AIBU to think Love Actually was written for a bet

[Baileyscheesecake]

I've just watched Love Actually for the first time. (Yes I know I'm behind the times - it was released in 2003). Just from watching the trailer when it was released it never appealed to me but after someone on mumsnet said it was her fav film and she watches it every Christmas I thought I'd give it a chance.

I can't believe how atrocious it is and my only conclusion is that Richard Curtis wrote it as a bet to prove that he could write and direct a film with the weakest storylines and poorest drawn characters imaginable and still get a best selling film: held together only by fantastic cinematography, feel good music and talented actors.

Even the part brilliantly played by Bill Nighy points to the truth - he releases a crap song just for the Christmas market which he himself admits is terrible and it incredulously gets to number one based on hype, marketing and the terrible taste of the general public. Was Richard Curtis laughing behind our backs all the way to the bank?

squoosh I like 4 weddings and Notting Hill. I think Love Actually gets attention on mumsnet because it is so misogynistic. I for one am glad that so many women here see through its candyfloss appeal and recognise how it portrays women. This article illustrates how it's not actually the heartwarming rom com that it appears to be. www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/love-actually-richard-curtis-comic-relief-keira-knightley-a7643801.html

I would like to give Richard Curtis the benefit of the doubt and hope that he wrote it ironically.

Squoosh Just because a film is a rom com doesn't mean it shouldn't be well written and have strong characters. I love rom coms and there are some great ones out there which have strong female characters with decent story lines.

Agree.

You like Notting Hill? Now I thought that was a colossal pile of pig swill.

gillybeanz thanks for the link to the deleted scenes. It is a shame they cut the Frances de la Tour/Anne Reid story and the deleted fart story scene at the school would have been one of the highlights of the film - Emma Thomson's character's reaction to her son's story about being able to see the queen fart is classic!

OOooohhhh I LOATHED 4 Weddings and a Funeral.. bloomin loathed it...

Just because a film is a rom com doesn't mean it shouldn't be well written and have strong characters. I love rom coms and there are some great ones out there which have strong female characters with decent story lines.

Also agree.

I met a couple recently and he said it was his favourite film. The wife didn't even jab him in the ribs or apologise for him. It made me think less of them. Hugh Grant crab dancing to The Pointer Sisters is the stuff of re-occurring nightmares

Love this thread and the jezebel article. Watched this one Christmas as a family because I assumed it was a family film and poor young dd looked totally bemused at the porn scenes and during the scenes when the American women were coming onto the English guy telling him they had no pjs she was very worried for them...

crab dancing to the Pointer Sisters that has made me howl

I just loved it when it first came out. Of course, I was 15, and it was probably one of the first ever "grown up" films I'd seen. Went to see it in the cinema with my best friend and ended up buying it on DVD later.

With the benefit it is quite ridiculous but it does have that feel good thing about it

On the DVD commentary (I used to watch these religiously) they watch it with the young actor who plays the little blonde boy and they are all covering his eyes during the porn scenes and saying "Is it weird to be in a film you're not actually allowed to watch yet?"