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Love Actually (2003)

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6 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

Eight or nine plotlets, a castlist the size of a rugby scrum. Whatever persuaded first-time director Curtis that he could handle this lot, we can only hope that a hype-happy press and the biggest audience money can buy won't persuade him he's carried it off. This is an embarrassment, an overdrawn rom-com gone very wrong. Alternately sentimental and silly, it aims wide, and misses. On the one hand, we have Neeson comforting his lovesick 11-year-old; Linney with a loony in her attic; and Knightley as a newlywed with a not-so-secret admirer - none of whom is remotely funny. On the other, there's Firth as a jilted writer failing to communicate with his comely Eastern European maid; a couple of movie stand-ins bonking; and McCutcheon as Number Ten's tealady, catching the eye of Grant's PM (even Tony Blair looks credible in comparison). Hard to decide which mini-sitcom is most ludicrous, but it's clear the broader canvas hasn't afforded Curtis a longer perspective on society. His upper middle class twits have no more depth than his lower middle class twats. Stranded in this boutique confection are two stand-out performances: Emma Thompson is genuinely touching as the wife of philandering Alan Rickman; and Bill Nighy has a ball as an old rocker with a Christmas comeback single - a record no more crass or pre-packaged than this shameless yuletide schmaltz.

Author: TCh

Time Out Film Guide

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User reviews of this film

chris said...

Posted on Nov 30 2011 19:06 ...there's Firth as a jilted writer failing to communicate with his comely Eastern European maid... DID YOU EVEN WATCH THE MOVIE??? the maid is from Portugal, not Eastern Europe. firth tries to speak Portuguese, not russian. next time do your homework!

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Elizabeth said...

Posted on Sep 09 2011 17:13 I LOVED this movie. Thought provoking. I GOT IT....the message. I was jumping up & down with joy & cried so hard. The ending rates with one of the best I have ever seen.

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giselle said...

Posted on Mar 01 2011 22:10 Have you even watch this film? Just like Andrew said, maybe you just don't understand irony and satire

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pinoy said...

Posted on May 12 2009 07:59 The only decent review I've seen of this movie said "I didn't like it until I started crying". That just about sums it up, People like to judge, categorise, criticise and somewhere in the middle of all of that, the point of the movie hits home. Love is different things to different people. The reason that this movie is 10 (or so) vignettes is that somewhere in that melee there is a version of love that each of us can relate to. Why do people see Richard Curtis and Hugh Grant and instantly adjudge the movie to be a romantic comedy, and then to adjudge it as a failure. It's an examination of love from multiple angles. Even the scene with Rowan Atkinson was first and foremost about the anguish of the philandering husband rather than the innate comedy of Mr Atkinson,
If you didn't like this movie, I strongly suggest you leave your stereotypes at the door and watch it again.

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Tom said...

Posted on Dec 23 2008 00:18 So how is portugal in Eastern Europe? It would be nice to think that a filmwould actually pay attention to the content of the film that they're reviewin before passing judgement. If only...

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andrew said...

Posted on Aug 04 2008 20:26 So many people miss the point of the film. It is meant to make fun of itself...that's why it's a comedy. It's not meant to be realistic. then again, I've always maintained that your ability to appreciate comedy is directly realted to your IQ. If you didn't find this film funny, maybe you just don'thave the brains to understand irony and satire.

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