|
Love, we all crave it in all its many forms and it happens to everyone at different times in their lives. No other movie shows and reflects on its many forms better than the romantic comedy "Love Actually." It is a movie that involves many different people and their relationships. Surprisingly enough, it is very concise and just real enough to make it a very good motion picture (not just a run of the mill romantic comedy).
Emma Thompson plays "Karen," a married woman who discovers her husband has given his secretary a gold necklace for Christmas and hid it from her. Her husband is cheating, but in which form she doesn't know. Subtle yet powerful, Thompson makes you feel for her character and understand the love she feels for her husband and her family. It is very moving.
Then there is Laura Linney who plays the part of "Sarah," a woman who has been in love with the same guy for two years. When she gets the chance to be with him she can't because her phone is constantly ringing and she is picking it up. It's her brother who is in a mental institution. She is so subtle and quiet that you believe her ten hundred percent. What is marvelous about her story is that it is not only about her love for a man, but also her love for her brother.
There are many other great and enchanting plotlines and fun scenes that all include incredible actors. You have such greats as Bill Nighy, Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Alan Rickman, Keira Knightly, and Colin Firth to begin with. With storylines ranging from a prime minister (Hugh Grant) who is in love with a girl on his catering staff, to a step dad (Liam Neeson) whose wife just died and who is trying to help his son win the affections of the girl he loves and at the same time to learn to communicate with his son. The audience gets to see a very wide range of relationships played out. This in turn helps us remember love in all its facets and beauty. It's a very moving movie indeed.
It may just be the actors, but this dialog was absolutely perfect. Not once did I believe the characters to be speaking falsely or as if they were stepping out of a storybook. The dialog and motions with it at times could be a little overdramatic, but that is what makes a romantic comedy so enjoyable. The audience definitely loves sappy.
There are two things we can all derive from this movie. Number one is that though we mostly pursue romantic love, there is so much love in other places….different kinds of love that we need not look further than past our own noses. While romantic love is great there are many different types such as friendship, family, careers….etc. Number two lesson is that we must actively pursue and that risk for something we desire. Risking some to win some is one of the greatest adventures a human being can know. Sometimes it results in what we want and sometimes it doesn't. In the end it gives us experience. We must keep trying.
"Love Actually" is a movie well worth watching. In fact, you must go down to the store now and pick it up. It is a movie that everyone can enjoy. It's also a movie that simply reminds us that love actually is all around us.
|