even when you’re gripped by pain and uncertainty – love is always around you. As long as you keep your eyes open. That realization alone will make you feel a lot better after watching this movie!