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Love Actually...

192 replies

MrsFozziwig · 13/12/2016 22:21

It's nearly Christmas, I have wine, I'm watching in tears as usual

Just feeling sorry for myself that it's never going to happen for me...

That's it really!

Ah well.

OP posts:
xingbake · 14/12/2016 02:14

I don't like the film, for all the reasons mentioned above, but DH wanted to watch it last year, so we did. Having been silent the entire film he then started talking about some irrelevant crap all over the Emma Thompson scene! The only bloomin point to watching any of it! I told him off. And I might remind him of that if he wants to watch it again any time soon.

Bogeyface · 14/12/2016 02:20

I think its interesting how a certain group of people love it for the ET scene, and see the film as good but focus on the negatives, whereas others love it for the romantic gestures.

Quite telling about our own experiences I think. I am sure that a psychologist would have a field day with it.

I love the ET bit, love the Bill Nighy love story, and I love the innocence of the film stand in story. But I hate the Andrew Lincoln/Hugh Grant/Colin Firth grand gestures, as to me they invariably end in an Emma Thompson scene.

And Chris "BT" Thingybob really grates with his sex obsessed "they are gagging for it" attitude.

Dont get me started on the Liam Neeson bit.......cruel in part, totally unbelievable and vomit inducing!

xingbake · 14/12/2016 02:35

I don't know the film inside and out, but from memory the ET scene is the only time when a woman is anything other than a vessel for male fantasy of romantic gestures (Andrew Lincoln/Colin Firth stories), sex (Alan Rickman's secretary) or female nurturing and sacrifice (Laura Linney).

HeartsTrumpDiamonds · 14/12/2016 02:49

Not just the fact that all of Portugal appears to have relocated to somewhere in France reachable by ferry from England... I have a problem with the time line of the film too. How did the boy learn drumming and CF learn Portuguese in 5 minutes? And why did Alan Rickman's secretary leave planning the office Christmas party so late? And in the opening scenes, LN is speaking at his wife's funeral, Kiera is getting married and Hugh Grant is seeing Downing St for the first time, all cut in together to show that they are happening at the same time, but surely (SURELY!!) these would all be at different times of day (HG early-ish morning, funeral 11am or so, wedding midafternoon especially since they have a huge evening do, as seen later in the film).

AAUUGH. I do love it really. overinvested

scaredoffallout · 14/12/2016 05:06

I think ET is fantastic in the discovery of the affair bit, but her uber London middle class luvviness annoys me. All that "darling" and "lobster" at the top of her voice. Reminds me too much of the moneyed snobbery of Queens Park and Hampstead not far from where I live Angry. Not that her character is snobbish, but does ET ever not play some version of herself (kind as she does appear to be in real life as well!)?

scaredoffallout · 14/12/2016 05:08

And why doesn't she leave her philandering husband?

scaredoffallout · 14/12/2016 05:12

Had forgotten one of the absolute gems of the film:

Inarightpickleandchutney · 14/12/2016 05:27

I get annoyed when AR leaves the room shop and hasn't Paid for the necklace

Inarightpickleandchutney · 14/12/2016 05:27

Shop not room shop....

scaredoffallout · 14/12/2016 05:33

He must go back and get it another time?

Ineedmorelemonpledge · 14/12/2016 07:25

I love it and hate it at the same time.

The ET scenes are superb. I remember having to go on a theme park trip with my whole family after finding my husband on sex websites. I had to pull myself together exactly like her, plant a smile on my face and get ready and go. She does it beautifully.

Most annoying for me is Keira being all self deprecating "oh bingo, I actually look quite pretty...."

Ugh I hate the Colin Firth and Portuguese woman storyline - they've never even spoken he just fancies her in her underwear! And why is everyone in France speaking Portuguese!

Just to answer this, it's actually quite realistic. There is a huge Portuguese community in France. It was one of the places people fled to under the Salazar dictatorship, and following EU borderless communities.

I shop regularly in a French supermarket and the Portuguese food section is massive. And the place is absolutely full on Benfica shirts on a Saturday morning.

We have quite a few Portuguese restaurants and bakeries here.

My partner is Portuguese too. We have a reverse Love Actually. (But he didn't clean my house, but I did fancy him in his underwear...GrinGrinGrin)

Ineedmorelemonpledge · 14/12/2016 07:30

Rowan Atkinson is actually supposed to be an angel in the film.

He's deliberately delaying the purchase to make AR stop buying the necklace.

Just like he loses his boarding pass to let the boy through the airport.

Sadly "Harry" was led by his dick rather than his morals, and went back and bought the necklace on another day.

The open question is - did he shag her or not? She gets up from an unmade bed in her undies and puts on the necklace. But it's never fully spelt out.

TheNaze73 · 14/12/2016 07:34

I think, it's twee, sickly but, I love it.

And Heike Makatsch is extremely easy on the eye..... Grin

Mirandawest · 14/12/2016 07:40

I like the deleted scenes. There's some stories there that have been completely cut and it's good to see them.

RedStripeIassie · 14/12/2016 08:00

I didn't like it when it first came out and couldn't see what all the fuss was about.

After reading this thread, I'm desperate to watch it now!

The ET scene makes me and everyone cry. I saw my brother get a bit emotional watching it once Xmas Shock Xmas Grin

Alfieisnoisy · 14/12/2016 08:10

Laura Linney's role is so so sad though. It's heartbreaking seeing her despair but having to go,d it together for her sick brother.

ET, yes for all the reasons stated. That bit at the end where they go home but you know that they will go on in the future knowing everything is less happy because he was a dick.

FeliciaJollygoodfellow · 14/12/2016 09:18

RedStripe me neither. Might have to give it another go.

TheCompanyOfCats · 14/12/2016 09:33

The open question is - did he shag her or not? She gets up from an unmade bed in her undies and puts on the necklace. But it's never fully spelt out.

I read an interview with Emma Thompson earlier this year (I think) in which she said 'of course he did' Xmas Sad

Also, the drumming kid - wasn't both his mother and his girlfriend called Joanna? Weird no? Or is that just me.

I love the film so much that I can't stand it. It dissolves me. Xmas Grin Xmas Grin Xmas Grin

CondensedMilkSarnies · 14/12/2016 09:34

Oh ! I always wondered if the Rowan Atkinson character knew the necklace was for 'the other woman' !

I've just sobbed my through it . The airport scenes at the end finish me off.

My OH (ex) was meant to collect me from the airport after I returned from abroad after spending 2 weeks in a foreign hospital after an RTA - he didn't show up . Sad

LittleMoomins · 14/12/2016 09:50

I used to watch it every year exactly five weeks before Christmas, it's a tradition for me. And every year I've always loved the film but always been a bit sad that I'll never have that, and as a single mother of two (one with SEN) that my prospects are pretty limited.

Well this year I watched it with my new DP. Who has been my best friend for years but we never found the right time. Turns out the right time was any time and I'm glad I finally realised that. Don't give up hope!

notarehearsal · 14/12/2016 10:16

I found a receipt for a lovely necklace and bloody boring cardigan when exh was having an affair. I had to wait until Christmas day to find out which I was going to get, yep, you've guessed it! The ET scene makes me howl

NoCapes · 14/12/2016 10:42

The director has said in interviews that they shagged
Before he gives her the necklace (after the work party) the bed is nearly made, after he's given her the necklace it's a mess, that's because they've just had sex in it
Fuckers Angry

GrandDesespoir · 14/12/2016 11:12

Whenever I've had to sit through this film I've usually been torn between slitting my wrists and putting my foot through the TV screen.

YouMeanYouForgotCranberriesToo · 14/12/2016 11:14

"But I do cry from about the point Colin Firth's cleaner is wrapped in a blanket after diving into the lake and they have a 'moment' until the end"

I cry almost straight away - at the funeral whn Liam Neeson is saying over his dead body and his wife said "no, over mine" actually crying just thinking about it! I'm going to watch this today.

LikeTheShoes · 14/12/2016 11:33

Snape has totally cheated before as well, and ET knows.
That's why he has to get a new PA (perhaps the old one had planned a Christmas party but pulled the plug when he made her job untenable by being a creep so she felt she had no choice but to leave).
Perhaps ET didn't know but had suspicions then it happened again.
That's why she tells him to "be careful" perhaps the old PA tried to bring a constructive dismissal case against him.
Also Snape apparently thinks it's entirely ok to call a employee into his office and tell them to pursue another employee. I'm glad I'm not his HR manager.

#overinvested

Also, even if there are huge Portuguese communities in this place in France (which you can get a ferry to the UK from but it is also warm enough that you might want to sit outside writing your book in December, near Marseille airport) how on earth do none of them speak any French at all.

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