I went to see _Love Actually_ last night. My vote was for _Master and Commander_ , but since that meant getting in the car and driving to a mulitplex whereas LA was showing at the end of the street, it was a battle I was never going to win. Two reactions: first, the intellectual in me was saying “this is utter crap” throughout; second, my eyes watered at various points during the evening. Now it isn’t hard for a film to engage my emotions — I always find it hard to stay composed during the closing scenes of _Crocodile Dundee_ — but for what it’s worth the film does work pretty well on that level. Hugh Grant’s as Prime Minister really is awful, but Bill Nighy as the ageing rocker is really funny and both Liam Neeson and Emma Thompson put in fine performances. It isn’t that I want to recommend it as such, but it did overcome my determination not to enjoy myself.
{ 8 comments }
eszter 12.29.03 at 11:20 am
If you won’t recommend it, Chris, let me step in and recommend it.:) I liked it.. and confess to having seen it several times. (My name is Eszter Hargittai, I like romantic comedies. There, I’ve said it.;) I laughed a lot and yes, got teary-eyed a few times as well. The fact is, the world is filled with people dealing with various relationship issues and although a bunch of the ones in the movie are completely unrealistic (shocking for a movie of this sort, right?:), some portray bits of reality quite well. And parts of it are really quite funny.
Chris Bertram 12.29.03 at 11:34 am
“several times” … Actually, I’m pretty sure that was true of quite a number of the women in the audience last night. And there were lots of women together or along but men only in couples (as far as I could see).
But in saying that it managed to move a miserable old curmudgeon like me, I thought I was recommending it (sort of, maybe …) :)
Andrew Boucher 12.29.03 at 4:33 pm
My wife loved it, I could just stomach it. C’mon, the story of the Prime Minister and the assistant was one of the silliest in a long time. Hollywood at least establishes the worthiness of the poor woman or hides her identity before the wealthy man falls for her. Here the woman wasn’t even pretty, she fumbles her first line, and the Prime Minister falls in love with her. Grrrrr….
The rocker story *was* good. On the other hand, both my wife and I didn’t realize Rickman was married to Thompson until well after we were supposed to, which ruined the emotional flow of that story. Having Neeson’s step-son *not* disraught at his mother’s death, was a mistake – better to have begun this story without the mother dying. But at least that story finished well.
eszter 12.29.03 at 5:44 pm
Not having many men in the audience doesn’t necessarily mean men wouldn’t like it. It just means the ads for it didn’t make men *think* they would like it (or perhaps made them think they shouldn’t be caught dead in the theater watching it:). I end up liking quite a few movies I don’t want to bother with initially and would never guess I’d like. I have a good friend who’ll invite me to movies he knows his wife won’t stomach. So far I’ve been happy with his recommendations (e.g. X2) so I keep going, but it hasn’t encouraged me to seek out these movies on my own. Kudos Chris for admitting that you maybe perhaps just possibly recommend this one.:)
scott h. 12.29.03 at 8:46 pm
If you go see “Big Fish”, then, (and you should), keep a box of Kleenex handy.
ahem 12.30.03 at 7:34 pm
I liked the Guardian reviewer’s comment that the film felt like a 90-minute trailer for fifteen different Richard Curtis films.
Also, I do wish that he wouldn’t take so many liberties with the British swearing thing. Yes, it makes Americans laugh. But no-one says ‘oh, piss!’ Ever.
Also, it’s a bit distracting to be ticking off the cast list (‘Thingy from “This Life”… Thingy from “The Office”…’) as you watch.
rod 01.17.04 at 10:10 pm
I greatly enjoyed the movie and was a little teary myself. Hugh Grant as Prime Minister? It’s a movie for crying out loud! Next thing you’ll tell me the US President had it off with an intern disguised as a cigar humidor.
Rod 01.17.04 at 10:12 pm
I greatly enjoyed the movie and was a little teary eyed myself. Hugh Grant as Prime Minister? It’s a movie for crying out loud! Next thing you’ll tell me the US President had it off with an intern disguised as a cigar humidor.
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