Review of Love Actually (2003) by Isaac J — 25 Dec 2018

"If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around". These lines famously open Richard Curtis' feel-good festive romcom, which was become somewhat of a seasonal classic for British audiences, providing a stellar cast who give us a look at the ins and outs of a myriad of relationships in the leadup to Christmas.

There is certainly a reason why Love Actually has become such a yuletide classic; one cannot fault it for its goodwill and the ability of its cast to charm and captivate. Hugh Grant, a long time collaborator with Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill), takes a vaguely designated lead as a bachelor Prime Minister. providing his usual effortless charm, even with a script less sagacious or funny than in other Curtis outings. Other key stars include Emma Thompson, who makes use of the little she is given to produce a surprisingly profound performance and Bill Nighy, whose has-been rock star is a scene-stealing foulmouth, lending the film its biggest laughs. The film is not consistently hilarious, with some scenes and storylines falling a little flat, but when Love Actually hits comic gold (such as through an expertly timed Rowan Atkinson cameo), it is clever and enjoyable, sweet, but never excessively so.

Though you cannot fault Love Actually on the entertainment ground, the film's mistakes lie remarkably clear. It is somewhat like an Advent Calendar; full of one too many morsels, which whilst not unpleasant (sometimes even quite tasty) are often too quickly finished and lacking in substance. Love Actually is far too overstuffed with too many storylines, many of which seem to resolve almost as soon as they start. Curtis' futile attempts to link them only succeed in more confusion; there's a little too much tokenistic dialogue and direction from a man who we have seen execute this genre far better.

All this aside however. the sheer warmth and fuzziness of Love Actually cannot be faulted and, while it may not be as technically sound as his other movies, Curtis' Christmas cracker of a feel-good film is not undeserving of its coveted spot as a festive favourite.

I.