Rating: 
Summary: Magical!
Review: If there is a film out this year that is destined to make your heart smile and eyes tear, it's this film. It's Christmas time again in London as unexpected (almost magical) things happen in very simple, heartening ways to the most unlikely people. With love lost and love found, courage found and courage lost, this movie is all about the love we have in our daily lives. The love we receive from those unknown people to us (sometimes form those who show slight animosity toward us.)The characters will capture your heart (Emma Thompson is phenomenal.) For me, the scene that really did capture me was that of Emma Thompson in her bedroom listening to Joni Mitchell's perennial Both Sides Now. That scene made me cry. This is the sweetest movie I have seen this year. I highly recommend seeing it during the Holidays with people you love.
Rating: 
Summary: If I were a movie this would be it!!!
Review: I just saw this movie an hour ago at an advance screening, and there are no words to describe how perfect it is. It's romantic, it's uplifting, it's funny, it's inspiring, it's every fantasy a girl has ever had with every type of man she's ever fantasized about. I saw it with my best male friend, who is generally critical of these types of movies. He went in expecting the worst but came out just as full of love and twinkle in his eye as I did. GO SEE IT!
Rating:
Summary: Amazing movie!!! I loved it!!
Review: I just saw this movie (screening) a few hours ago. It is such a great movie. I walked into the movie theater with no idea what the movie was about. I left feeling so good. This movie made me laugh and cry. It also made me sad and happy. It tells short stories of different people that are somehow connected but not really. There is lots of love in this movie. From family love to romance. I have got to see this movie again as soon as it is released! You must see this movie. Wow!!! I love this movie. Did I mention that I love this movie? Enjoy!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Stupid Actually
Review: Too many stories crammed into one movie. And the result is none of them are developed very well. Too bad. Because some of them were worth embelishment and some could have been dropped altogether. Can't recommend this as a purchase.
Rating:
Summary: One of the Best Current British Comedies I've Seen in Ages.
Review: I saw this in the theater when it first came out and, despite the fact that a couple behind me kept talking through it, I fell in love and decided to own it as soon as it was released on video. Now I have it on DVD, and want to spread the word. Love Actually is a great English romantic comedy full of several different stories going on at the same time, and each engages you in its plot quickly. 1. We have a young couple who are just married, and the groom's best friend is in love with the bride. Keira Knightley plays the role of Juliet with such sweetness and innocence, that even her dialogue free acting is powerfully convincing. Watch the scene where she views Mark's video of her wedding day and realizes he's in love with her. 2. Liam Neeson is Daniel, a newly widowed father who has to bridge the communication gap between himself and his son Sam. Sam's crush on an American girl provides this link, and the story is touching to watch as it unfolds throughout the film. Thomas Sangster is a promising child actor in his role as Sam, so keep your eyes on him. He is sure to be cast in more movies down the line. 3. Emma Thompson is always exceptional in every movie she's in. This is no exception as she plays Karen, a devoted and loving housewife who must come to terms with the fact that her husband Harry (Alan Rickman) is cheating on her with the office tramp. 4. Laura Linney plays Sarah, an American office worker who is in love with another American at work, but her sick brother makes the relationship difficult to see to its fruition. 5. Hugh Grant is David, the newly appointed Prime Minister of Britain, and he falls for his staff caterer Natalie, played by Martine McCutcheon. This story line is not without charming, laugh-out-loud moments, but it's also a bit corny and Benny Hill-ish at times. 6. One of my absolute favorite stories is the one involving Colin Firth's character Jamie, a writer who leaves England for the European countryside to write after discovering his brother is cheating with his wife, and he falls in love with his Portugese housekeeper Aurelia (Lucia Moniz). Neither of them can speak the other's language, but they manage to communicate in their own way, and the plot is very sweet. 7. Chris Marshall is very funny as Colin, the ugly, rude guy who strikes out romantically with English women, so he thinks he'll have better luck in America because of his "cute" accent. He goes to Milwaukee and discovers supermodel-type girls hanging out in a bar that fall for him instantly which really makes me laugh. I live an hour away from Milwaukee, and we are NOT plentiful with thin beautiful girls hanging out in bars. This was one joke that wasn't lost on me for a moment, and I couldn't help laughing quite loudly. 8. My favorite storyline is Billy Nighy as Billy Mack, a washed up 50-something rock star who makes a comeback on the charts with a shameless revamp of the old Troggs song, "Love is All Around" for Christmas. He is absolutely hysterical with his outrageous behavior as he publicly bashes the song and pulls all kinds of defiant public stunts. Of note is his relationship with his longtime manager Joe (Gregor Fisher) who, despite all the headaches his charge gives him, is still admirably loyal and proud of him. One small storyline I detest is the porn actors we see a few times, conversing as they shoot dirty scenes on a movie set, and I also don't like the anti-American plot of the evil lecherous US president played by Billy Bob Thornton. These are two points for my not giving this film 5 stars. Other than my minor grievances, I couldn't recommend Love Actually more highly. This movie is rated, R so please don't expose children to it just because one of the stories involves a little boy. This is great adult entertainment, and some of the DVD extras are a bit blue as well. Moving, funny, and full of clever dialogue (A favorite line: "Ten minutes with Elton John, and you're as gay as a maple!"), Richard Curtis has directed one of his best comedy projects yet. With the exception of small children, there's something here for everyone. You shouldn't just come away liking this one; it should be Love Actually.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Adult Romantic Comedy
Review: Love Actually is one of the better romantic comedies to come out in recent years. The concept of interlocking love stories is relatively fresh, though not totally unique. In this case it is will done, and Richard Curtis deserves credit for working in platonic love (i.e., between friends) and love ending as well as stories of new and unrequited love. The film moves along quickly and has enough light moments that it will be entertaining to both male and female viewers, though it has segments that are definately not appropriate for children.
Love, Actually is anchored by a stellar cast of true actors such as Alan Rickman, Liam Neeson, and Emma Thompson. Both Thompson and Bill Nighy should have gotten Oscar nominations for two very different roles - Thomson as the wife losing her husband's love, Nighy as a has-been rock star who can't keep his mouth from getting him in trouble. The cast is deep and clearly was having a good time shooting the film. Frankly, I am not a Hugh Grant fan and I still liked both the film and the character that he played.
The DVD has several special features worth watching, starting with a commentary with several of the stars and the director. If you listen to it you will find out that Rowan Atkinson was supposed to play the angel of love in the film, but that his role was reduced. This probably made the film more coherent, but that doesn't alter the fact that his scenes are some of the funniest in the movie. The deleted scenes, while understandably not in the film, are also worth perusing.
The only negative thing I have to say about this film is that it originated the strange idea that Wisconsin is America's romance capital, with one of the characters travelling there on the theory that American girls will find his British accent irresistable (this idea also pops up in The Prince and Me for some reason). The problem is that he walks into a bar with Anheusuer Busch advertising all over the place, which is blasphemy in the land of Miller beer. This is a quibbling detail, but will be amusing to the Cheeseheads out there.
Overall, the film is entertaining and accessable accross gender lines, and will be worth the money and time spent for an adult audience.
Rating:
Summary: So much potential, so much left on the table...
Review: The cast, headed by Hugh Grant, was so promising that 5-10 minutes into the movie you figure the movie must have cost an arm and a leg to produce...
Though funny at many points, the movie starts to get diluted very early in the game, with so many different plots, that you start "missing" characters until they come back much later into the movie. The biggest problem with this plethora of plots is that most of them are resolved quite poorly, or left unclear. Barely a couple of the stories kept me engaged all the way through, specially since so many of them had such a weird ending.
As much expectation as we had for this chick flick, it turned out to be quite dissapointing. Save yourself the time and rent some other Hugh Grant movie. As for this one, definitely not his best or a good movie worth checking out.
Rating:
Summary: Possibly the best romantic comedy for husbands and wives
Review: I saw this movie in the theater with my wife on Valentine's Day back in 2004 and bought it on DVD for her (and me) on Valentine's Day 2005. Like most heterosexual men I am NOT a huge fan of romantic comedies. I think most of these films are "chick flicks" that aren't worth the waste of time to see. Love Actually is so funny and heartfelt with great characters that I actually WANT to see it again and again. Too bad all "chick flicks" can't be like this.
As for the several people who wrote negative reviews about the brief moments of nudity in this film ... this film is CLEARLY meant for an adult audience and is rated R. What kind of R-rated adult romantic comedy doesn't have a few curse words and quick flashes of breasts? The only romantic comedies I've seen that didn't were rated PG or PG-13 ... and those are exactly the kind of "chick flicks" I hate. I'm not saying this movie needed the boobshots or the harsh language ... the film probably would have worked just as well without it. I will say that the language and the moments of nudity help make this film a bit more "honest" in terms of its view of adult relationships.
Rating: 
Summary: Great cast - poor in the area of nudity and language
Review: The language was horrible and the nudity was unacceptable. These two components totally distracted from the dialogue and connections that could've been made with the characters. I'm ordering an "edited version" from another company so I can actually enjoy the acting and solid story line.
Rating:
Summary: In-your-face left-wing propaganda -- and pure schlock
Review: All you need to know about this movie: Liam Neeson's character finds out that his 10- or 11-year-old son is in love. What does the father say? "So what's her name? Or is it a he?"
In other words, political correctness run amok.
Forget the blatant left-wing digs at the "bully" American president -- this pic feels like a full-blown advertisement for interracial relationships. You won't see a photo about this on the box, but one of the many absurd plot lines concerns the poor pathetic white man pining over the beautiful white woman whom his black friend has married. And of course the movie ends with Denise Richardson kissing a black guy and exclaiming how "hot" he is.
The whole things feels like a heavy-handed and even patronizing attempt to boost the self-esteem of black folks...
And while we're add it, why don't we do the same for fat chicks:
Hugh Grant falls for a girl with a large bottom -- fat girls around the world can now feel better about themselves.
Right... this movie tries hard to be uplifting, but in the end it is simply insufferable.
Nowhere near as good as "About a Boy" -- easily Hugh Grant's best film -- or even "Notting Hill."
Pass on this load of hooey.
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