The film begins with some real footage people hugging one another at what I can only guess is London Heathrow airport with Hugh Grant's voice being used to set the stage for what we are about to see. Then we get introduced to all the different characters and stories starting with Billy Mack (played by Davy Jones himself, Bill Nighy) who along with his longtime manager Joe (played by Gregor Fish) goes about trying to make a Christmas themed cover of the song "Love is All Around" in the hopes to reignite his rock n roll career and make it to number one for the holiday. As that happens, a love triangle occurs when Juliet (played by Elizabeth Swan herself, Keria Knightley) marries Peter (played by the soon to be new Scar, Chiwetel Ejofor) while his best man Mark (played by the late Rick Grimes or is he, Andrew Lincoln) videotapes it and secretly has a crush on the former. One of the wedding guests Jamie (played by Mr. Darcy himself, Colin Firth) finds out that his girlfriend is having an affair and withdraws to his French cottage where he meets and falls in love with his new housekeeper Aurelia (played by Lucia Moniz) despite each other being unable to communicate due to their first respective languages. In another love triangle, Harry (played by the late and great Alan Rickman) is comfortably married to his wife Karen (played by Nanny McPhee herself, Emma Thompson) but struggles when his new secretary Mia (played by Heike Makatsch) starts making sexual advances towards him. Meanwhile in 10 Downing Street, Karen's brother David (played by Grant) is the newly elected prime minister for Great Britain and seems to be attracted to Natalie (played by Martine McCutcheon) who just recently started a job as a junior member of the household staff. Karen's friend Daniel (played by a man who will find you and kill you, Liam Neeson) struggles to raise his stepson Sam (played by Thomas Sangster), but later teaches him the meaning of love when Sam reveals he has a crush. Jamie's American friend Sarah (played by Laura Linney) has for years worked at Harry's graphic design company and after some persuasion from him, goes about trying to go out with her crush, creative director Karl (played by Rodrigo Santoro) while also trying to deal with her mentally ill brother. With all this happening, a guy called Colin (Kris Marshall) is determined to find a girl who likes him and with no success in Britian, he goes to America to achieve that very thing much to the annoyance of his friend Tony (played by Abdul Salis). Tony by the way, just so happens to be a production assistant on a film and hires body doubles John (played by the young Bilbo Baggins, Martin Freeman) and Judy (played by one half of Gavin & Stacey, Joanna Page) for the sex scenes where some chemistry between them emerges. And while all this is happening, we get Rufus (played by Mr. Bean himself, Rowan Atkinson) who acts as the comic relief for the film.
Yeah maybe the critics are right for it being overstuffed. But honestly that doesn't sound like a bad thing. I mean yeah we have had many films that are too overstuffed or overcrowded and end up being not well received because of it. But when its handled and done right, it can be really good. So where do I stand with Love Actually. I'd say its a good film that keeps with the theme of love is all around and gives everyone enough screen time for them all to shine. Its one of the rare romantic comedies that is actually pretty good and possibly one of the few that can be a cult film considering that audiences enjoyed it more than critics. The fact that it had a reunion special on Comic Relief just shows how popular it is. 9/10
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