Love Actually is well worth it

Love Actually is the poster movie for the upcoming holiday season. It banks on a plethora of famous British stars, a brilliant writer and a plot woven around love, of course. To top it off, the movie is sprinkled with some brilliant cameos and has an accommodating soundtrack. Coming from the makers of previous movies such as Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill and Bridget Jones' Diary, there really wasn't a doubt as to what to expect from the movie.

I tried to make more sense of the title. As the movie opens, a Hugh Grant voice over explains that "love actually is all around." It would seem like a simple way to shorten that maxim, but my British contacts inform me that the use of the word "actually' at the end of each and every sentence has reached epidemic proportions across the ocean. The movie doesn't play any more subtle tricks on the audience, actually.

The opening montage treats us with glimpses at 10 different storylines, each with a character at a crossroad in life. The cast is lead by Hugh Grant, our dependable pillar for all romantic comedies, along with Colin Firth, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, Keira Knightley, Rowan Atkinson and Martin Freeman (of The Office, series on BBC America). It would be too labored to go through all the different storylines that begin 5 weeks from Christmas, but a couple of them stand out, almost worthy of a movie on their own.

Hugh Grant is the newly elected Prime Minister, whose first day at 10 Downing Street introduces him to his pretty housekeeper Natalie (British soaptress and singer Martine McCutcheon). He is charmed but unsure of how to approach the situation, even offering the services of the covert SAS forces ("they're ruthless, highly-skilled and just across the street") to take care of an ex-boyfriend. Hugh Grant is comfortable in a familiar genre and seamlessly cruises through his role. He has an interesting sequence with the American President (Billy Bob Thornton), at the end of which he makes the customary David Beckham reference that is a must for any film from across the pond.

Billy Mack (Bill Nighy) is the aging, cuss-spewing and cranky rock star who attempts a last shot at success with a new Christmas single. His scenes are hilarious ("Don't buy drugs ... become a pop star and you can get them for free") and his rapport with his manager becomes one of the focal points. Colin Firth is utterly convincing as the bumbling writer who finds love in a vacation in Marseille. Then there is the married couple of Rickman and Thompson, who face choices when new people skew their relationships.

The subplot which draws the most laughs tells the story of Colin (Kris Marshall) -- a young lad with no luck in love -- who makes up his mind to head to America, where he is convinced English boys are loved because of their accents. On the flip side, there are a couple of plotlines that seem trite and contrived. Daniel's (Neeson) tale of a widower raising a son, focuses less on the talents of Neeson and more on the stereotypical cute kid. The movie, however, doesn't degenerate at any point, simply for the fact that there are accomplished actors involved and the pacing between the different stories is pretty unlabored.

Love Actually is the directorial debut of writer Richard Curtis, the brilliance behind the Blackadder and Mr. Bean series, in addition to Four Weddings, Bridget Jones, et al. For a man well acquainted with comedic timing and the light romantic genre, there could not be an easier entry vehicle. This is an ensemble cast that knows the notes well and delivers on cue. The little stories of love between best friends, newly married couples, siblings, colleagues, people with language barriers and even movie body doubles all inspire moments of laughter and poignancy. The scenes are shot cleanly and cleverly and the use of subtitles is just perfect where required.

The movie does end with some choices left unclear. Maybe if a few of the stories were cut and others given more exposure, this would been more complete. Yet, the film delivers what an audience would expect with enough surprises to tide over any disappointment that might seep through. In the end, the movie still belongs to Grant possibly, even amidst this sea of distinguished performances. While you could contend that the movie would retain most of its charm without any one of the other characters, it's hard to argue that for his role.

Love Actually is a movie most worth watching. The variety in characters and plots makes sure there is something for everyone, and if you choose to believe the premise that love actually is all around, then there is no reason why you wouldn't want to enjoy a movie about it. This film is definitely worth checking out when the Matrix: Revolutions tickets get sold out, actually.