Love Actually - yes or no?

[WarmSausageTea]

I fancy watching something festive, and I’m wondering about watching LA. I saw it 10+ years ago, and wasn’t keen, but I have had gin and am feeling quite chilled.

So, LA, yes or no? And if no, can I have some cheesy Christmas film recs, please? (I loved Last Christmas and the three Netflix prince films.)

Thanks.

[quote Squirrelblanket]People who don't understand why LA is shit need to read this: www.google.co.uk/amp/s/jezebel.com/i-rewatched-love-actually-and-am-here-to-ruin-it-for-al-1485136388/amp[/quote]
Squirrel, I just read this, it's fab. And for some reason I thought back to some twatsome thread on here a while ago about how Women Aren't Funny and it's a pity it's not still going (or maybe it is, because misogyny needs no battery replacement) because I would love to post this on it. Amazing. And sums up the film perfectly:

Everything in this movie is fucking insane. That’s not how press conferences work. That’s not how diplomacy works. That’s not how prime ministers work. NOTHING IS HOW ANYTHING WORKS. That’s not how weddings work, that’s not how audio recording works, that’s not how saxophones work, that’s not how hair works, that’s not how business meetings work, that’s not how art works, that’s not how grief works, that’s not how primary school Christmas concerts work, that’s not how airports work, that’s not how music charts work, that’s not how fat works, and none of it is how “love works.”

LOL LOL LOL

But it's just a twenty year old romcom. Richard Curtis' films always exist in a parallel universe.

Watch Krampus. That's a great xmas horror movie!
As for love actually,I think a pp summed it up perfectly..for me.. great cast, concepts of the film ie all the stories woven together and london looks great..but terrible aged sexist dialogue.

I still watch it though..even just only for that scene with emma Thompson

@Housewife2010

But it's just a twenty year old romcom. Richard Curtis' films always exist in a parallel universe.

So do a lot of romcoms, and given that they're supposedly aimed at women, overt misogyny in them is always interesting because it's clearly supposed to be stuff we 'identify with', or simply stuff that doesn't register with a male writer/director etc as problematic.

So Pretty Woman is a crass romcom that peddles the myth that prostitutes are sweethearts waiting to be saved by power-crazed capitalists who rent their bodies by the week and patronise them ('First time in an elevator!') while doing so, and who, when they find their lawyer trying to rape said prostitute whose consent they have bought for a week, rather than calling the police, start fighting with him about business. By the end the thing being sold as a fairytale is a businessman being seen as a knight in shining armour for treating a prostitute like a human being, and generously not breaking up the company he has just bought.

And yet a lot of women like the film.

Even without being misogynistic, I think it’s rubbish. I literally cannot remember the name of one character, and it felt like a mish mash of a million rubbish stories into one big rubbish story.

@Simplyunacceptable

It hasn’t aged very well, I don’t think it would be successful if it were to be released now and actually think lots of people would be up in arms about certain elements of it.

The Keira Knightley storyline is of course creepy and weird. No normal guy would film his best friend’s wife in such a way and the part where he turns up at the door with the signs is creepy AF too. She definitely should have informed the husband and he should have dropped the ‘friend’ with immediate effect.

Colin storyline obviously meant to be funny, just isn’t. Obvious inference to American women being ‘easy’ and his main gain is to use them for sex. Nice.

Always feel sad for Emma Thompson’s character. Loved Alan Rickman but his character in LA is a total sleazebag.

Martine Mccutcheon’s family plainly bully her. Lots of references to her ‘big arse’ and how ‘chubby’ she is- she definitely wasn’t/isn’t. Just wouldn’t be appropriate nowadays regardless.

Colin Firth just does his standard hapless posh bloke routine but the proposal is a bit... swift? Supposed to be romantic, actually just a bit daft to propose to a woman you’ve barely spoken to.

The Bill Nighy storyline is probably the best and its only saving grace.

Lots of films/tv shows that were made 20 years ago wouldn't be acceptable now. Times change. But for its time it was a good light hearted film that is still enjoyable (that's if you don't want to analyse every part of it).

@peaceanddove

Does Emma's character forgive her husband then? I'd forgotten that bit if so

She doesn't necessarily forgive him, but in her own words she " stays married, but always knowing that life is going to be that bit more shit."

It infuriates me.

Why does it infuriate you? Some women stay with their partners after affairs.

@onlythepianoplayer

Stop reading so much into it

Stop refusing to see what is staring you in the face. You don't need to read anything into it, its literally right there.

I know it's 'right there'. But it's 'right there' in lots of other films and Disney cartoons. Doesn't mean you can't just enjoy the film and accept it is what it is. It is a comedy/Christmas film that is supposed to be taken all that seriously.

@SeaWitchly

Sorry, I don't want to ruin your enjoyment of it Charlotte. You keep watching LA and telling yourself what a lovely, light hearted film it is. Everyone else with common sense and self respect can debate the unacceptable misogyny it depicts and how we will be discussing this aspect with our daughters, nieces and grand-daughters so hopefully another generation won't be suckered into thinking films like this are acceptable entertainment :)

It is lighthearted. If I went around analysing every film I watched I would never enjoy anything. Dirty dancing, Pretty Woman, Friends, Sex and the City, lots of Disney films all have questionable views on women. If I want to watch for lighthearted entertainment then these sorts of things are fine and easy to watch. However if you want to watch to analyse, question and depict every scene and theme then these films are also great projects for Media and Popular Culture Studies.

Why does it infuriate you? Some women stay with their partners after affairs

Because I cannot understand why anyone would stay, knowing it was going to be more shit than it was before. Her character isn't deluded, or optimistic about the marriage, at all. She sees her future, very clearly, and yet still stays.

I love Miracle on 34th Street.

It's equal parts awful and great.

The Emma Thompson, Laura Linney, Colin Firth and Hugh Grant storylines are good. All the others are awful but somehow I still enjoy them.

Love Actually
Holiday
Bridget Jone's Diary (all of them)

love them 🌺

@peaceanddove

Why does it infuriate you? Some women stay with their partners after affairs

Because I cannot understand why anyone would stay, knowing it was going to be more shit than it was before. Her character isn't deluded, or optimistic about the marriage, at all. She sees her future, very clearly, and yet still stays.

I do think there's a strong Mn bias in favour of LTB after the discovery of an affair. My experience doesn't match that at all, though. I can think of some people who've stayed together, and at least one couple whose relationship seems to have been shocked into a sort of genuine renewal after they both had affairs, and decided they preferred one another.

I think ET's character's clear-sightedness about the future is actually the interesting thing about her character -- she's also clearly a 'chin up and carry on type', judging both by her response to the 'wrong' present and her 'nobody likes a crybaby' take on comforting Liam Neeson's new widower. I suppose you can see that as a strength or as emotional constipation?

Though it would have been quite fun if ET fell into Hugh Grant's arms, announced she was coming back to Number Ten with the children and that he needed to send his security detail to rough up Alan Rickman, while all Hugh Grant can think about is shagging Natalie.

@peaceanddove

Why does it infuriate you? Some women stay with their partners after affairs

Because I cannot understand why anyone would stay, knowing it was going to be more shit than it was before. Her character isn't deluded, or optimistic about the marriage, at all. She sees her future, very clearly, and yet still stays.

Women/Men stay because of children, financial reasons, still love their partner,no support network etc. If you go onto the relationship board you will see lots of examples of why people stay in marriages even though they know 'it will always be a little bit shit'. 😢

Four Christmases

Honestly, if this is actually your favourite film, I'd be really worried about you.

Really worried about someone having a different opinion?

After reading the whole thread on MN about Love Actually for the umpteenth year running. My goodness, I've really changed my opinion of this film. Said NOBODY ever.

@Charcutaria

After reading the whole thread on MN about Love Actually for the umpteenth year running. My goodness, I've really changed my opinion of this film. Said NOBODY ever.

Actually, several people have said they changed their minds about it, having read threads on here and/or the Jezebel article.

Yes! feel good easy watch film!
Much more entertaining than Its a Wonderful Life that i watched for the first time yesterday, I won't be rushing back to watch it again!

@Nore
Actually, several people have said they changed their minds about it, having read threads on here and/or the Jezebel article
I stand corrected then, to be honest I didn't read all of the thread, I couldn't be arsed with all the angst. Same old, same old shit year in year out.

[quote Charcutaria]@Nore
Actually, several people have said they changed their minds about it, having read threads on here and/or the Jezebel article
I stand corrected then, to be honest I didn't read all of the thread, I couldn't be arsed with all the angst. Same old, same old shit year in year out.[/quote]
I hear you, but it's kind of an annual tradition, like people getting hysterical about supermarket shopping slots and Christmas Eve boxes.

Personally, I think Elf is almost as disturbing, because of Will Ferrell's lower half in yellow tights throughout, not to mention Christmas Chronicles 2 where Goldie Hawn can't move her face as Mrs Claus.

Really worried about someone having a different opinion? confused

Is that a joke?

I stand corrected then, to be honest I didn't read all of the thread, I couldn't be arsed with all the angst. Same old, same old shit year in year out

so it's a case of "I don't personally give a shit, but I'm going to take time out of my busy day of nor giving a shit to tell you all how pathetic you are that you do give a bit of a shit"?
Cos that's not a waste of time at all