In my own world, Love Actually (Richard Curtis, 2003) requires no defence regarding its merits as a brilliant holiday film, especially worth the watch at this time of year. However, the movie has long been the centre of a controversial debate. Of course, the reasons behind some audiences’ unfavourable reviews are not so unreasonable; I can personally see both sides of the argument, even though I am a devout fan. Although cinema is very much subjective, critical opinions execute an effective job of guiding our opinions, or at least what our opinions should be, and so would have us believe that Love Actually is pretty terrible. Such criticism stems from views that the story is ridiculous, messy and unrealistic. But to that, I urge those to remember that it is a movie, and a Christmas romantic comedy at that, which incorporates the formula of many films of its kind. It poses to be feel-good and a fun watch; it doesn’t endeavour to make a big stand or social commentary…well, except for its manifesto that “love actually is all around”, which is a fairly nice thing to take from a movie during the season of Christmas. Alas, my steadfast disagreement with dismissive reviews may not accomplish much in the eyes of some, so I therefore decided to list some reasons why Love Actually is *actually* one of my favourite Christmas movies.
The Cast
Love Actually is one of the many films that incorporate a huge ensemble cast, a concept that usually detracts from most works – as in Valentine’s Day (Gary Marshall, 2010), New Year’s Eve (Gary Marshall, 2011). Some may find that this concept overcrowds the film more than anything, leaving little time for character development. Although I believe we can understand each character fairly well, there are of course some things left unexplained, and to the imagination of viewers. But I think it is the different situations, rather than just the characters themselves, that audiences are encouraged to focus on. The many subplots which consist of characters of different backgrounds, social standings, occupations, and environments that come together to determine the main plot – which astutely focuses on the many different kinds of love in these people’s lives, at a time that can be extremely difficult, underscoring why this love is so vital. The big names of Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Liam Neeson, Hugh Grant, and Keira Knightley (to name a few) are factors that attract audiences from the get go. Even though the constant switches from character to character may appear messy to some, I think it effectively represents how hectic the lives of these characters are, and how crazy this time of year can be. It is definitely an aspect of the movie which we can all easily see in ourselves.
The Soundtrack
The blending of classic pop and classical orchestral music makes for a very satisfying musical experience – my favourite being Craig Armstrong’s beautiful “Love Theme Suite”, which perfectly encapsulates the nervous excitement, and triumphant emotions of Colin Firth and Thomas Brodie-Sangster’s characters in their quest to declare their love. Another high point is The Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows”, which brings the film to a satisfying conclusion, as we see the many tearful reunions of loved ones in an airport setting, reiterating the movie’s objective to explore how, if you dare look for it, love can be found in a multitude of places.
Rowan Atkinson’s Comedic Performance
The scene in which Harry (Alan Rickman) attempts to secretly purchase a gift for his co-worker, unbeknownst to his wife, is ridiculed by the employee, Rufus (Rowan Atkinson), who serves him at the jewellery concession stand, executing an excessive concern for detail while wrapping Harry’s chosen gift. While extremely funny, it is also quite bittersweet when we remember who this present is for, and whom it will likely hurt in the process. The many elements involved in the gift-wrapping, along with Harry’s nervous-agitation against Rufus’ ignorance to the delicate situation, remain hysterical (albeit in a fairly sad way). One cannot help but consider that the amount of difficulty Harry undergoes demonstrates why his actions are wrong, and foreshadows how this scheme will not work out in his favour. If what he is doing requires such a strenuous effort to keep under wraps, and he seems to be actively aware that his actions are wrong, why does he proceed? There isn’t one clear answer, but it very much inspires careful consideration of the thought process behind any affair.
Karen’s Realisation
Probably one of the most heart-breaking scenes in the film is Karen’s (Emma Thompson) suspicion that her husband (Alan Rickman) is having an affair with his office assistant. This realisation is demonstrated through Karen’s startled expression when she unwraps what she assumes will be the gold necklace that she recently found in her husband’s coat, but turns out to be a Joni Mitchell CD. Hiding her pain from her family, she retreats to her bedroom in tears, listening to Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” as she attempts to come to terms with this painful betrayal. Thompson’s portrayal of Karen’s heart-rending state is extremely raw and impossible not to extract an emotional response, perhaps bringing to surface the actress’ real-life experience when her husband Kenneth Branagh cheated on her. Hereby, although so much love can be discovered throughout the film, audiences also encounter the loss of love and the vulnerability it invites, echoed later in Karen’s speech in which she confronts her husband, asking him what he would do in her situation, saying if she were to stay with him “life would always be a little bit worse”. This is also identifiable in the character of Daniel (Liam Neeson) with the death of his wife. The extreme pain he undergoes is clear, both in coming to terms with what this loss means for him, as well as for his step-son who has lost his mother. However, the ending is apparently more positive for these two, as they bravely keep their hearts open to love.
Big Gestures
The emotion of love and the season of Christmas, likewise invite people to make big gestures to show people what they mean to them, and this is an aspect of this movie which is really heartfelt and swoon-worthy to watch. Some examples of this include the Prime Minister’s (Hugh Grant) door-to-door search for Natalie (Martine McCutcheon), and Jamie’s (Colin Firth) endeavours to learn Portuguese so that he can communicate his affections to Aurelia (Sienna Guillory). Through these actions, we see the power wielded by love and what it makes people do for that love. This, against the Christmas background, is extremely difficult to not enjoy in at least some way.
These different elements of Love Actually are what always come to mind when I think of this movie. They are the parts I anticipate most while watching, and make me smile, laugh, and cry every time. I completely understand that it is not for everyone, but it has infamously proved to be a Christmas classic, and rightly so: it is an accurate display of the craziness of life and love and everything in between, reminding us how important each friendship, family bond, and loved one is – but also details that, with the many joys of Christmas, there can also exist pain and heartbreak. I understand that people find pleasure in pointing out the flaws of films, but when it comes to Christmas movies, I think we should all relax and not take things too seriously. Just let people enjoy their cheesy holiday favourites.
