Although Hollywood has produced a lot of memorable feel good comedies most of them tend to be raunchy comedies or teen movies unless it’s something like "Jerry McGuire".Love Actually can’t be termed a Hollywood product as it has a predominantly British cast and deals with the lives of contemporary Londoners.Written and directed by Richard Curtis whose other accomplishments include Notting Hill, Four weddings and a funeral has done a terrific job in squeezing in so many stories in a single movie that one never feels jumbled up rather enjoys each and every story for it’s own special uniqueness.
The film as told earlier is set in contemporary London with just about a month to go for Christmas.It depicts the lives of a variety of people from different strata of society and having totally different issues in their love lives.
Hugh Grant plays a newly elected Prime minister who after setting into 10 Downing street falls for the charms of one of his staff members.He plays the perfect British hero when he decides to give it back to the visiting US president when he catches his guest trying to take advantage of his lady love.(This I am sure will never happen in real life, I mean the UK PM taking on the US President)
Although he tries to avoid contact with her afterwards, come Christmas and gathers the courage to go upto her and express his love.
Billy Nigh(my favourite of all the characters) plays a rock star of yester years who is trying to make a come back to the charts with his Christmas single Love is all around you(which is actually the soul of the movie).But his penchant for super funny remarks lands his manager into a lot of embarassment all the time.Come Christmas he actually tops the charts and performs the song stark naked(As promised by him) and expresses his gratitude for his manager in his own special way though.
Colin Firth plays a writer who falls in love with his Portuguese maid in France where he stays while writing his next novel.Although they both can’t understand each other’s languages they talk a lot and develop a strong affinity towards each other.Whe he comes back to England he enrolls himself to learn Portuguese and come Christmas sets off to France again and proposes to her in front of her rather hostile community only to realize that she has also started to learn English and equally in love with him.
Liam Nesson plays a widower left with a 11 year old step son who always keeps to himself and seems very disturbed by something.He finally gets to know that it isnt actually his mother’s death so much as it is falling in love that has made his son occupied in grief.They eventually come up with a plan where the kid learns music and come Christmas impresses his girl and Liam gets to meet his old crush Claudia Schiffer.
Alan Rickman plays a boss giving in to the seductive advances of his secretary but getting his wife(Emma Thompson) terribly hurt in the process as she gets to know about his betrayal.But come Cristmas he realizes his mistake and she forgives him(well sort of) .
Keira Knightley plays a newly married wife but gets to realize later that his husband’s best friend who always behaved a bit rudely with her is actually is in love with her.Come Christmas and Mark, her silent lover finally expresses himself in one of the best proposals I have ever seen in a movie.(Must see for all the boys who still can’t figure out how to propose to their lady love)
Last but not the least Kris Marshall plays Colleen who is the funniest of all the characters.He pools up all his money to go to America and sees all his fantasies come true one after another.
Rowan Atkinson(Mr Bean) makes an appearance as well and takes the concept of gift wrapping to another level altogether.
All these characters are loosely related and the editing is superbly done where the viewer never really looses touch with any of the stories.The film is filled with hillarious one liners and comic sequences that is sure to lighten up anyone.Another great thing about the movie is the narration with which it starts and ends showing real pictures taken in Heathrow airport.The narrator explains how Love Actually is all around.All in all a great weekend watch with friends if you are feeling a bit gloomy and down.