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Original poster

Love Actually annoyances

163 replies

marychristmas22 · 22/12/2023 07:14

Watched it last night for the 26363th time and there are still things that really irritate me.

  1. Emma Watson calling Liam Neeson a sissy when he cries at the loss of his wife.
  1. Juliet kissing her husbands best friend in the middle of the street. And what would have happened if the guy had come to the door in the middle of those boards?
  1. This is the worst, the entire Laura Linney storyline. I get that she's giving up romantic love for the love of her brother but why? Why can't she have both? We're led to believe Carl is a nice guy, why wouldn't he have accepted her situation and supported her? And why does her story finish so abruptly about 45 minutes before everyone else's?

Not to mention all the sexism and misogyny but these things always just stick out to me as being the most ridiculous. Thoughts?

OP posts:
TwiddlingMyToes · 22/12/2023 07:52

Despite agreeing with all of the above, I do love it and watch it every year when wrapping my Christmas presents.

Favourite bit for me is when the pm and his driver go carol singing and it turns out the driver is an amazing singer. Makes me chuckle every time!

Original poster
marychristmas22 · 22/12/2023 07:52

EarringsandLipstick · 22/12/2023 07:47

It's a silly film. But very watchable. I remember hating it when it came out in the cinema. But quite enjoy watching it for the nonsense now.

All these points have been made & done to death - yes, there are many, many holes in the plot & storyline; behaviour of more than a few characters is problematic viewed through today's lens; the body shaming is wrong.

If that's sufficiently bothersome, don't watch it but honestly, it's all been covered extensively.

(And on Emma Thompson 'sissy' comment - actually there I disagree. That was the nature of their friendship, support hidden behind joking comments.)

Apologies if it's been done extensively, I haven't seen any posts on it.

Yes I meant Emma Thompson not Watson oops! That story is by far the best and most relatable.

I get that it's meant to be silly in places but the Laura Linney story is more of a continuity issue if anything. It just doesn't make sense that she disappears from the film an hour be for everyone else with no resolved ending.

OP posts:
Mapletreelane · 22/12/2023 07:53

Oh I so agree (think I have posted about this before) . I really don't get the hype and I love all types of film and TV. Mind you I started watching the Holiday last night and turned off after 5 mins, cringe, cringe cringe.

Flapjacker48 · 22/12/2023 07:53

And the large Edwardian terraces in the street that Natalie lives being "the rough end of wandsworth"

Fizbosshoes · 22/12/2023 07:54

Flapjacker48 · 22/12/2023 07:51

As if the Keria Knightley character and her husband could afford that mews house.

I think that about loads of films.
Notting Hill- how does a bloke who works in a bookshop with no customers afford to have a flat in Notting Hill. Why is the bookshop even open when it sells no books?

ReindeerShelter · 22/12/2023 07:55

I don’t see it as flawed. A lot of the “problematic” moments you refer to reflect real life, not the world you wish you lived in Confused

People do judge others for being fat and call them so. People do sacrifice their own happiness for one’s they love. People do cheat and kiss their husband’s best friend in the street. People did (and still do) mock men for crying.

This is all represented. We can’t pretend it doesn’t happen just because you don’t want it to.

the80sweregreat · 22/12/2023 07:56

As much as I'm not keen on KK the actress , tbf to her in this she has just watched herself on film as all her and was just thinking out loud at that point
She probably wasn't aware of how nice she did look on the day and she didn't seem particularly vain. Plus she was awkward around her husbands friend who was really hostile and probably trying to fill in the gaps because he was so weird around her. She didn't know , until that point , how much he fancied her either
That's my take on it anyway

peppermintcrisp · 22/12/2023 07:56

Apologies if it's been done extensively, I haven't seen any posts on it.

🤣

Savedpassword · 22/12/2023 07:57

marychristmas22 · 22/12/2023 07:52

Apologies if it's been done extensively, I haven't seen any posts on it.

Yes I meant Emma Thompson not Watson oops! That story is by far the best and most relatable.

I get that it's meant to be silly in places but the Laura Linney story is more of a continuity issue if anything. It just doesn't make sense that she disappears from the film an hour be for everyone else with no resolved ending.

Show quote history

It’s a Christmas tradition on MN 😉There are multiple threads every year and it’s still one of the most popular Christmas films 😀

Rosiiee · 22/12/2023 07:57

And why did Sam stay with his stepdad instead of going to biological family? That bit confuses me!

CluelessPadme · 22/12/2023 07:59

It’s a Christmas film! Try watching Elf, Polar Express or The Snowman, and talk about whether it’s realistic or not…

I think what Keira Knightley says is “I look quite pretty”, which is subtly different

EarringsandLipstick · 22/12/2023 08:01

Oh really @Savedpassword 😀 maybe I was wrong all along!

EarringsandLipstick · 22/12/2023 08:02

Apologies if it's been done extensively, I haven't seen any posts on it.

Are you new to MN? 😂

It's always posted about.

And I meant more generally, there's endless articles / posts about it.

Fizbosshoes · 22/12/2023 08:03

With regard to Natalie repeatedly being referred to as fat.....this was the same era when there were loads of magazine articles about how Renee Zelwegger had to eat 6 million calories and 700 donuts a day to "pile on the pounds" to play (about size 10) Bridget Jones.... Hmm

the80sweregreat · 22/12/2023 08:04

Richard Curtis always made English films for the American audiences, so they would all think we could afford nice homes in nice areas and all the rest of it.

EarringsandLipstick · 22/12/2023 08:05

with no resolved ending.

She does have a resolved ending. And doesn't disappear. It's clear she & Karl don't work out - and that's emphasised when they wish each other happy Christmas in the office & she cries.

Originally the story was more am oh yes but Richard Curtis changed it after initial audience testing to make it 💯 clear it doesn't work out.

Overall he admitted they rushed the production, plus made it so long, needing a lot of cuts, that many storylines ended up not making sense.

Prinnny · 22/12/2023 08:05

Aw I love it I watch it every year whilst wrapping presents.

That bit with the lad who goes to America slagging off the catering to the caterer at the wedding 🤣🤣

Alan Rickman is sublime, also love Bill Nighly in it. I read recently that Colin Firth and Hugh Grant were going to swap rolls midway but then changed their minds!

Okaaaay · 22/12/2023 08:05

Yes!! I adore(d?) Love Actually but it has aged terribly. Agree on all of these points - it made me cringe to watch it last year.

Prinnny · 22/12/2023 08:06

Love Actually and BJD are both from herion chic era hence the fatshaming of a very normal body!

autienotnaughty · 22/12/2023 08:06

@Savedpassword no Hugh grant was her brother Liam Neeson her friend

1990s · 22/12/2023 08:08

Fizbosshoes · 22/12/2023 07:54

I think that about loads of films.
Notting Hill- how does a bloke who works in a bookshop with no customers afford to have a flat in Notting Hill. Why is the bookshop even open when it sells no books?

Show quote history

I think the answer to this is basically it being the past.

While it was still less likely that they’d have the mews house or Hugh Grant would live in Nottting Hill, now it seems crazy but in the 90s / 2000s it was way more possible.

EarringsandLipstick · 22/12/2023 08:09

autienotnaughty · 22/12/2023 08:06

@Savedpassword no Hugh grant was her brother Liam Neeson her friend

Oh yes of course! How did I forget that too? (And Hugh / Emma being brother & sister was ridiculous too!)

EarringsandLipstick · 22/12/2023 08:11

Also, we do look to certain movies to provide an escapist vision of the world we would like to inhabit for 90 minutes.

There's very little in the movie that aligns with reality - but that's ok at times too.

autienotnaughty · 22/12/2023 08:11

The Kiera knightley story was grim especially given her age.
The sex extras were weird.
Colin story awful.
Bill nighy and rab were hilarious.
Hugh grant and martine were kind of sweet.
Emma and Alan very moving.
Colin fifth boring.
Liams son was very sweet
The care home story very sad and not sure where it fitted.

CanaryCanary · 22/12/2023 08:11

@Rosiiee - why wouldn’t the kid stay with his stepdad? I mean if the stepdad had met him young, his dad wasn’t on the scene, isn’t it likely the stepdad would have taken on a full fatherly role? More likely he’d stay with his remaining parent and in his home and school than get shipped off to distant cousins or whoever.

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