Love…actually…is all around…

As part of my Christmas build up, I’ve recently re-watched the 2003 Richard Curtis written and directed Love Actually.

The film features a large ensemble cast and works across a number of different types of love stories weaving together through family relationships, coincidence and social links in a way that creates a hugely engaging tale in the build up to christmas.

Amongst the huge ensemble cast, the film saw the third time that Richard Curtis had worked with Hugh Grant playing the recently elected UK Prime Minister. Amongst others is Colin Firth writing a novel whilst falling in love with his Portuguese housekeeper, Liam Neeson mourning the loss of his wife, Alan Rickman struggling with temptation, Laura Linney adoring a co-worker from afar, and Bill Nighy attempting to secure the xmas number 1 slot with his ever suffering manager.

The film would set out the stall for a number of other films in terms of style- with Valentines Day and New Years Eve quickly coming to mind.

The film was Curtis’ debut in directing and he has only gone on to do it twice more with The Boat that Rocked and About Time. Overall with this film, he succeeded in creating a modern day ‘must’ on the christmas cinema list. Its thoroughly enjoyable with some masterfully crafted moment. All of the cast find their moments to shine and each time you watch it, different stories tend to stand out, and Rowan Atkinson even manages to steal the whole thing with a brief cameo working in a department store.

If you haven’t seen it, December is most definitely the time to do it…

8/10

PS – Trailer below…