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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:
kingtamponthefurred · 22/12/2023 11:29

The plot holes would not raise an eyebrow nowadays. My advice for aspiring writers would be 'don't spend your time trying to craft a realistic and internally consistent plot. Nobody else does.'

beguilingeyes · 22/12/2023 12:06

'I like Bill Nighy but he couldn’t pull off the ageing rock star thing. He looks and sounds like a bank manager.'

Have you not seen Still Crazy? It's about an aging rock band who get back together. Bill Nighy is the singer. Jimmy Nail, Tim Spall and Stephen Rea are in the band and Billy Connolly is the roadie. It's glorious. One of My favourite films.

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marychristmas22 · 22/12/2023 12:08

Hmmph · 22/12/2023 11:24

I like it. I also find it very thought provoking - all the different couple situations. That's why it's on MN all the time being discussed. Emma Thompson is obviously the outstanding actor and scene.

Sarah and Karl... He's an arse! They're in her room and the phone rings and it's her brother, who is clearly a major part of her life. Karl never asks about him or shows support. He just wants sex and strops off when he is not centre of attention anymore. Yes, Sarah needs to be allowed to live her own life and not feel the caring guilt as she does, but I can totally sympathise with her. Karl is not someone she should be in a relationship with. She needs someone supportive who cares about her and her brother, not someone who sulks because of her life situation. I can't believe how she is always criticised on MN and people think she should end up with Karl!

Kind of agree with this. Also find it odd how two people who were too shy to even speak to each other can start ripping each others clothes off with barely a conversation between them.

OP posts:
the80sweregreat · 22/12/2023 12:13

I'd love the Andrew Lincoln character to be with Laura linney at some stage
They had a connection at that wedding scene
Plus he'd be more understanding of the brother situation

Fieldofbrokenpromises · 22/12/2023 12:16

PropertyManager · 22/12/2023 10:43

Go back to the 70's and Notting Hill was a bit of a dump, the area had been largely industrial with the James Bartle Iron Works being a major employer (long closed and derelict by then) the GLC undertook a large scale demolition of terraces of houses that would be worth a fortune now, the whole area around the notorious Rillington Place (which was a slum, in 3 storey edwardian terraces) and built new blocks.

By the 90s it was much improved, gentrification well underway, still afordable and trendy as within reach of artists and creatives on lower incomes but nowhere near the dizzy heights of today.

Lets assume Hugh Grants caracher opened his eponymous bookshop in the late 80's, quite believable.

How was Hugh Grant’s character’s bookshop eponymous?

TimeFlysWhenYoureHavingRum · 22/12/2023 12:36

The filmmakers idea of "the dodgy end of Wandsworth" where the Martine McCutchion character supposedly lives was portrayed by a million pound house in celebrity neighbourhood Herne Hill.
In Ricard Curtis World even "poor people" are minted!

Mamette · 22/12/2023 13:02

marychristmas22 · 22/12/2023 12:08

Kind of agree with this. Also find it odd how two people who were too shy to even speak to each other can start ripping each others clothes off with barely a conversation between them.

Show quote history

Really? That’s one part that seems completely believable to me 😂 The ripping off clothes I mean.

And fgs, how is Karl meant to know what’s going on with the brother? Laura Linney is just taking a call from someone she calls “darling”… do we know that Karl knows the whole story? I think Karl is meant to be pretty shy too.

That brother is bloody lucky he has LL for a sister and not someone like me who would 100% have phone on silent. Or thrown out the window.

peppermintcrisp · 22/12/2023 13:11

🤣

the80sweregreat · 22/12/2023 13:22

Martine's parents probably bought that house in the 70s when they were slightly more affordable than anything is now.
My brother lived in plaistow once and he paid around 4K or something for a two bed in the 70s that is probably worth an awful lot more now and they only had ordinary jobs

Username947531 · 22/12/2023 13:48

I love this movie, even the bits that are highly dodgy.

I'll get my coat.

qotsa · 22/12/2023 14:06

FiveMoreMinutesPlease · 22/12/2023 07:22

Kiera Knightly saying "I'm really quite pretty."

Haha. Makes me think of this. www.instagram.com/reel/C0ol3YloKfG/?igsh=emQwNmFjZ2M5Zm9z

Cherrysoup · 22/12/2023 15:52

Mamette · 22/12/2023 13:02

Really? That’s one part that seems completely believable to me 😂 The ripping off clothes I mean.

And fgs, how is Karl meant to know what’s going on with the brother? Laura Linney is just taking a call from someone she calls “darling”… do we know that Karl knows the whole story? I think Karl is meant to be pretty shy too.

That brother is bloody lucky he has LL for a sister and not someone like me who would 100% have phone on silent. Or thrown out the window.

Show quote history

🤣

EarringsandLipstick · 22/12/2023 18:17

And fgs, how is Karl meant to know what’s going on with the brother? Laura Linney is just taking a call from someone she calls “darling”… do we know that Karl knows the whole story? I think Karl is meant to be pretty shy too.

Some of you need to watch the movie more!

She tells him all about her brother, about their parents & his medical condition after the first phone call. When the brother rings a second time, he asks her to consider not answering - will it help him? She agrees it won't, but takes it anyway & makes it clear in the way she does it that a relationship isn't going to be possible.

It always breaks my heart a little....

EarringsandLipstick · 22/12/2023 18:20

Karl never asks about him or shows support.

Not the case. He says it's fine.

It's she who cuts off the relationship. She makes it clear nothing more is going to happen & she's not available. The scene ends with Carl sitting forlornly while she talks to her brother.

It's not clear why she couldn't have a relationship but it seems to be her call that they can't.

EarringsandLipstick · 22/12/2023 18:21

He just wants sex and strops off when he is not centre of attention anymore.

Seriously, did you even watch the scene? 😂
He never strops off.

Nepmarthiturn · 22/12/2023 20:26

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

Oh come on, neither of them were anywhere near a size 10 in those films. We now have 2/3 of the population overweight or obese but back then it was not the case so people didn't normalise it in the same way. Neither were enormously fat but both were clearly well above an ideal weight and it's silly to pretend otherwise.

KylieJennersMakeUpSponge · 22/12/2023 20:28

I have about 6,498 grievances about Love Actually. But do I watch it every year several times and enjoy every second? Yes I do

TheOccupier · 22/12/2023 20:48

ZenNudist · 22/12/2023 07:27

read this. It's so funny.

Yes! I love everything about that article and hate everything about Love Actually.

KylieJennersMakeUpSponge · 23/12/2023 12:23

Nepmarthiturn · 22/12/2023 20:26

Oh come on, neither of them were anywhere near a size 10 in those films. We now have 2/3 of the population overweight or obese but back then it was not the case so people didn't normalise it in the same way. Neither were enormously fat but both were clearly well above an ideal weight and it's silly to pretend otherwise.

Show quote history

Sorry THESE women were ‘well above the ideal weight ’?

Please take your personal weight and food complexes elsewhere and don’t poison other people’s minds with them.

Love Actually annoyances
Love Actually annoyances
Emotionalsupportviper · 23/12/2023 12:27

I LOATHE "Love Actually".

It's over-sentimentalised sh!te!

Only Alan Rickman film I've ever regretted watching. I'm quite happy to have I'm looking seedy, being a bit of an a-hole to his wife, leading his secretary (or whatever she was) on, then leaving her dumped and alone - that's character etc - but the whole "storyline" was just absolute cringey bollox.

Total rubbish!

My opinion, obviously Grin - the only one that matters to me.

KylieJennersMakeUpSponge · 23/12/2023 12:28

EarringsandLipstick · 22/12/2023 18:21

He just wants sex and strops off when he is not centre of attention anymore.

Seriously, did you even watch the scene? 😂
He never strops off.

He does eh strips off to America because he didn’t get immediate intercourse after creeping over women so decided American women were looser

KylieJennersMakeUpSponge · 23/12/2023 12:29

Oops wrong character 😂 but yes Carl decides - paraphrasing the Jezebel article -“she has a brother and he calls sometimes! Relationship over! There is no way these people can date!” 😂

Emotionalsupportviper · 23/12/2023 12:30

beguilingeyes · 22/12/2023 12:06

'I like Bill Nighy but he couldn’t pull off the ageing rock star thing. He looks and sounds like a bank manager.'

Have you not seen Still Crazy? It's about an aging rock band who get back together. Bill Nighy is the singer. Jimmy Nail, Tim Spall and Stephen Rea are in the band and Billy Connolly is the roadie. It's glorious. One of My favourite films.

Thank you for the recommendation - that sounds like my kind of film!

Emotionalsupportviper · 23/12/2023 12:32

MrsJellybee · 22/12/2023 09:48

The only bit I like it Rowan Atkinson. Comedy gold

Came here to say this. Also glad that he is pissing off the cheating Alan Rickman-character.

I'd forgotten RA- agree, he was a joy.

KylieJennersMakeUpSponge · 23/12/2023 12:33

Also @Nepmarthiturn Bridget Jones was 9 stone 7, according to BMI chart if she’s about 5’6” that’s a healthy wright.

Of you think that’s “well over the ideal weight” what IS the ideal weight if it’s not 9 stone 7?