Annual DL Holiday We Hate the Film "Love. Actually" Thread

I'm surprised "noone" have posted this yet. Go on then, spew. Let the hate go forth.

• The fact that it was written by Richard Curtis is enough to keep me away from Curtis' latest screenplay "War Horse". Well that and maybe that John Williams did the music, too. The truth, actually, is the what Williams does to music Curtis does to words.

• Noone? Really?

• It's actually a pretty good movie, if you're in the right mood for the record-breaking levels of sentimentality. I shudder to think what a bad imitation would be like, so I haven't seen that "New Year's" film.

• Actually, love (see what I did there?) I think it's a sweet film and enjoyed watching it the two or three times it has been aired here in the UK. I'm sorry, OP, that you are so jaded and cynical - it must be a pretty miserable life you have going on there.

• Lamest bit - the 2 naked actors who fall in love.

• Well, I just can't take Laura Linney's dancing.

• I watched it yesterday, Love Actually and The Family Stone are my 2 annual Christmas movies.

• All I remember when I watched it when it first came out I hated it and LL didn't look very good in her nude scene...

• Depends on my mood. I saw it at the cinema just before Christmas when it originally came out and being full of whiskey and soda, I enjoyed it and had a warm fuzzy feeling afterwards. However, the passage of time has done nothing to convince this film is good cinematographic entertainment, but rather chick flick material for a rainy day.

  Martine%20McCutcheon

• Actually, I enjoy this film around this time of year.

• I loved Bill Nighy and the little boy, but the rest of it was mostly annoying with occasional laughs.

• Other than Kiera Knightly's horseshit, I like the movie.

• Saw it again recently. I still find it weirdly misogynistic.

• I was brilliant.

  http://www.contactmusic.com/pics/le/phineas_and_ferb_premiere_240911/thomas-sangster_3529800.jpg

  Thomas Sangster

• It had some good parts. I actually thought the Hugh Grant one was funny though the porn stand-ins were a wtf. Bill Nighy, great.

• Meh. It's no "Love, Indubitably."

  Maeby

• It's treacly stuff but if you want something truly bad, sentimental, AND Christmas-themed, try "The Holiday".

• Love the airport opening.

• I've never gotten the "Imitation of Life"-style high hysteria for the "Emma Thompson gets a Joni Mitchell CD" scene. I was unimpressed with the movie upon its release, but that's because it seemed like poor relation to Four Weddings and a Funeral. Also, I don't like the totally one-note Hugh Grant, who's the same in each and every role he plays. (If that's not redundant.)

  How%27s%20that%20for%20bitchy%3F

• I was annoyed that the lesbian story (Anne Reid and whatshername - frances de la tour) was cut out of the final print, at least its on the dvd extras (one if them is dying, naturally). Curtis' last film "the boat that rocked" was such a bomb that it has surely killed off these gruesome films of his. It was on television here in England the other day, I did not even want to see it. Can't imagine he got the gig to do the script on "War Horse" ....

• r20 -- Of course he got the gig to do the "War Horse" script. "Four Weddings and a Funeral" was one of the highest grossing films in British history. Although it is amazing that man who helped write "Black Adder" could also be the man who "Love, Actually." And I have to say that those 9/11 airport scenes in "Love, Actually" actually wanted to make me fly a plane into a building. But having said all that -- Curtis was extraordinarily hot in his earlier years.

• I love this movie, holiday classic.

• Its message seemed to be: "If you're a beautiful and skinny young woman, like Keira Knightley you'll be happy forever, but if you're not, like Laura Linney or Emma Thompson, you'd better get used to being unwanted." Whether that's true of life or not it seemed deeply bizarre in a movie that was so sentimental about its male characters, who all seemed to find love no matter what shape or age they were.

• 23 responses and I'm the frst one to post about how Rodrigo Santoro is virtually the only reason to watch this piece of shit? Sure, Bill Night is funny, and even Hugh Grant is amusing. But the sexism and idiocy (falling 'in love' with a woman with whom you've never had a conversation? four attractive american girls hit on one majorly fugly guy?) ruin it for me.

• It's the CRASH of romantic comedies.

• It was while watching "Love, Actually" that I realized two things. One, that Alan Rickman is NOT one of those actors that I would watch just anything he's in just to see him (I tried fast-forwarding just to his parts, but soon found that fast-forwarding through his parts was less painful than actually watching them.) Two, that Ben Elton was the real genius behind the "Blackadder" series, NOT Richard Curtis.

• I like it.

• "... though the porn stand-ins were a wtf..." I just saw this movie for the first time the other day on ABC Family. And I just realized that Martin Freeman was listed in the credits but wasn't in the movie I saw at all. Is there a story about a porn movie within the movie? How is that connected to the other characters?

• R24, I'm totally with you on the rodrigo love boat. Hot as he'll! It's the best part. That said, I did like the movie and all it's sappiness. Sometimes I just don't need much to fulfill me...

• The little boy in it is incredibly creeping. He was more suited to THE OMEN than this, he should have been a really cute looking kid.

• I like it - but not at first in the theater - it seemed to forced. It took a 2nd and 3rd viewing to grow its charms. Now I see it differently with the sudden passing of Liam Neeson's wife. Wouldn't wish that on anyone, but playing the widower with young children is actually his life now.

• I could not get past the first 5-10 minutes. It was horrible. When the British do corny, it is just as bad, if not worse, than a bad American film.

• r28, you just made me realize that I haven't seen the porn actors story line in years. It must have been totally axed for family viewing on the non-premium channels. Didn't even miss it. Too bad they can't lob off the ugly guy with the American girls bit, too.

• For the absolute last time it's not a porn movie they're doing. They are stand-ins/body doubles on a big budget feature. Porn films never have stand-ins/body doubles, it's not in their budget.

  Lynn%20Stairmaster

• What was weird about the Emma Thompson-Alan Rickman story, aside from that weird Elf Quest woman who seduced him, was that the filmmakers felt that the right note to end it on was Emma deciding to hide her feelings and pretend everything was all right. I just thought, right, and the very next fight she has with him she's going to throw it right in his face that he spent a fortune on his piece of ass last Christmas and tried to fob her off with a crappy CD. And then next thing he's going to be shacked up with the elf maiden, who'll no doubt be knocked up with an elfling, while Emma's lawyer arranges to take half his assets.

• Hugh Grant as the Prime Minister?? Yeah, so believable. Bill Nighy is the reason to see this film.

• I finally saw it for the first time this year, and really enjoyed it. Except for Hugh Grant, who is loathsome in everything since "Four Weddings & a Funeral." Because, as someone posted, he is one-note and untalented.

• Piece of crap. I don't get the love for it at all.

• I really liked it. BUT... for a feel-good holiday movie, some of the stories don't end too happily for some of the characters.

• R4, I am jaded and cynical but I actually enjoy this film for what it is: a light, frothy entertainment without deep meaning. There's typically an annual "Love, Actually" hate thread on DL, so I thought I might as well start it despite my enjoying it. It has some actors I truly enjoy (Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Bill Nighy, Liam Neeson) in roles they seemed to enjoy and which they recognize are light. The kid sub plot is fine, and he's a good little actor. Hugh Grant is one note but he played that note well as the PM. His dancing bit was cute. I also thought he did an excellent twist on his one note in About a Boy. Rickman's delivery of the "something in the stationery line" is surprisingly one of the funniest bits. The sour note for me is Laura Linney. I think she's overrated and was unsuited to this role. The so-called "porn" stand ins and her sub plot were the unnecessary and lowest points of the film. I only ever thought she was good in the John Adams mini-series where she was well cast and did an admirable job as Abigail.

  OP

• Bill Nighy alone is a reason to see this film. Just fast-forward through all the other parts; he is irresistible. Halfway through watching the film for the first time, I told my partner that I'd really enjoyed my relationship with him, but now I'd found the man of my dreams in Bill Nighy's character and had to leave him (my partner).

• Not overly fond of Hugh Grant's acting but I loved him in 'About a Boy' which is one of my favourite comfort films. Nick Hoult of course stole the show in that film and then turned into major totty.

• Anyone who says "actually" deserves the AID

• Love the bit with Rickman and Atkinson in the store; love Thompson and Rickman in the gift giving scene; thought Kiera and Andrew with the cards at the door was very good; love Nighy; love Rodrigo; loved Hugh's bodyguard singing at the door and Hugh's face. Thought the young girl singing at the Christmas play was good. Hated Liam and Claudia standing there with their 'Starbuck's coffee; thought Hugh's girlfriend was a joke; thought Firth falling in love with his maid was ridiculous; hated Linney's character; hated Denise Richard's cameo; Hugh = meh.

• You know it's a bad film when you don't like the always good Laura Linney. This is the first time I have seen that beautiful Latino actor. I'm STILL waiting for him to do a good nude scene....

• Sorry, if Love, Actually doesn't have room for a gay storyline, then I don't have room for it.

• Love it and watched it again last night. There were a few too many stories. Would have been better if more time had been given to deepen some of the better story lines. Is EVERY A-list Brit actor in this movie?

• That plot with the actors doing the porn (or non-porn) voice-overs was stolen from another movie anyway. Something with Bob Hoskins in it.

• For those of you aren't watching the SNL Lindsay Lohan potential train wreck, Love Actually is on ABC Family now.

• It's on HBO and everything on this thread is right. It is weirdly misogynistic. And how long has Liam Neeson's wife been dead and he's telling his kid he wants to have sex with Claudia Schiffer in his kid's room? And women just throw themselves at schlubby guys? And the prime minister goes after a 22 year old secretary?

• Me too R7, plus I add Bad(der) Santa to the mix.

• I fucking hate this movie with the heat of a thousand suns. The misogyny and sexism is overwhelming.Even Hugh Grant and Liam Neeson can't save this POS.

• I have never seen this movie but have enjoyed the annual threads here.

• If you expect a good movie, it sucks. If you have the foresight to expect a nothing movie, it has some very pleasant and beautifully acted moments (Emma Thompson recovering from Alan Rickman's fucking with her mind)

• Or when Kiera Knightly is doing her duck face as she watches herself in her wedding video (doing duck face) and she says "Oh this is paaarfect" "Oh I look raaahther pretty." "Oh thank you this is jaaast lovely." Or when the little Satanic kid runs through airport security and you're praying for someone to tase him?

• If you want sweet, funny British Christmas movie, watch Bernard and the Genie. It's about 20 years old and looks cheap by today's (and american) standards but the jokes are funny, it's entertaining and warm. Starring Alan Cumming, Lenny Henry and Rowan Atkinson.

• This wasn't "upped" for the holidays. Surprised.

• This movie is like a bowel movement that has become sentient and crawls into your mouth. The zombies on my new show are somehow less repulsive.

  Andrew%20Lincoln

• What? Nobody mentioned that they liked my performance in this movie? Do you know what incredible acting talent it takes to fuck that fugly Kris Marshall? Excuse me, I have to go call Don and tell him to send Sally home so I can beat the hell out of her.

  January Jones