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Christmas Movie Pick 1: Love Actually

Love Actually has become such a holiday favorite, it's hard to believe it's only been around since 2003!  It's definitely a very modern take on the holiday season with several interwoven stories ranging from a lonely world leader to body doubles in a raunchy movie to an aging rock star attempting a comeback....and a whole lot more in between.  With all those varied storylines, you may even wonder what it really has to do with Christmas?  I guess, for me, it's the idea that we're all more alike than we are different, no matter what our circumstances.  And is there ever a time when we're more tied together, no matter how you feel about them, than during the holidays?  


And for as much as some of them break my heart, here are my favorite stories in the film.  I can't even go into how they're all dovetailed to one another, so you'll have to watch to see......

How can you not feel compassion for an intelligent world leader who still can't seem to find love in his life and who dances around the Downing Street mansion to an old Pointer Sisters hit?


And then who finds love with a plain-spoken administrative assistant and then decides to walk the street she lives on until he finds her and then proclaim it a children's Christmas pageant complete with lobsters and octopi?  Talk about modern love!



And then probably the oldest story of heartbreak in the world: being in love with the same woman your best friend loves......and trying to deal with it.




I've heard some people say they don't like the way Mark deals with his crush on Juliet, but I've always found it clever and charming.  He gets it out and attempts to move on.....all with no secrecy or cunning to Juliet or her new husband.  Hey, most people have dealt with such a thing with waaay less chivalry, I can tell you. 




Sarah can barley break away from her needy brother with mental health issues to hook up with her hot coworker after the company Christmas party. 




In the end, hers is one of many stories that doesn't really have an ideal ending.  I think it's another reason I really like the movie.....it's real life. 



Colin Frissel only wants to get to America to score with easy American girls.  Hey, this is only one of many jokes made by the British about Americans in this film that may or may not have a lot of truth in it.  Go on, Colin, with your big knooooooob!!!!


It's not my favorite storyline, but it's light-hearted and really makes you think that it takes all kinds to make the world go round: the couple who's cute-meet is acting as body doubles for the steamy parts of an extremely R-rated flick.  I'll bet they're married with 5 kids by now!



A middle-aged man thinking about cheating on his wife.  The wife finds out.  She's devastated.  The man is ashamed.  Emma Thompson's tears and trying to keep it together while Joni Mitchell plays is one of the saddest and truest parts of the movie.  Gets me every time.


Heartbroken Jamie finding love even with a language barrier and then proposing in a Portuguese restaurant on Christmas Eve?  All I can say is, yes, please and thank you.



I just love the story of Billy Mack......"an old ex-heroine addict" trying to get the much-coveted Christmas Number One song in Britain.  His washed-up story of redemption is dirty and funny and delivers one of the best lines in the movie: "So if you believe in Father Christmas, children, like your Uncle Billy does, buy my festering turd of a record."  It may not be Miracle on 34th Street, but it sure as hell works for me!

Young love never gets old.  Especially when you start up a band just to impress a girl and then chase her down in the airport just to say goodbye.  Innocence will never make me tired. 



But my absolute favorite part of the film has the be the ending.....watching real-life families, friends and lovers hug and kiss and greet one another in the Heathrow Airport all to the sounds of one of my all-time favorite songs: God Only Knows by the Beach Boys.  It's just about enough to bring a tear to the eye of a cold-hearted Grinch like me......

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