It’s the season to be jolly … tralalalala … London, one week before christmas, present time. Eight random couples involved in eight mini love stories. So wait a minute. You go to the theatre to see a christmas love story and you get eight for the price of one! Richard Curtis has been involved in writing most successfull british comedy since ‘Not The Nine’O Clock News’, including the rom-com box office hits of the past few years like Four Weddings …, Notting Hill and Bridget Jones’… and it shows. Now he’s directing for the first time.

Sometimes, when I’m in the right mood, I can really enjoy a genuine romantic hollywood-style comedy. If you relate to that, bring your loved one (or if you don’t have a loved one, bring more than one, or the one you want to be your loved one, or your cat, etc…) and head to the movietheatre on a rainy day before christmas. Love Actually, actually isn’t the entire title of the film. It’s a kind of abbreviation for ‘Love Actually is all around’.

Sounds mushy and it is. I wouldn’t have bothered going if the cast hadn’t interested me, which it did. And if that telly-film-critic Jac Goderie hadn’t been so positive about it. Don’t be bothered by Hugh Grant, he’s tried to put a bit of ‘prime minister’ into his usual generic character. He’s even outperformed by Billy-Bob Thornton who appears as the president of the USA. Also an actor who often merely adapts a stereotype character. But contrary to Grant, he actually pulls it off.

I had high expectations of Alan Rickman. They turned out to be too high. But Emma Thompson, starring as his wife, outperformed all others imo. Followed by Laura Linney whose character misses chance after chance because of indicisiveness and a failing priority system. On the bottom of the ladder we find Rodrigo Santoro, Linney’s love interest. Ok, it’s a minor role, but he manages to leave no other impression than his good looks. Worse than a Sex-in-the-city-one-timer.

To me the miniature plot lines are just good fun. Intuitive and charming enough. Sometimes funny, mostly predictable. Luckily most of the real sentimental stuff is kept for the very end. Of course, that’s when everyone ‘gets’ everyone. We’ll not everyone, which is another good thing. To anyone who’s hoping for intertwining of storylines with genious and function … don’t. The mini-plots only interact for the sake of ‘Love is all around us’-ness.

Brits, or those interested in British, culture, media, etc …, may pick up some more in this flick. Bill Nighy is very convincing as the fading rockstar Billy Mack. I suppose it’s a practical joke, but there were rumours of the Nighy version of the awful ‘Love Is All Around’ (the Troggs, Wet Wet Wet), being brought out as a christmas single. And bringing in Martine McCutcheon, Tiffany in BBC’s East-Enders, is a smart move. Martine’s lower-class character in contrast with uptight Hught Grant DOES work. Almost forgot. They also have a cute kid in there. Which has nothing to do with Britain. How do those film people cast these adoring kids? The movie fullfilled my need for solid pre-conceived commercialized Christmas spirit. But I would’ve liked to see it less polished. I’d like to see this Curtis fellow on LSD. Now that would be interesting.

rated: *** (out of 5). for the wonderful Canned Christmas.