Hilarity, Actually

Posted 4 Comments by Dana

Because the amount of column space allegedly serious writers have devoted to the film, Love, Actually is pretty hilarious. Like the A.V. Club in

Without hope or agenda: A defense of Love Actually

where the author writes

Rewatching the film with fresh eyes made me realize that beyond aiming to be the ultimate romantic comedy ever made, Love Actually is even more so trying to be a musical.

 

Uh, duh.

Over at ThinkProgress

Well, actually, thinking of the Emma Thompson

and Laura Linney characters

characters, kinda buying that.

Then there is Mother Jones, who insists in

that “Love, Actually” shouldn’t be compared to other romantic comedies. Instead

To be honest, if you’re going to compare it to any one film you should probably compare it to Crash, the working title of which I’d like to think was Racism, Actually.

 

Ah, um, ‘kay.

Good god, the Atlantic weighs in, too.

Love Actually Is the Least Romantic Film of All Time

 …it offers up at least three disturbing lessons about love. First, that love is overwhelmingly a product of physical attraction and requires virtually no verbal communication or intellectual/emotional affinity of any kind. Second, that the principal barrier to consummating a relationship is mustering the nerve to say “I love you”—preferably with some grand gesture—and that once you manage that, you’re basically on the fast track to nuptial bliss. And third, that any actual obstacle to romantic fulfillment, however surmountable, is not worth the effort it would require to overcome.

 

Dude, seriously, lighten up. It’s just a movie. Also, not to refute your thesis or anything, but…

And, unbelievably, FiveThirtyEight takes a shot, too.

The Definitive Analysis Of ‘Love Actually,’ The Greatest Christmas Movie Of Our Time

In which–hey, it’s Nate Silver–are inevitably included graphs like this one.

wezerek-loveactuallydataviz-1220-1-rkedits.png

Right. Good. Well.

Or, you know, if you’re an unreconstructed, red-blooded American female, you could just suspend all disbelief and watch it for the man candy.

Which I willingly do.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

 

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Dana View All →

Author and founder of Storyknife.org.

4 Comments Leave a comment ›

  1. I tried to watch this movie once and thought it was pretty awful. If Ben’s generation has trouble making commitments, I will blame it on this movie. It is unbelievably shallow.

    We also watched the Shawshank Redemption for the first time, which many people proclaim as their favorite movie. I found it extremely long.

    Roma, the new Mexican movie, however, is great, in the tradition of Italian and French directors.

    Wishing you the merriest wherever you are,

    Kathleen

    From: Dana Stabenow Reply-To: Dana Stabenow Date: Monday, December 24, 2018 at 8:04 AM To: Kathleen Alcala Subject: [New post] Hilarity, Actually

    Dana posted: “Because the amount of column space allegedly serious writers have devoted to the film, Love, Actually is pretty hilarious. Like the A.V. Club in Without hope or agenda: A defense of Love Actually where the author writes Rewatching the film”

  3. “Love Actually” is my go-to movie when the run up to Christmas starts to get me down. I watched it several times with my Netflix subscription, then purchased my very own copy. It may not be great art but it’s way more upbeat than “It’s a Wonderful Life” and all the other Christmas movies I’ve seen.

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