Dorkgasm Gonzo Is God

            There are movies that, when you watch them, just make you feel great. Movies that erase any tension that you feel in life and just make you feel hopeful that humanity is not the pieces of crap you think they are at every other turn in life. Love Actually is one of those movies.

            This movie, brought to us by Richard Curtis, the same man who wrote <>Four Weddings and a Funeral, takes place during the Christmas season. It tells us nine different stories that intersect and co-mingle in ways that Pulp Fiction was made famous for. While going into the wildly swerving plot would take an exceptionally long time, let me tell you what the stories are about, as least.

1) The first story we’re introduced to is that of faded rock gad Billy Mack (Bill Nighy). Once immensely popular, his star has crumbled, and together with his chubby manager Joe (Gregor Fisher), they hope their Christmas themed remake of “Love Is All Around” will crack the number one spot and restore Mack to superstar fame.
2) Jamie (Colin Firth) is a successful crime writer. He’s about to dip out to his friend Peter’s wedding, and his girlfriend (Sienna Guillory) is sick. He stops back after the ceremony and finds out she’s been being buggered by his brother. Sick with anger and sadness, he retreats to the French countryside to finish his book and finds love in the most unlikely place.
3) Daniel has just lost his darling wife and mother to his stepson Sam. While Daniel tries to pick up his life with the help of his friend Karen, Sam has a burgeoning love problem all his own. Are Titanic and some rum lessons the key to his happiness, and can Daniel find a solution for his grief through his boy?
4) John (Martin Freeman) is a body double who is used to playacting at love, but is unable to find the real thing. When he meets Judy (Joanna Page) though, he may have hit the nail on the head. As their scenes together get more and more revealing, John decides to ask Judy out for a night on the town. Is it love or merely movie set inspired lust?
5) Next, we’re introduced to Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Mark (Andrew Lincoln). Peter is getting married to Juliet (Kiera Knightly), and Mark is his best man. After the bachelor party went horribly wrong, the wedding goes off without a hitch. However, things are not always what they appear, as Mark harbors a secret longing that he refuses to acknowledge.
6) There’s a new Prime Minister in England, and his name is David (Hugh Grant). After being introduced to his household staff, he finds a terribly inconvenient attraction to Natalie (Martine McCutcheon). When the President Of The United States (Billy Bob Thornton) is introduced into the mix, true love could be in a spot of trouble…
7) At Peter and Juliet’s wedding reception, Colin Frissel (Kris Marshall) botches yet another attempt at getting into a bird’s knickers. While talking to friend Tony (Abdul Salis), he deduces his problem is the result of English women being too stuck up, so he decides to head to the US in attempt to find true love, or at least sex. Wisconsin is his destination, but will he find what he’s looking for?
8) Karen (Emma Thompson) is trying to manage a household, as well as maintain her relationship with her husband Harry (Alan Rickman). As the Christmas plans begin to unfold, she becomes convinced that Harry is having an affair with employee Mia (Heike Makatsch). With all of these problems, her older brother David has just become Prime Minister. How can everything possibly work out for the best?
9) Sarah (Laura Linney) is an employee at a graphic design firm. Her boss, Harry, calls her in to explain that everyone knows about her infatuation with enigmatic head designer Karl (Rodrigo Santoro). When Sarah moves to tell Karl about her crush, problems with her disabled brother Michael (Michael Fitzgerald) threaten to end the relationship before it has even begun.

            Okay, confused yet? Not to worry, though. Curtis’s competent storytelling in his directorial debut may seem to be overwhelming, but everything plays out just as it should. Throw in Rowan Atkinson as a salesman named Rufus, who has a knack for turning up at just the right moment, and you have a wonderful romantic comedy and one of the best Christmas themed movies of all time. Sometimes, the overlapping of the stories seems just a little bit too convenient for real life, but that is the main reason that it works. The hyper-reality of the story gives us a bigger picture of just how pervasive love is the lives of strangers.

            One of the unbilled characters in the movie is definitely its soundtrack. Many different genres of music are used to exceptionally wonderful effect. Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” is used during a particularly emotional moment during the movie and can make even the staunchest moviegoer tear up. “Jump (for My Love)” by the Pointer Sisters is a classic which led to Hugh Grant’s hilarious dance scene, prompting Grant to say he would never dance on film again. Otis Redding chimes in with a heart-rending version of “White Christmas”, and Bill Nighy actually does a wonderful job of singing “Christmas Is All Around”, his take on The Trogg’s “Love Is All Around”.

I            f you want to see a smart romantic comedy with a touch of Christmas cheer, make sure to get Love Actually today. I can honestly say that this is in my Top Ten Movie list of all-time. The filming direction is perfect, the colors vibrant and beautiful, and the acting is right on par with classic status. It is the perfect movie to watch during the holidays or when you just feel a little down. Trust me, you will not be disappointed with Love Actually.

Editor's Note: The editor would like you to know that this is one of his favorite movies of all time. Thank you