Love Actually first made its way into theaters twenty-years ago, on November 6th of 2003. It opened to mixed critical reviews, but was an overall success at the box-office, bringing in $245 million against a $40 million budget. In the decades since its release, the film has undergone something of a critical reevaluation and its status as a Christmas classic is now relatively unchallenged. I remember seeing the film in theaters. I was a teenager on a date and Love Actually seemed like a perfect romantic film for the holidays. Twenty-years later, and it still is.
The Stories of Love Actually
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The cast of Love Actually is unapparelled, bringing to the screen one of the greatest ensembles ever assembled. Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Kiera Knightly, Laura Linney and more tackle the holiday-themed tales of romance with all of the sincerity required to elevate it. As a series of loosely connected vignettes there’s a risk of losing sight of each individual character’s journey; however, first-time director Richard Curtis weaves the strands together, forming a single cohesive narrative.
Hugh Grant (Wonka) plays the Prime Minister in what is among the most prominent and memorable stories in the film. Tackling the difficulties of finding love while living in the spotlight of the public eye, Grant excels at the difficult task of believably portraying a relatable and likable political figure.
Liam Neeson (Taken) tackles the role of a widowed father helping his young step-son maneuver through difficult world that is young-love. Though he’s mostly known for action these days, Neeson brings a tenderness to a character who’s lost the love of his life, but seizes the opportunity to help his son find that same happiness. Sure, they may be in elementary school, but who are we to minimize feelings of the heart based on youth?
Alan Rickman (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone) and Emma Thompson tackle what is perhaps the most grounded tale of romance as a long-married couple who begin to drift apart when another woman enters the picture. It lacks the over-whelming sentimentality that fuels much of the film, by exploring the harshest realities of love and marriage.
And that’s what makes Love Actually so impactful. It takes the word “love” and dissects it, getting to the core of what that word really means in a variety of settings. Laura Linney plays a women who forgoes her own romantic endeavors in-order to care for her mentally-ill brother. Bill Nighy plays a womanizing rock-star who finds the the platonic-love he shares for his manager and best friend is more important than one-night-stands. It shows the good and the bad, the easy and the difficult.
I rewatched Love Actually this week, as I often do around Christmas time. It seems with each new viewing my appreciation for it grows. Richard Curtis hasn’t directed many films, but his fingerprint is present throughout the romance-genre through his insightful and poignant writing. It just so happens that his first foray into the director’s chair resulted in one of the greatest Christmas movies of all time.
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