To enjoy watching Love Actually

[Geminijust]

Just watched Love Actually for the umpteenth time. Thoroughly enjoyed it as usual and got me in the festive spirit.

Yes, the plot(s) is full of holes and mostly ridiculous! However, there are some great moments such as the Emma Thompson scene when she gets the CD instead of the necklace and lots of funny moments (Rowen Atkinson, Bill Nighy etc). My teen DD watching for the first time pointed out the sexism and the fat shaming (but still quite enjoyed it). She's not wrong, but meh! AIBU?

If we're talking about problematic films, I'd rather watch Pretty Woman than this pile of shite any day! ( or Grease or Saturday Night Fever, or anything really...)

Watched it last night by chance and it did seem dated- the chubby comment stood out. I still teared up at the Emma Thompson bedroom scene though.

I absolutely hate it. Some of the stories are so unfunny and smug like the body doubles (yuk), Keira Knightley & Laura Linney ones. Best bit is 5 mins of Rowan Atkinson. Pure comedy

Think the whole point of the Colin storyline is the twist - we fully expect him to go to America and be completely wrecked by the girls and come home chastened and tail between his legs! So the girls' reaction is just what he hoped for, which is a shock the first time you watch it! Unbelievable but funny!

I don’t think it’s that. It’s the same old tired trope of beautiful American women finding nerdy British men attractive.

Just like Julia Roberts being with Hugh Grant in Notting Hill.

It’s just a fantasy, but particularly nauseating in Love Actually.

roarrfeckingroar · 10/12/2023 17:02
**
"Fat shaming" my arse. Hugh Grant actually says he doesn't think she's fat. It's a gorgeous film”.

This

I love the Colin storyline. It’s just funny!

Hilarious. Imagine if Aurelia’s fat, plain sister (who gets fat-shamed for comic effect by both Aurelia and their father in case you didn’t get it first time, and so we fully grasp it’s utterly hilarious that the father might think Colin Firth wants to marry ‘Miss Dunkin Donuts 2003’) went to America under the impression American men are going to fall for her charms? How would that pan out?

She would return with a gorgeous American guy (George Clooney? ) and smirk at Aurelia!

Hugh Grant says she’s not fat so a lifetime of absolutely everyone else including her parents saying she is fat is immediately solved? I’ve know people who have gone on to develop anorexia from one comment, and the surrounding culture at that time didn’t help. Maybe it’s easier to accept now because big boobs and bottoms are considered fashionable and sexy but they weren’t at that time, and the film was marketed to people from age 12 up, ie those who might not have been the most sensitive to nuance and parody.

Love it and yes I know🙄

I loved it in my early twenties. Now I know I would be enraged if I watched it, especially if I'd been on the mulled wine. The ridiculous fat shaming of slim women. The bringing back American women as souvenirs for your mates, as well as the laugh out loud notion that Colin(?) would be considered irresistible in any country. The fact that the big romantic scene was a betrayal of the oblivious best mate/husband. Most of the storylines involve shitty men and eerily passive women.

*Not that it's OK to fatshame women of any size!

No film made 20 years earlier is going to be perfect by present day standards, just as people will find something to criticise about films made today.

I enjoy watching films like Love Actually, Pretty Woman and Notting Hill for what they are. I watch, I forget, I don't spend hours afterwards analysing.

I'm not convinced fed that ET stays either her husband. I think she's doing that civilised thing of meeting him at the airport for the kids' sake and not rushing into a decision. If she did stay, I think it would be because she doesn't want to throw away a marriage over one bad action rather than financial because the PM's sister is unlikely to be skint.

No! Firth trumps Clooney every time for me!

Completely agree

Just watched it this afternoon, bit of Cmas cheer not to be taken too seriously

Why is it unrealistic that Julia Robert's would be attracted to Hugh Grant - he was gorgeous back in the 90s/00s.
Not all film stars want to marry other film stars - it's not unheard of for rich, glamorous people to marry outside of their profession.

His personality was lovely too, much nicer than the American boyfriend.

Thought I would watch this tonight after not seeing it since it came out in the cinema years ago. Remember not liking it then but thought I would give it another go. The porn star scenes are horrible, Martin Freeman fully clothed and Joanna Page naked, yuk !!