Love Actually

How many of you guys remember this sequence from Love Actually where Mark (Andrew Lincoln) tells Juliet (Keira Knightley) what he truly feels about her.  It is titled – To Me You Are Perfect - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7u6bMBlCXw.  If you haven’t seen the movie, watch the clip and you will rush to the nearest store to get your hands on the DVD.

Love Actually, can easily make its way into the top 5 RomComs of all time.  It is the debut directorial effort of Richard Curtis who is known best for writing a couple of other great RomComs – Notting Hill and Four Weddings and a Funeral.  Funnily, he has also written the Mr. Bean series.  But if anyone can write a British RomCom (and they are undeniably the good ones), it is Richard Curtis. 

 

There are 8 stories intertwined through this beautiful movie.  I am going to try and see if I can get them connected in the right order.  There is Billy Mack (Bill Nighy) who is an aged rock star desperately trying to stay alive with a remake of “Love is all around”.  It is downright hilarious but full points to Nighy for making it look real – what an actor!!!

 

It then seamlessly moves into Daniel (Liam Neeson) who has just lost his wife and is struggling with his son who is in love with a girl in his school.  Daniel is good friends with Karen (Emma Thompson) who is married to Harry (Alan Rickman).  Harry’s secretary has her eyes on him and is sparing no effort in the seduction.

 

Karen’s brother is David (Hugh Grant) who has just moved into 10 Downing.  He is single and takes a fancy for Natalie (Martine McCutcheon) who is a member of his staff.  Her nieces are in the same school as Karen’s children.  Then there is Jamie (Colin Firth) who walks in home to find his girlfriend sleeping with his brother and then goes on to find love with Aurelia (Lúcia Moniz) who is Portuguese and cannot speak English.

 

Who am I missing out on? Of Course – Just Judy (Joanna Page) and John aka Jack (Martin Freeman) who are starring in a porn movie.  They are friends with Colin (Kris Marshall) who has taken off to the US to find love.  Rounding it off is Sarah (Laura Linney) who is trying to find love and also manage a mentally challenged brother.

 

Love Actually is just the right fodder for a Valentines Day special and has spawned several stories of the same genre over time.  New Years Eve and Valentines Day are two such examples.  Neither of them come close to the one that started it all.  I can watch it any time of the day, any day of the week.  I am sure a lot of you feel the same way.  The movie just completed 10 years of release.  7.5 on 10 is my verdict.

 

Watch the trailer on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdzH6a-XEGM