Cheap Love Actually (Full Screen Edition) (DVD) (Liam Neeson, Hugh Grant) (Richard Curtis) Price

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Customer Reviews of Love Actually (Full Screen Edition)

Brilliant ensemble of actors, and thus by implication great cameos from the ilk of Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson and Emma Thomson; credible romantic vignettes intercut together, and thankfully not too saccharine to be implausible (not everyone ends up in their preferred romance for instance); a fair bit of nudity (a big bold "R Actually"); and above all, some delectable humor -- there are sentimentalistic crests but swiftly followed by a jibe or crack that balances the narrative.

The vignettes:

-- Colin Firth as a writer with a soft spot for his Portuguese maid while working on a novel in a French town
-- Liam Neeson as a widower managing his grief by lending his teenager son a hand with his love life
-- Emma Thomson as the cheery wife of Alan Rickman, an executive who is falling prey to the come-ons of an office colleague
-- Bill Nighy as a spent-out rock star on the comeback trail with a holiday version of the Trogg's "Love Is All Around"
-- Hugh Grant as a wonderfully self-deprecating bachelor prime minister in love with a benign British version of Monica Lewinsky
-- Laura Linney as an American expat with a romantic life that suffers due to her obligation for her autistic brother
-- Andrew Lincoln as a tortured bloke madly but secretly in love with the trophy wife (Keira Knightley) of his best friend
-- Kris Marshall as a would-be superstud trying to get to America (he's "cocksure" his British accent will be a chick magnet)
-- Martin Freeman and Joanna Page as two innocents who fall in love while working as stand-ins in a porn movie
-- Billy Bob Thornton as a nasty U.S. president who gets his comeuppance
-- Rowan Atkinson as a prissy department store clerk

What more can you ask for in one sitting? Don't read too much into the "too long to be interesting" reviews, this is a must-watch for anyone with a sensitive bone and an adult pass. It's not your everyday sappy chick-flick but a fascinating tapestry of love and longing in our modern lives.

Don't miss it!

Oh please....someone pass the bucket!
This film is guilty of the following crimes:

1. Typecasting Hugh Grant & Colin Firth in Richard Curtis type roles by Richard Curtis.
2. Wasting Liam Neeson and Alan Rickman's acting talent with poorly developed roles.
3. Leaving the only plot thread worth caring about (Emma Thompson's fine performance - hence the 2 stars) unresolved.
4. Putting forth unbelievable character performances (Liam Neeson's Son & The Prime Minister's Maid being the worst).
5. Putting forth unbelievable plot threads (most of them).
6. Giving us a scene where a bloke stalks a woman with hand written placards, which manages to be both sickly and creepy at the same time, and leaves the audience unsure of whos meant to love who...actually!
7. Turning up the sugary syrup quotient to an unbearable level two thirds into the film in the hope that no-one will notice that the director had bitten off more than he could chew.

In fact, I feel sick writing this. Buy "About a Boy" instead. It has acting and meaning, and is still warm and fuzzy without being barf inducingly ingratiating and over the top.

One of the Best Current British Comedies I've Seen in Ages.
I saw this in the theater when it first came out and, despite the fact that a couple behind me kept talking through it, I fell in love and decided to own it as soon as it was released on video. Now I have it on DVD, and want to spread the word. Love Actually is a great English romantic comedy full of several different stories going on at the same time, and each engages you in its plot quickly.

1. We have a young couple who are just married, and the groom's best friend is in love with the bride. Keira Knightley plays the role of Juliet with such sweetness and innocence, that even her dialogue free acting is powerfully convincing. Watch the scene where she views Mark's video of her wedding day and realizes he's in love with her.

2. Liam Neeson is Daniel, a newly widowed father who has to bridge the communication gap between himself and his son Sam. Sam's crush on an American girl provides this link, and the story is touching to watch as it unfolds throughout the film. Thomas Sangster is a promising child actor in his role as Sam, so keep your eyes on him. He is sure to be cast in more movies down the line.

3. Emma Thompson is always exceptional in every movie she's in. This is no exception as she plays Karen, a devoted and loving housewife who must come to terms with the fact that her husband Harry (Alan Rickman) is cheating on her with the office tramp.

4. Laura Linney plays Sarah, an American office worker who is in love with another American at work, but her sick brother makes the relationship difficult to see to its fruition.

5. Hugh Grant is David, the newly appointed Prime Minister of Britain, and he falls for his staff caterer Natalie, played by Martine McCutcheon. This story line is not without charming, laugh-out-loud moments, but it's also a bit corny and Benny Hill-ish at times.

6. One of my absolute favorite stories is the one involving Colin Firth's character Jamie, a writer who leaves England for the European countryside to write after discovering his brother is cheating with his wife, and he falls in love with his Portugese housekeeper Aurelia (Lucia Moniz). Neither of them can speak the other's language, but they manage to communicate in their own way, and the plot is very sweet.

7. Chris Marshall is very funny as Colin, the ugly, rude guy who strikes out romantically with English women, so he thinks he'll have better luck in America because of his "cute" accent. He goes to Milwaukee and discovers supermodel-type girls hanging out in a bar that fall for him instantly which really makes me laugh. I live an hour away from Milwaukee, and we are NOT plentiful with thin beautiful girls hanging out in bars. This was one joke that wasn't lost on me for a moment, and I couldn't help laughing quite loudly.

8. My favorite storyline is Billy Nighy as Billy Mack, a washed up 50-something rock star who makes a comeback on the charts with a shameless revamp of the old Troggs song, "Love is All Around" for Christmas. He is absolutely hysterical with his outrageous behavior as he publicly bashes the song and pulls all kinds of defiant public stunts. Of note is his relationship with his longtime manager Joe (Gregor Fisher) who, despite all the headaches his charge gives him, is still admirably loyal and proud of him.

One small storyline I detest is the porn actors we see a few times, conversing as they shoot dirty scenes on a movie set, and I also don't like the anti-American plot of the evil lecherous US president played by Billy Bob Thornton. These are two points for my not giving this film 5 stars.

Other than my minor grievances, I couldn't recommend Love Actually more highly. This movie is rated, R so please don't expose children to it just because one of the stories involves a little boy. This is great adult entertainment, and some of the DVD extras are a bit blue as well. Moving, funny, and full of clever dialogue (A favorite line: "Ten minutes with Elton John, and you're as gay as a maple!"), Richard Curtis has directed one of his best comedy projects yet. With the exception of small children, there's something here for everyone. You shouldn't just come away liking this one; it should be Love Actually.