LOVE ACTUALLY

  Plot Summary

Love is all around...  Juliet (Keira Knightley) and Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor) have just got married. The best man is in love with the bride. Jamie (Colin Firth), who was at the wedding, discovers that his wife is having an affair. Meanwhile there's a new British Prime Minster (Hugh Grant) who is distracted by the tea lady (Martine McCutcheon). The Prime Minister's sister (Emma Thompson) is wondering now stable her marriage is. Her husband Harry (Alan Rickman) is being pursued by his secretary...

Review

The movie is made up of a series of intertwined relationship/love stories. There are about 10 different stories unfolding at the same time and the movie jumps from one to another and back again. Some of the stories interconnect at different stages. The movie handles them all very well but obviously with so much going on there isn't time to go into too much detail and some of the characters are under-developed. Because the movie has a lot of stories to tell it moves along at a steady pace and if you not enjoying one part you know it won't be long before the movie changes direction again.

Even though 'Love' is the theme of the movie, not all the stories end up happy. Most of the relationships end up "happy-ever-after" but there is also a hint of realism when some of the relationships break up, while others never get started.  

There is plenty of humour which has an easy, natural quality to it, which is great because many comedies can appear "forced" as if everyone is trying a bit too hard to be funny. The humour in this movie is similar to that in Bridget Jones's Diary or About A Boy.

A great cast play the many different characters in the movie. Screen time is shared fairly evenly between the big names. Hugh Grant plays the new British Prime Minister. He has become stereotyped as the single middle-aged man who is hopeless at relationships. He is less dithery this time and there is an interesting bit when he stands up to the American President who is on a visit to Britain. Hugh Grant does this type of character very well and he is, once again, likeable in the role. Martine McCutcheon plays the tea lady at Downing Street who catches the Prime Minister's eye.

Colin Firth's character, Jamie, discovers that his wife is having an affair and to get over this he goes to France to write a book and falls for his Portuguese cleaning lady.

Keira Knightley is making a name for herself, since her appearance in the low budget hit Bend It Like Beckham she starred in the blockbuster Pirates Of The Caribbean. Here she plays the part of newlywed Juliet.

Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman and Liam Neeson all play their part in the movie with stories of their own.

The Bottom Line: If romance and relationships isn't your thing stay clear of this but it's one of the best romantic comedies this year. If you enjoy Love Actually you might also like: Bridget Jones's Diary,  About A Boy, or  Wimbledon.

Reviewed by Niall Quinn, Premier Movie Reviews, 2004

RELATED MOVIE REVIEWS:  HUGH GRANT:  About A Boy,  Two Weeks Notice,  Bridget Jones's Diary.  COLIN FIRTH:  Bridget Jones's Diary,  Girl With A Pearl Earring.  ALAN RICKMAN:  Harry Potter and The Chamber Of Secrets,  Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone,  Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban.  EMMA THOMPSON:  Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban.  LIAM NEESON:  Gangs Of New York.  KEIRA KNIGHTLY:  Bend It Like Beckham,  Pure,  King Arthur,  Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.  LAURA LINNEY:  The Life of David Gale,  The Mothman Prophecies,  Mystic River.

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Certificate: 15's

Director: Richard Curtis

~ Main Cast ~

Hugh Grant

Martine McCutcheon

Colin Firth

Emma Thompson

Alan Rickman

Liam Neeson

Keira Knightley

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Laura Linney

Bill Nighy

Andrew Lincoln

Thomas Sangster

RATING

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