Rating: 
Summary: Is This Love, British Style?
Review: In the early seventies, there was a sitcom called "Love American Style". Its format consisted of a few vignettes of couples in love. The stories were sometimes cute, and the endings were happy. Writer/Director Richard Curtis took the same idea but juggled 5 to 8 (I lost count) segments that vary a lot in tone, from farce to literate and endearing, all in the running time of a commercial movie. When most movies have difficulty doing 1 love story well, Curtis risked confusing his audience with so many characters and story lines that I think some deserved more development or movies of their own. It's an adult romance at a time when studios make much more money with teenage romances. He assembled a top cast but gave them relatively little to do, as if each actor was doing a guest appearance, but they do it well. Both director and his middle-aged actors deserve credit for their courage. I'm probably a tough grader. I like this film, though it could have been really nice. After 3 DVD viewings, I'm warming up to it. Others have discussed the stories in detail and the angst over the rating. I will add my 2 cents to the dispute over the rating and discuss the DVD features, as well. It is rated R for good, albeit unnecessary, reasons. To me, the common usage of vulgar language and humor among the adult and child characters did not add anything or seem part of the story, and therefore seemed gratuitous. At first, the nudity may seem just as gratuitous as the language. But as one person below well noted, the naked body doubles on the movie set are not "naked" to each other. That is, even though we see them simulating sex several times in the movie, it takes them until the end of the movie to get to the first romantic kiss (with their clothes on). The nudity and sex had nothing to do with it. They fell in love despite it all. This may be a clever way to make a point but also may be lost on an adult audience too distracted to care. If it's not necessary to film a movie for an R rating, then why do it? It's the story that matters. The DVD has 2 special features that are notable, the commentary track and the deleted scenes. The commentary seems little more than wise cracks from Hugh Grant and Bill Nighy than anything else. It's interesting that it includes commentary from 12-year-old Thomas Sangster (a cousin to Hugh Grant), who was too young to see the movie he was in. The commentary recording session was the first time he'd seen it. Still, it casts a little light on the production, how the film was made, and Curtis's fine sensitivity to aging lovers. And, there is one deleted segment that Curtis should strive to restore, if he ever revisits his film. This is a version of Sangster's run through an airport pursued by security police. Sangster is a gymnastics prodigy. This deleted version shows him demonstrating his athletic prowess, like Douglas Fairbanks Jr., as he flees the guards toward the young girl he loves. Seeing him perform that scene and considering the craft he brought to his sensitive acting, one wonders that he would have been a superior choice over Jeremy Sumpter for Peter Pan in last year's film. This scene is more exciting and fun than the one Curtis included in his movie. When you see it, I think you'll understand what I mean. Also, it nailed the notion for me that the film wanted to be as much satire as romance. In conclusion, I believe this film has a good heart, overall, for it only needed a gentler, smoother beat to live in my heart.
Rating: 
Summary: Love Love Actually Actually
Review: I went to theatre twice for this movie - something I've never done before for any movie, I bought the soundtrack immediately afterwards, and I bought the DVD first day it is available. That's how I LOVE it ACTUALLY. The movie is a romantic fantasy for mature adult, a stylish medley of many unrealistic love stories. Some people dislike it because of the unrealistic plots, but could you just lighten your "seriousness" for a moment and enjoy some heart warming fun and laughter? If you could, this movie is your best bet - superb casting, amazing music compilation. I leave the theatre with a smile, a sense of happiness - what more can you expect from a movie? Richard Curtis is THE king of romantic comedy, I loved every pieces of his work way back from the Four Weddings and a Funeral to this one. Love Actually will be a all-time Christmas classic to be viewed for generations to come.
Rating:
Summary: Review and Response to Livetoact1404
Review: This movie delivered much more than I expected. Excellent intertwining stories, casting, writing, acting, and music gave me everything I wanted in a movie and more. The storyline dealing with the unfaithful husband, however, did not resolve itself as suggested by Livetoact1404. At the very end when the wife picks her husband up from the airport after his business trip it is clear she doesn't trust him and says she's "fine" in the same "put a good face forward" manner she used Christmas Eve, and when she says let's go home, the sarcasm in her voice at the use of the word "home" is pointed. In any event, while not all storylines end like a fairytale they really shouldn't have, and the movie, overall, is still wonderfully uplifting.
Rating:
Summary: IF YOU LOVED THE MOVIE, AVOID (SOME OF) THE DVD
Review: I genuinely loved LOVE ACTUALLY when I saw the theatrical version in December. It helped that I was in London, and I had a great date with me, and it was snowing outside, and there were little twinkling Christmas lights all along the street outside the cinema, and we'd just walked through Notting Hill to get to the theatre . . . so I was really in the mood for this film. Admittedly, this is a great popcorn movie. Entertaining. Enjoyable. Delightful. It doesn't require a great deal of intellectual investment, but it probably has one of the greatest casts of English (and American) actors assembled in one film since "Gosford Park." So, it was perfect for a Saturday afternoon. Admittedly, there are a lot of illogical moments. (For example, one would think that the Prime Minister of England would have easy access to the address -- and last name -- of one of his senior household staff, rather than having to tromp up and down a cold, dark street, knocking on doors looking for her on Christmas Eve.) And although the staggering number of intersecting plotlines could understandably overwhelm, I came away from the movie feeling that Richard Curtis had artfully woven an endearingly warm and fuzzy quilt around us, affirming that, still, "love is in the air" amidst a very complicated world. In short, not a deep thought-provoking film, but not a bad way to spend a snowy London afternoon cuddled up in the cinema. The feature commentary on the DVD, unfortunately, destroyed a lot of that illusion. Curtis and Hugh Grant were obvious choices as two of the commentary participants. But given the size and pedigree of this cast, it's surprising that they weren't able to come up with more interesting co-commentators than Bill Nighy and nine-year-old Thomas Sangster. Nighy was wonderful in the film, but his self-deprecating comments in the commentary pretty much destroy the cocky on-screen persona he had so memorably created on screen. As for the talented young Thomas Sangster, he too was marvelous on screen. But it was inappropriate to have a nine-year-old boy participate in the running commentary of this film. I am no prude. The nudity and sexual content of LOVE ACTUALLY did not phase me at all . . . in fact, it was essential to the twisting and intertwining plots which tell such a story of contemporary love in today's society. But rewatching the entire film while a nine-year-old boy viewed it with three wise-cracking men in their 40's and 50's made even me uncomfortable. At one point, even Richard Curtis says "So Thomas, how does it feel to be watching a movie that, legally, you can't even get in to see." Perfectly said, and they should have thought better. As for Hugh Grant . . . . I have always really liked his performances, including in this movie. And living in England half the time as I do, I thoroughly understand that razer-sharp English public school (i.e. private boarding school) banter and humour (which is often at the expense of others.) But in his commentary, I did not understand Hugh Grant's non-stop trashing of Colin Firth. The first few remarks were funny. The next six, not quite so. But two and a half solid hours of continuous bitchy remarks by Mr. Grant about Mr. Firth -- whose performance was one of the most heartfelt in this film -- became really irritating and downright rude. And for me, it really was counter to the warm feelings and hopeful spirit the film claims to trumpet and portray. It was, perhaps, meant as good-spirited fun, but it came off as vicious sniping at a colleague and a fellow actor. Most disappointing, however, was Richard Curtis' commentary itself. What I previously thought had been a fresh, interesting , and well-thought-out directorial masterplan was obviously, instead, a shoot-from-the-hip scramble, by his own admission (Well, he's still a great writer.) All-in-all, this particular commentary illustrates that filmmakers and actors should remember that a commentary becomes a viable and permanent part of their film's persona once it is released on DVD, and that they should be thoughtful not to destroy or lessen the illusions and patina they had created in the film itself. It's no joke, even in a lighthearted film. The DVD does showcase a couple of deleted scenes which perhaps SHOULDN'T have ended up on the cutting room floor -- most notably the hilarious segment where Emma Thompson and her son (a talented young man whom you otherwise barely notice in the final cut) are called to the Head Mistress' office over one of the most innovative Christmas Wish essays ever written. It is (or would have been) probably the funniest scene in the movie. The movie on DVD is still, of course, the movie, and it's still great fun, and completely enjoyable. My advice, though, would be to avoid the commentary, and just stick to the deleted scenes. Oh yes, and one last thing . . . this DVD does eloquently allow the viewer to watch, over and over, the subtly nuanced performance of the magnificent Emma Thompson, who I'd say is one of the greatest actors on the planet. Her anguished, wordless scene, standing next to her stark, coldly-lit, empty marital bed, is one of such moving, gripping emotion that you almost have to avert your eyes, since you feel you are intruding on a moment of such deep, private pain. And you have to give Curtis credit for those moments, as well.
Even wordless scenes are written, and even brilliant actors such as Thompson have to be directed and captured on film.
Rating: 
Summary: Garbage
Review: My ex-girlfriend should watch this flick and figure out just what the hell her problem is.
Rating: 
Summary: Could have been SOOOO much better!
Review: I was very disappointed with this movie! It had great potential with an outstanding all-star ensemble cast. Unfortunately there is an over-abundance of profanity, semi-pornographic nudity, and strong anti-American sentiment! Whoever thinks these sort of things enhance a movie is sadly mistaken.
Rating:
Summary: great great great
Review: This movies will make you cry, laugh, frown and scream. Love Actually is great. The characters are so real and there is at least one couple you can relate too. I give it 2 thumbs up if I could give 3 then I would.
Rating:
Summary: Lovely, actually!
Review: I missed this movie at the theater and have been waiting for its dvd release with considerable anticipation. I'm happy to say that the wait was worth it. This film has a great cast of actors including Emma Thompson, Colin Firth, Lian Neeson, Laura Linney and Hugh Grant---whose characters are all dealing with different levels of love and relationships. There is Emma's character dealing with her husband being unfaitful; Liam's character dealing with the death of his wife and his endearing relationship with his stepson; Hugh Grant's priminister falling for a young lady from the wrong side of the tracks; and Colin Firth's character dealing with love and the barrier of two languages. The director seams the stories together nicely and leaves the audience with a renewed faith in love and a realization that love comes in many forms---love for a sibling, love for a stepchild and, of course, romantic love. Not every story in this film has a perfect ending but the overall effect is that love is all around us. In a time when we seem to focus on the hatred and wars of the world, this little film gives a small sample of what we all need--love!
Rating:
Summary: Love Actually
Review: Is it hopelessly fluffy? Yes. Is it cheesy in some places? Yes. Is it a bit cliched at times? Yes. But then it is also a wonderfully acted, touching movie. Some people have complained that one of the storylines involves adultery, but I think that that storyline is probably one of the best. The emotions are realistic and very well portrayed, especially by Emma Thompson as the wife. Yes, I think that the romance with the porn stars could have been cut out, but I also feel that you shouldn't forego the whole movie because of that one plot line. If it offends you, skip it. The rest of the movie is definitely worth watching. Not all of the plot lines have the perfect Hollywood ending, either. Some of the people that you want to end up together may not, and I think that that also adds to the realistic quality of this film. There are a lot of plot lines, and it's not the kind of movie that you can follow if you're only half paying attention, but the plot lines flow nicely together, so it's really not that difficult to follow, and all the plot lines are actually interrelated, as you find out through interactions between the various characters. All in all, this is a sweet, feel-good movie. Yes, it's cheesy at times, but at the heart of it, it has a good message: Love really is all around us, in many different forms. And I think that this is a message that everyone needs to hear and remember.
Rating: 
Summary: Not to be taken seriously...can anyone say "entertainment"?
Review: I know that a lot of people have a problem with this movie not being believeable, being sugary-sweet, etc. People, it's just a movie! I went to see it with one of my best friends and we weren't expecting an Oscar-worthy film...we just wanted to have fun. If you just want to have fun and not get into a really deep drama, if you want to laugh and not take yourself (or the movie) too seriously, then you should watch it. I didn't leave the theatre feeling depressed or angry, (well, maybe a little angry about having the absolutely gorgeous love interest of Hugh Grant being considered "fat"). I left the theatre feeling happy that some things worked out and I got a chance to laugh. Take it for what it is: A Hollywood money-maker. You'll like the movie much better if you do.
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