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2003
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LOVE
ACTUALLY
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STARRING:ROWAN
ATKINSON,CHIWETEL EJIOFOR,COLIN FIRTH,GREGOR FISCHER,MARTIN FREEMAN,HUGH
GRANT,KEIRA KNIGHTLY,ANDREW LINCOLN,LAURA LINNEY,HEIKE MAKATSCH,KRIS
MARSHALL,MARTINE MCCUTCHEON,LUCIA MONIZ,LIAM NEESON,BILL NIGHY,JOANNA
PAGE, ALAN RICKMAN,ABDUL SALIS,THOMAS SANGSTER,RODRIGO SANTORO,EMMA
THOMPSON,BILLY BOB THORNTON
WRITTEN
BY RICHARD CURTIS
PRODUCED
BY TIM BEVAN,ERIC FELLNER & DUNCAN KENWORTHY
DIRECTED
BY RICHARD CURTIS
GENRE:COMEDY/ROMANCE/DRAMA
RATED:AUSTRALIA:M/UK:15/USA:R
RUNNING
TIME:135 MIN
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Written
and directed by Richard Curtis - who wrote the screenplays for
Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill and
Bridget Jones's Diary - Love Actually comes off
as the ultimate romantic comedy, a Robert Altman-esque, multi-themed
collage of love stories set amongst the backdrop of a frantic 5 weeks
before Christmas in London, England.
Starring a broad ensemble of veteran and young talent, the movie features
several loosely intertwined sub plots; a has been rock star (Bill
Nighy) tries to reclaim his former glory with the help of his long
suffering manager (Gregory Fischer); a recently widowed husband (Liam
Neeson) bonds with his step son (Thomas Sangster) as they think up
a plan to woo the popular girl at school; a newly married couple (Chiwetel
Ejiofor and Keira Knightly) do not know that the groom's best man
(Andrew Lincoln) is in love with the bride; a novelist (Colin Firth)
is shocked to find his girlfriend is sleeping with his brother, but
finds love again with his Portuguese housekeeper (Lucia Moniz); a
cocky young man (Kris Marshall) who can't find a girl in England travels
to Wisconsin, America with aspirations of love; an awkward courtship
develops between two movie star sex scene stand ins (Martin Freeman
and Joanna Page); an American office assistant (Laura Linney) who
is responsible for her mentally ill brother, decides to reveal her
true feelings to the man of her dreams (Rodrigo Santaro); a married
man (Alan Rickman) contemplates cheating on his wife (Emma Thompson)
with his secretary (Heike Makatsch); and the newly appointed Prime
Minister of England (Hugh Grant) falls for a much younger member of
his staff (Martine McCautcheon.)
The message found in Love Actually is pretty self evident.
It shows that love is all around, and that it is shared between family,
friends and lovers. It overcomes borders and languages, can be lost,
found, unattainable, and can be joyous as well as painful and heartbreaking.
The movie features some of the best and more popular modern British
actors, as well as two of the better American thesps in Laura Linney
and Billy Bob Thornton, who cameo's as the President of the United
States (which he plays to sleaze ball perfection). Bill Nighy is excellent,
as is Hugh Grant who has firmly established himself as the romantic
leading man of his generation. Emma Thompson and Liam Neeson also
give stellar performances.
Curtis' screenplay is great, flowing easily on the big screen and
not at all overbearing considering the number of characters involved.
I particularly loved the storylines involving Liam Neeson and Laura
Linney, since their dilemmas are one's rarely seen in cinema. And
the dead pan humour found within the sex scene stand in scenes are
very funny.
There are times when it gets to be a little to over the top - Kris
Marshall wondering into any bar U.S.A. and scoring several beautiful
women (played by Elisa Cuthbert, Shannon Elizabeth and Denise Richards
amongst others) on the strength of his English accent comes across
as very silly and unbelievable - and its penchant for getting a bit
too sappy and sickly sweet can irritate. But overall, Love Actually
is a heart warming and touching romantic comedy. |
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