I love this movie. Of course there is a ton that is contrived and silly and over-the-top, but what do you expect? It's a romantic comedy. Romantic comedies require you to suspend disbelief. There are, as the author of the piece says, LOTS of terrible romantic comedies out there. Trust me, I have probably seen them all and paid money to do so. But, IMO, the good romantic comedies need chemistry between the actors first and foremost, and a semi-decent script secondly (good chemistry in a romantic comedy can overcome a lot of bad lines.) Love, Actually has great chemistry from most of it's actors, suttee they are getting their hearts broken or falling in love, and a charming script. Indent watch Love, Actually because I want to see a movie about the incredible challenges that come with being Prime Minister, or to watch Colin Firth as a poor struggling writer. I watch because I want them, and others, to charm me with their bumbling silliness as they find love. I watch so my eyes can well up every time when Emma Thompson opens the CD and listens to Joni Mitchell. I watch so I can laugh out loud and beam when we finally see the little girl Liam Neeson's stepson learned to drum, for,knead here blow the house down singing Mariah Carey,and watch him chase her down in the airport. I watch with a suspension of belief because it is charming, fun movie that makes me smile and that is what I expect from a good romantic comedy.
Okay, fine, it can be in the pantheon of bad movies but, like Maret wrote, I love it anyway. Sure, I see flaws. I get that it's schlock. It still makes me happy to watch.
I would like to see Maret's list of her favorite romantic comedies, including those where good chemistry triumphs over bad lines. I've seen a lot and probably all the major ones, but I trust Maret would have some to recommend that I haven't seen.
First, what Maret said. Second, he goes to the villa because it's hard to be white? Really? What does his race have to do with the fact that his wife and brother were having an affair? Pooh to him.
I love this movie. It is fun and silly and over-the-top, and it has some great performances.
The Holiday was half a good movie - when I caught it on TV recently, I recorded it so I could fast forward all the Diaz/Law parts and just watch the Winslet/Black parts.
I both love and hate Love Actually. I think the gender stuff is really squicky, but then there's Hugh Grant! As the Prime Minister, dancing! And I love it again.
I love this movie, but I think even if I didn't I'd still watch it to see Hugh Grant dance, the trumpets-and-more at the wedding scene Genevieve mentions above, and the little girl singing "All I Want for Christmas" and the chase through the airport, and the scene at the end with all of the people (actors and non-actors) being greeted at the airport.
And to Isaac's point about about Valentine's Day -- it's possible to hate that move even if you love Love Actually. Valentine's Day tried way to hard to be Love Actually. Not going to happen. I expect New Year's Eve will be more of the same. (Not that I don't plan on seeing it. It looks like an awful romantic comedy, so I'm sold!)
Guys I am so on bored with all of the above ladies. I wish Hollywood would work as hard making romcoms as they do action flicks and we might not have to put up with so many TERRIBLE ones (which I stream or even watch as hard copies from netflix, whatever, all of them, I even like Heigl).
I like bits of the movie but its unconscious theme -- that every man lusts after his servant (think tea girl, maid, secretary and Bill Nighy's manager) MADE ME CRAZY.
First Videogum goes an ruins (or points out the ruining of) The Walking Dead for me. Now this. Then I get to the bottom of the article and remember that the movie isn't that bad, it's just THEY HATE ANDREW LINCOLN!
I was just thinking, though, about Liam Neeson's character losing the love of his life and then dating Claudia Schiffer about a month later. It rubs me wrong.
If it was a long illness, I could see it. A good friend of ours lost his wife after years of battling cancer, and she worked hard to prepare him to move on after she died. She really wanted him to be happy (they were both in their early 30s) after she was gone. He was engaged 9 months after she died. Did it seem quick? Somewhat. But he knew it was OK with her and losing her made him realize that life is short.
My friend died in June at the age of 39 after a 3 year battle with pancreatic cancer. She left behind a little girl, who will be 4 in a few weeks. Her husband met someone 2 months after my friend died. Is it awkward? Yes. Is it too soon? Probably. However, I won't begrudge him an ounce of happiness after what he has went through. The way I see it, he had already said his goodbyes long ago.
It's not a Portugese villa! He flies to Marseille! OK maybe I have seen this movie a lot of times.
ReplyDeleteIt's not a good movie by any means, but anyone who's seen The Holiday knows this is an indefensible position.
ReplyDeleteOh, wait, now I have to go edit my comment on the next post... (Pop culture contrariness)
ReplyDeleteI love this movie. Of course there is a ton that is contrived and silly and over-the-top, but what do you expect? It's a romantic comedy. Romantic comedies require you to suspend disbelief. There are, as the author of the piece says, LOTS of terrible romantic comedies out there. Trust me, I have probably seen them all and paid money to do so. But, IMO, the good romantic comedies need chemistry between the actors first and foremost, and a semi-decent script secondly (good chemistry in a romantic comedy can overcome a lot of bad lines.) Love, Actually has great chemistry from most of it's actors, suttee they are getting their hearts broken or falling in love, and a charming script. Indent watch Love, Actually because I want to see a movie about the incredible challenges that come with being Prime Minister, or to watch Colin Firth as a poor struggling writer. I watch because I want them, and others, to charm me with their bumbling silliness as they find love. I watch so my eyes can well up every time when Emma Thompson opens the CD and listens to Joni Mitchell. I watch so I can laugh out loud and beam when we finally see the little girl Liam Neeson's stepson learned to drum, for,knead here blow the house down singing Mariah Carey,and watch him chase her down in the airport. I watch with a suspension of belief because it is charming, fun movie that makes me smile and that is what I expect from a good romantic comedy.
ReplyDeleteP.S. "Sutte" = "whether" and "indent" = "I don't"
ReplyDeleteStupid autocorrect.
Never saw it and I'm sure I never will. I think defining the worst movie of all time is simply an impossible task.
ReplyDeleteOkay, fine, it can be in the pantheon of bad movies but, like Maret wrote, I love it anyway. Sure, I see flaws. I get that it's schlock. It still makes me happy to watch.
ReplyDeleteHee! I can almost get how autocorrect turned "I don't" into "indent," but "suttee" for "whether" is a mystery.
ReplyDeleteI would like to see Maret's list of her favorite romantic comedies, including those where good chemistry triumphs over bad lines. I've seen a lot and probably all the major ones, but I trust Maret would have some to recommend that I haven't seen.
ReplyDeleteFirst, what Maret said. Second, he goes to the villa because it's hard to be white? Really? What does his race have to do with the fact that his wife and brother were having an affair? Pooh to him.
ReplyDeleteI love this movie. It is fun and silly and over-the-top, and it has some great performances.
I think this is a terrible movie, but I saw The Holiday in the theater and it's exponentially (yes, exponentially) worse.
ReplyDeleteThe Holiday was half a good movie - when I caught it on TV recently, I recorded it so I could fast forward all the Diaz/Law parts and just watch the Winslet/Black parts.
ReplyDeleteJack Black's hair in The Holiday is so weird it's distracting.
ReplyDeleteAmen, sister!
ReplyDeleteI both love and hate Love Actually. I think the gender stuff is really squicky, but then there's Hugh Grant! As the Prime Minister, dancing! And I love it again.
ReplyDeleteThe surprise trumpets-and-more at the wedding makes me happy.
ReplyDeleteYeah, and also, if you hate Love Actually, you will commit suicide when you see Valentine's Day, Garry Marshall's ripoff of it.
ReplyDeleteCameron Diaz's performance in The Holiday was so very bad that I chose to believe she learned her lines phonetically, like the Scorpions.
ReplyDeleteI love this movie, but I think even if I didn't I'd still watch it to see Hugh Grant dance, the trumpets-and-more at the wedding scene Genevieve mentions above, and the little girl singing "All I Want for Christmas" and the chase through the airport, and the scene at the end with all of the people (actors and non-actors) being greeted at the airport.
ReplyDeleteAnd to Isaac's point about about Valentine's Day -- it's possible to hate that move even if you love Love Actually. Valentine's Day tried way to hard to be Love Actually. Not going to happen. I expect New Year's Eve will be more of the same. (Not that I don't plan on seeing it. It looks like an awful romantic comedy, so I'm sold!)
Guys I am so on bored with all of the above ladies. I wish Hollywood would work as hard making romcoms as they do action flicks and we might not have to put up with so many TERRIBLE ones (which I stream or even watch as hard copies from netflix, whatever, all of them, I even like Heigl).
ReplyDeleteI like bits of the movie but its unconscious theme -- that every man lusts after his servant (think tea girl, maid, secretary and Bill Nighy's manager) MADE ME CRAZY.
ReplyDeleteFirst Videogum goes an ruins (or points out the ruining of) The Walking Dead for me. Now this. Then I get to the bottom of the article and remember that the movie isn't that bad, it's just THEY HATE ANDREW LINCOLN!
ReplyDelete--bd
I was just thinking, though, about Liam Neeson's character losing the love of his life and then dating Claudia Schiffer about a month later. It rubs me wrong.
ReplyDelete"Love Actually" is a horrible, horrible, horrible movie.
ReplyDeleteAnd this is why I will never find love, actually.
-Daniel
If it was a long illness, I could see it. A good friend of ours lost his wife after years of battling cancer, and she worked hard to prepare him to move on after she died. She really wanted him to be happy (they were both in their early 30s) after she was gone. He was engaged 9 months after she died. Did it seem quick? Somewhat. But he knew it was OK with her and losing her made him realize that life is short.
ReplyDeleteUnapologetically, I love Love Actually. Most movies require some level of suspension of disbelief, why can't Love Actually get a pass. Good grief.
ReplyDeleteMy friend died in June at the age of 39 after a 3 year battle with pancreatic cancer. She left behind a little girl, who will be 4 in a few weeks. Her husband met someone 2 months after my friend died. Is it awkward? Yes. Is it too soon? Probably. However, I won't begrudge him an ounce of happiness after what he has went through. The way I see it, he had already said his goodbyes long ago.
ReplyDeleteFair points.
ReplyDelete