Love Actually follows the stories of a series of interconnected Londoners in the lead up to Christmas as they wrestle with life, love and the festive season.
This is one of the most iconic modern Christmas films and one that we do end up watching pretty much every Christmas. There are lots of reasons why it probably should have endured as well as it did. Some of the storylines are incredibly questionable. The one where Colin (Kris Marshall) goes to Wisconsin to shag American girls and a bunch of women literally fall over legs open, is just awful. Also Mark’s (Andrew Lincoln) behaviour towards Juliet (Keira Knightley) is not romantic, it is very creepy.
It’s not the nativity without the squid
On the other hand there are some great storylines. The relationship between Daniel (Liam Neeson) and his stepson, Sam (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) as they try to cope with the loss of Sam’s mother, is very special. There’s also the very sad but very real interactions between Harry (Alan Rickman), his wife Karen (Emma Thompson) and the co-worker he fancies. Plus you can easily argue that Hugh Grant’s take on the Prime Minister is considerably more qualified than Theresa May… but then so is a potato.
If you can pick the gold from the shit and let yourself be sucked into the feeling of, hey it’s Christmas and timelines are irrelevant then it’s perfect for this time of year. Just don’t look too closely.
3.5/5
abbiosbiston 
Yes, you’re so right about this one!
The particular thing that does my head in in the *constant* fat-shaming of Martine McCutceon… who is so not fat at all in this movie. Arrrgh!
It is silly that she’s thought of as anything other than normal size.
Harmless fluff in many ways. I wouldn’t watch it from choice, but if it’s on…
Best wishes, Pete.
It is very much a bit of fluff and pretty inoffensive.
It’s funny that this holiday treat is all about stereotypes and the shameless, abuses of love and yet I always feel happier after watching it. I love the entire cast. I cry every time Emma T. listens to Joni Mitchell and has to hide the crushing blow of her husband’s infidelity. (Miss you, Alan Rickman!) I think Hugh is great and also laugh at the presumption that the girls in Milwaukee are sex kittens. One thing is this true. We love the British accent! It makes you all sound exotic. 🙂
Merry Christmas, Abbi, and all my best to Mr. and Little O.
That’s the thing when you are a parent… there is no time to catch your breath no matter what else is happening.
I will let you in on a secret… I don’t have a British accent… I’m South African. I’ve lived here 13 1/2 years and it’s softened around the edges but I still very much have my original accent.
Christmas ain’t christmas without this movie! I just love it 😀
It has got a little bit of magic, hasn’t it?
I was always suprised there wasn’t more annoyance/anger/frustration at that pretty lazy storyline. Hardly flattering to American girls.
Maybe because the caricature is so over the top people can laugh about it. I don’t think it’s funny though.
I don’t either. Just surprised there isn’t more of a fallout to it.