A Nice and Sweet British Holiday Film - Love Actually (Spoiler’s Alert)

     I mentioned this film in last week’s post to make sure you understand the absolute horror of He’s Just Not That into You. Afterwards I thought “hey I really don’t remember what happened in Love Actually” and I was just throwing out words that I am not even sure about. So this week I watched Love Actually, for the third time in my life and… still liked it. Let’s break down its choreography.

     Rather than calling it a comedy drama, which is what it is on IMDb, I’d rather call it a romantic comedy, what it actually is. I absolutely hate romantic comedy, at least most of them. They always render themselves as brainless and commonplace instead of how they are supposed to be like – light-hearted and sweet. But Love Actually, actually pulled it off, and made me love it. There are eight story lines in the film and all of them are intertwined. They are all so split apart that I cannot summarize the stories in the order of their appearance. I will tell one story completely, comment on it, and move on to the next one.

     Rock star Billy Mack and his comeback cover of "Love Is All Around" aired weeks before Christmas. He is too old, too has-been to do such a thing and he knows it himself. Completely giving up on the promotion, he goes on shows and trashes his own record, causing his manager, Joe, to fret. Later Billy promised to strip naked in front of the nation if his song becomes the nation’s number one single, and it did. He goes Sir Elton John’s party, but realized how the true love of his life is Joe and suggests that he and Joe celebrate Christmas by getting drunk and watching porn. This is the sweetest story among all and creates the most laughter in the audience. The movie starts with Billy Mack singing “love is all around” and set the main theme by introducing this hilarious pair of old friends. He are beyond real, but also unveils the true circumstance is show business – crazy, lucrative, blinding. It ends with the sweetest ending too. My favorite story in the film.

     Juliet and Peter just had their wedding and Juliet is asking Peter’s friend, Mark, for the videos he taped on the wedding day. She goes to his house in search for the tape, unaware of Mark’s secret love for her. The video is full of her close-ups and reveals his crush. Juliet thought he doesn't like her because he behaves in an indifferent, unfriendly way when he is around her. Mark confesses to her on Christmas day and Juliet gives him a kiss in return. This story is not intriguing or very entertaining. But the highlight is when Juliet charges into the studio and watched the tape. The editing is very emotional and I considered it a wonderful climax of the film.

     Writer Jamie found his girlfriend sleeping with his brother after going to Juliet and Peter’s wedding. Jamie decides to take a break and engage in writing to forget about this in a foreign, quiet place. He met Portuguese housekeeper Aurélia at his vacation cottage who speaks only Portuguese. They had great chemistry and after the parted they both realized that they are actually… in love with each other. They starts to learn the other language and Jamie proposed to her on Christmas Eve. This story has a defect because it is unreal and built up only for the purpose of romance. 

     Harry buys his secretary Mia an expensive necklace and his wife Karen found the gift when searching his pocket. She assumed the necklace was for her. Meanwhile, she is preparing kids for the school Nativity play. Her brother is David, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Her friend Daniel, who she met because Daniel’s son goes to the same schools as her kids, just lost his wife. Before she sends the kids to the play on Christmas Eve, she unwrapped his husband’s gift and found out that it was not the necklace. Later she confronts Harry and Harry admits his foolishness. This story is kinda like the tie of most of the stories in the film and not particularly good.

     Karen's brother David, the British Prime Minister David unconsciously fell for Natalie, a staff member at 10 Downing Street. David bumped into the U.S. President attempting to seduce Natalie, and he has her redistributed. Unable to hide his feelings for her, he finds Natalie at her house went to the nativity play with them. They were kissing backstage when the curtain raised. They waved to the audience at the end of the film. This storyline is the absolute worst if you take it too seriously. The diplomatic strategy used by the two heads of state was atrocious and ignorant. The love story is not believable either and is in the movie just to make up the numbers.

     Daniel, Karen's friend, found his stepson Sam in love with his American classmate Joanna. Sam conjured up a plan to use his music talent to attract the attention of Joanna’s. The plan failed but Daniel convinces Sam that he must go catch his last chance as Joanna is returning to the US. The boy made it, after breaking through the security at the airport, and got his first kiss in life. This story is made to be cute and did its job. The young actor puts on a very impressive and authentic performance.

     Sarah was also at Juliet and Peter's wedding, sitting next to her friend Jamie. She has been in love with the company's creative director, Karl. Karl was apparently also into her as he danced and showed feelings for her at a party. They date was unfortunately interrupted by Sarah’s mentally ill brother, who she gives up her love for. The performance of the actress was significant and gave a rather somber veil to this jovial movie. 

     There are two more minor story lines of a British guy trying to date American girls and also two body doubles for sex scenes opt for a relationship. The two stories are both full of mild British humor and were entertaining.

            

     The movie starts and ends with people hugging each other at the airport, which is really just another way of saying “love is everywhere”. The director is really smart at not trying too hard. Unlike most storied with multiple story lines, Love Actually is not striving for intricacy, or strong emotional impact, but simplicity. The story is telling us love is everywhere, and that’s really all it try to say – Love is everywhere. A very successful holiday movie and although some stories are sloppily made, the short span of each story actually helped to reduce the evidence of hastiness. 

All images retrieved from IMDb.com