Love American (and British) style

Not every CineVerse foray into film has to be an exploration of artsy, profoundly poetic or heavy dramaramas. Yesterday, our group took a bite of a teeth-rottingly sweet confection called "Love Actually" and came away with these observations:

HOW IS “LOVE ACTUALLY” DIFFERENT FROM YOUR TYPICAL ROMANTIC COMEDY FILM?

·       It has a dizzying array of characters, pairings and relationships to keep track of; this isn’t a simple boy-meets-girl, boy-loses-girl, boy-gets-girl-back story involving one or two couples, but several couples.

·       Most of the characters intertwine and have story threads that weave together in what is referred to as a “small world syndrome” whereby it just so coincidentally happens that this person you’re watching knows or is related to that other person you’re watching, and their paths will intersect eventually.

·       Its cast boasts an A list of top notch British and American talent, even if they have to divvy up screen time to fit everyone in; the star power of this film alone is enough to warrant serious interest from even casual romcom fans.

·       It explores many different kinds of love, not just romantic/sexual love: this movie also delves into platonic love, unconditional love between parents and children, love between brothers and sisters, unrequited love, puppy love crushes, and love shared by spouses who are far past the fireworks stage. Movie reviewer Amanda DeWees posited that the director “in just one film…can explore many different faces of love, from the unexpected to the predestined, from the premature to the tardy.”

·       You could argue that the film deftly balances between romance and comedy, by not letting the proceedings get too mushy and gushy and also not letting the yuks (which can get rather lewd) crowd out the amorous tone.

·       It also nicely balances two similar but different cultures: English (being that it’s based in and shot on location in Britain and features numerous British actors) and American (consider the pop culture references and not-so-subtle jabs at MTV music videos, Presidents Bush and Clinton amalgamated into Thornton’s character, and others).

·       Additionally, even though it’s set at Christmastime, it transcends any season and can be enjoyed year-round, although the Yuletide setting makes it a bit easier to believe why these characters may be in more of a lovey-dovey kind of mood.

WHAT MEANINGS CAN BE EXTRACTED FROM “LOVE ACTUALLY”?

·       As is referenced in the original song “Love is All Around” by the Troggs (upon which the film’s title is loosely based), we can find love everywhere around us whenever we need it, regardless of how dark and cruel the world and its people are.

·       It’s okay, normal and preferable to be in love and happy; likewise, it’s okay to like romcom chick flicks that preach the same message—even if they appear cloyingly sweet, overly optimistic and sentimental. This film makes no apology for mining all of these qualities and serving as a blissful antidote to cynical, dark, violent, and depressing movies.

·       Love is great in any form—whether it be romantic, sexual, platonic, or unconditional; each is equally powerful and meaningful, mutually beneficial to both people involved, and is as satisfying to give as to get.

HOW WOULD THIS FILM HAVE BEEN CHALLENGING TO WRITE AND DIRECT?

·       It’s difficult to juggle so many characters and keep the audience engaged in every storyline and personality: for one, there are so many names, characters and situations to keep track of; for another, there’s not enough screen time for thorough character development. In fairness, many of these couples/storylines could easily have been spun off into their own unique movies.

·       You’ve got a lot of A-list actors here with big egos to pacify; how do you give each enough speaking lines and screen time to justify their participation in the project?

·       How do you keep such a sprawling, ensemble character piece from languishing on too long? As it stands, it’s 135 minutes, which had to be trimmed down considerably from earlier cuts of the film.

THIS FILM WAS DIRECTED BY RICHARD CURTIS, WHO WROTE “FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL,” “NOTTING HILL,” AND “BRIDGET JONES’S DIARY.” WHAT CHARACTERISTICS DOES THIS FILM SHARE WITH THOSE 3?

·       Three of the four star Hugh Grant, a favorite of this filmmaker, and other actors appear in multiple films of his, too.

·       As stated by writer David Edelstein: “(Curtis’) genius…is for thrusting characters into situations in which they feel driven to humiliate themselves. He is the Bard of Embarrassment.”

·       “Curtis is happiest in a universe of sudden extroverts: of men and women who blurt out how they really feel, then freeze in mortification, then stammer on, cursing themselves when it's over for being such asses. Then they go out and make still more embarrassing declarations—which is why we love them, especially when it's all in the name of love.”

DOES LOVE ACTUALLY REMIND YOU OF ANY OTHER FILMS?

·       Notting Hill, Four Weddings and a Funeral, and Bridget Jones Diary, all written by this movie’s director, Richard Curtis

·       Many of the movies helmed by Robert Altman that feature ensemble casts, such as Short Cuts, Nashville, Gosford Park, and M.A.S.H.

·       Hannah and Her Sisters, also featuring multiple relationships and concluding on a holiday (Thanksgiving)

·       Lost in Translation, also from 2003, which also spotlights “heartbroken characters unable to get what they want, crippled to voice their desires clearly,” according to critic Brian Orndorf.