The Big Picture
- Love Actually is a modern Christmas classic that successfully tells multiple interrelated love stories during the Christmas season.
- The film features a large and ambitious cast, including iconic British actors like Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, and Liam Neeson.
- Despite some aspects that may not have aged well, Love Actually remains an iconic and feel-good holiday experience that will never lose its status as a Christmas favorite.
For as controversial and polarizing as it may be, Love Actually, is undeniably a modern Christmas classic. Richard Curtis’s film tells a bunch of stories set in the Christmas season that are tied up with a neat bow in the end. Its formula has been tried to be replicated since, by the likes of New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day, among other festivity-based movies. But the magic in Love Actually was a unique lightning in a bottle in which its characters and storylines mesh with the Christmas rush and achieve an icky but heartwarming result. The film juggles with one of the largest and most ambitious casts in British film history and, since it just turned 20 years old, a brief refresher on who’s who and how they’re all connected is due.
Love Actually
R
Comedy
Documentary
Drama
Romance
Follows the lives of eight very different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas in London, England
- Release Date
- September 7, 2003
- Director
- Richard Curtis
- Cast
- Bill Nighy , Gregor Fisher , Rory MacGregor , Colin Firth , Sienna Guillory , Liam Neeson
- Runtime
- 135 minutes
- Main Genre
- Comedy
- Writers
- Richard Curtis
- Studio
- Universal Studios
- Tagline
- The ultimate romantic comedy.
Starting with the authority figure in the film, Hugh Grant’s U.K. Prime Minister David is the brother of Emma Thompson’s Karen. While they are supportive of each other and try to keep in touch, the reality is they’ve got enough on their plates. David has just started his period as Prime Minister and, in getting to know his staff, falls for new hire Natalie (Martine McCutcheon). His first official meeting with another head of state is with none other than the unnamed U.S. President played by Billy Bob Thornton, with whom he very publicly butts heads in a press conference. More drama ensues when the President tries to make a pass on Natalie and David ends up trying to patch up the awkwardness with even more awkwardness by sending her away. Thankfully, after reading her holiday card on Christmas Eve, he comes to his senses and goes after her, bringing them closer to their happy ending.
Karen, on the other side, is seemingly in an amicable marriage with Alan Rickman’s Harry. But, at work, Harry is being taunted by his secretary Mia (Heike Makatsch). Harry’s resistance has the strength of wet paper, and he falls for Mia off-screen. Still, Karen’s perception leads her to discover an expensive gift that she eventually (and painfully) learns was not meant for her. Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” musicalizes Karen’s tragedy, which ends with her confronting Harry, but ending up together for the sake of their children.
How Are Daniel and Sam Related in 'Love Actually'?
Throughout the movie, Karen keeps in touch and supports her friend Daniel (Liam Neeson). He has recently lost his wife, taking charge of looking after his stepson Sam (Thomas Brodie-Sangster). A worried David perceives a change in attitude from Sam and believes his mother’s death might still rattle him. There's actually a much simpler reason behind Sam’s change in attitude: he has fallen in love with Joanna (Olivia Olson), the most popular girl in school. He makes it his mission to learn to play drums so that he can impress her and win her love.
After Joanna sings a beautiful rendition of “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” she departs with her family for the U.S., and Sam chases her through the airport as one last great gesture of love. In between these dramatic sequences, Daniel meets Carol, one of the school moms, who happens to be identical to his celebrity crush: Claudia Schiffer.
What Are Juliet, Peter, Mark, Jamie, and Sarah's Connections?
The Seemingly Close Friend Group
The film begins with the wedding celebration of Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Juliet (Keira Knightley). In attendance are their friends Mark (Andrew Lincoln), Jamie (Colin Firth), and Sarah (Laura Linney). Why say they’re close? Well, because you wouldn’t invite just anyone to your wedding, right? Starting with newlyweds Peter and Juliet, a controversial drama ensues when Mark (Peter’s best friend) accepts he’s fallen in love with Juliet. She thinks he hates her and, in trying to build bridges, ends up learning the truth. He follows this discovery by visiting the newlyweds’ house and flashing a set of cards as a weird love/goodbye gesture. Juliet seals this with a kiss.
Related
The 10 Worst Christmas Movies, According to Letterboxd
All I want for Christmas is for these movies to disappear.
After Jamie discovers his wife has been cheating on him (with his brother nonetheless), he takes some time off by retiring to his French villa. There, he meets his housekeeper Aurélia (Lúcia Moniz), who only speaks Portuguese. Their inability to understand each other is what ends up bonding them. They learn each other’s language and wind up having the happiest of endings on Christmas Eve when Jamie finds her waiting tables at a restaurant and proposes marriage in front of everyone. Finally, Sarah has a less promising end. When her boss (Harry the cheater) confronts her about having a crush on co-worker Karl (Rodrigo Santoro), she opens up to the possibility of having a love of her own. Sadly, because of her devotion to work and taking care of her brother, the possibility quickly comes crumbling down.
How Do Tony, Colin, John, and Judy's Storylines Connect in 'Love Actually'?
The Co-Worker Group
Abdul Salis’ Tony is shown multitasking between two jobs (in some scenes even at the same time!) He first shows up working with the catering service at Peter and Juliet’s wedding, where Colin (Kris Marshall) is also a server. The bit focuses mostly on Colin, as he decides to journey to America after a self-enlightening makes him see he’s the god of sex, just in the wrong continent. Perhaps the storyline that had the most probability of failing is the one with the most success. Soon after arriving in Milwaukee, he meets Carol-Anne (Elisha Cuthbert), Jeannie (January Jones), and Stacey (Ivana Miličević). He ends up sleeping with all of them, while also meeting his future girlfriend Harriet (Shannon Elizabeth) in the process.
Tony’s second job could be considered of a more demanding nature and makes you wonder how on Earth this man can do both. As a production assistant, he’s present when John (Martin Freeman) meets Judy (Joanna Page). John and Judy are stand-ins for film sex scenes, for which Tony gives them cues on how to show their privates. They date shyly as teenagers, although they get to know each other in their birthday suits. At some point off-screen, the sweet and hopeful couple gets engaged.
How Do Billy and Rufus Connect to the Larger 'Love Actually' Narrative?
The Omnipresent Ones
Rounding up the film’s cast are two figures who are present during the whole film. The first figure comes in the shape of Rowan Atkinson. His Rufus is a sort of angel who’s present at some of the film’s most defining moments. He shows up at the jewelry counter where Harry is sneakily trying to buy Mia’s gift, taking an eternity to wrap it up, while giving time to have Harry be discovered by Karen. He then shows up at the airport when Sam is trying to go after Joanna, distracting airport security while giving him a chance to make a run for it.
Bill Nighy’s Billy Mack is a has-been rockstar who’s trying to make a comeback by producing a Christmas album. His candidness and cynicism when promoting it made him a total hit, and he eventually became Christmas’s #1 song. After rejecting the opportunity to celebrate with a bunch of famous people, he goes back to his manager Joe (Gregor Fisher), as he happens to be the one who’s been there for him and, therefore, the love of his life. Billy’s cover of “Love Is All Around” – cleverly re-titled “Christmas Is All Around” – is present for the film’s entirety, and his naked celebration televised during Christmas Eve is the cherry on top of this ridiculous extravaganza.
How Do All of the 'Love Actually' Storylines Connect?
The film’s numerous storylines come together at the very end when the last shot at Heathrow Airport shows everyone’s ultimate fate. Billy comes back with a new girlfriend. John and Judy stumble into Tony before eloping. Tony welcomes Colin, who’s now accompanied not only by Harriet but also by her friendly sister Carla (Denise Richards). Juliet, Peter, and Mark greet Jamie and Aurélia, with the latter now mastering her English. We can assume tragic Sarah is nowhere near Karl. Karen seems to have made an uneasy peace with staying with Harry. Sam innocently reunites with Joanna. And finally, Natalie welcomes David with a kiss, revealing they’re an official couple now.
Love Actually is many things: Christmassy, feel-good, ridiculous, and extensive, but one of the ultimate holiday experiences nonetheless. Although recent rewatches might show some aspects that haven’t aged well, the truth is it will never lose its iconic status. This year, the film is set to return to theaters for a limited time. Having a guide to know who’s who should prove useful when trying to keep track of each of the characters’ endearing storylines while judging its most ludicrous features.
Love Actually is available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.
