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Overall Rating
 Awesome: 31.65%
Worth A Look: 46.04%
Just Average: 9.35%
Pretty Crappy: 7.91%
Sucks: 5.04%
8 reviews, 91 user ratings
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Love Actually |
by Marigold
"I know it's only sappy crap, but I like it."

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I need to bitch about something for a minute here. Lately I've read several very negative reviews of Love Actually and since they all sound the same, I was able to condense my response into this simple axiom: LIGHTEN UP, PEOPLE.Cranky, uptight folks who consider themselves too sophisticated to enjoy a piece of fluff like Love Actually have their panties all in a twist over bullshit like:
§ the fact that the story is romantic and sappy (no kidding?) § the unfair manner in which overweight people are portrayed(what the..?) § the questionable symbolism of the porno movie stand-ins (what the..?) § the crass artistic trespass Curtis made in putting not just a wedding, but a wedding AND a funeral in this movie, when he already made us think about weddings and funerals once before so how dare he do it again! (Critics think they’re being really clever here as this point is noted in EVERY bad review.)
To you grouchy bastards I say: What the hell is wrong with you? Why can't you just enjoy a movie for what it is? Why would you expect it to be The fucking English Patient or something, huh?
Suddenly everyone is all concerned about the realism of Curtis's love stories. I mean, what the hell? Why is realism so important all of a sudden? Did anyone complain that Terminator 3 wasn't realistic? ("Unstoppable cyborgs from the future that can change shape?!? My god, who's going to believe that? It's so unrealistic!")
Was this movie billed as a drama? Was it billed as a freakin' documentary? I know it’s not real. I know it’s not deep. I mean come on – would a young, handsome bachelor ever be elected to any head of state? And more importantly, would any woman cheat on Colin Firth? Yeah, Love Actually is a fantasy. No shit. Maybe you're just a wee bit resentful that deep down, you really loved it.
From my full review that is unnecessary here, since everyone already knows the story:
Love Actually is a succinct, well-executed success. It was kind of amazing to watch so many stories be told so fluidly and so well – with none left dangling. Equal time is given to each plot thread in soap-opera fashion. Though here, each vignette is either touching or hilarious, often both. I could not spot any boring or unnecessary scenes.
The connection between the characters is there, but is not the main point. Don’t look for karma-like significance in their relationships. They are just people who are tightly or loosely related through friendships, jobs, and family. Although sometimes a little over the romantic top, this film does its job and does it well.
I’m giving Love Actually a "worth a look" rating because it was top-rate entertainment. The writing, the humor, and the excellent use of surprise cameos make it a real crowd pleaser.Not the most significant work of art or anything… not going to change the face of film making, etc…. but a good reason to go to the movies and that’s what it’s all about.
link directly to this review at https://www.hollywoodbitchslap.com/review.php?movie=8297&reviewer=356 originally posted: 01/23/04 12:52:43
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USA 07-Nov-2003 (R) DVD: 27-Apr-2004
UK N/A
Australia 26-Dec-2003
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