What made "Love Actually" such a box office hit? - Academic - Final Version

Richard Curtis’ film, "Love Actually", follows many relationships in the five weeks running up to Christmas, in London, England. It tackles issues such as infidelity, parental love, lovers of different ages, lovers who can’t speak the same language, lovers from different social classes, young love, lust, unconditional love, mourning the death of a loved one and how opposites very often attract!

What is it about this film that has led it to such huge success?

Arguably, one of the most impressive aspects of this film is its ability to make you laugh out loud one minute, and then well up with tears the next. As Nev Pierce writes in his review of the film on the BBC website “You can almost see Curtis pressing the emotional buttons, but he does it so well you won't care."

The film uses a slew of the most talented and highly acclaimed British actors, including Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Alan Rickman, Keira Knightley and Rowan Atkinson. Having the likes of Hugh Grant and Colin Firth surely helped to publicise the film, and one could suggest that this contributed to the high profits the film made.

Another contributing factor to the success of the film could be that "Love Actually" was the first film that Richard Curtis had directed in addition to having written it. Curtis was able to express the precise purpose of each scene by directing his writing, giving greater depth to the piece than if it had been directed by someone else.

Some critics have frowned upon the fact that there are so many lead characters in this film, and with that, there are numerous plots which are only very loosely intertwined. Its advocates would argue that this is the very beauty of the film - the movie is more about the characters and their personal experiences with love, than it is about a complicated, long evolving plot. Roger Ebert, the highly acclaimed journalist for the Chicago Sun-Times, highlights this very debate in his review of the film, writing, "The movie's only flaw is also a virtue: It's jammed with characters, stories, warmth and laughs, until at times Curtis seems to be working from a checklist of obligatory movie love situations and doesn't want to leave anything out."

As the many story lines evolve throughout the film, Curtis plays with different social classes, ages and cultures, highlighting the fact that ultimately all human beings are the same – we all have the ability to fall in love, we all have the ability to care for others and show compassion for one another, and we all fear during some point in our life that we will never find true love or that we are in some way inadequate to the one we love. "Love Actually" explores the different types of love and highlights the fact that all love can be challenging, and raises the ultimate question - is love always worth fighting for?

Not everyone enjoyed the film and was impressed by Curtis’ writing. Numerous reviews of the film suggest that certain scenes and characters in "Love Actually" are unoriginal and repetitive of some of Curtis’ previous works. However, one has to wonder, is that not the reason why Curtis used them?... he was using a recipe that had been tried and tested and was almost guaranteed to produce another hit romantic comedy.



Love it or hate it, no one can dispute the fact that “Love Actually" was a phenomenal box office success. In the opening weekend "Love Actually" made over $6.89M in the USA alone, and has current estimated total earnings of $239,200,000 worldwide (as of 30.11.2009, based upon the information posted on www.imdbpro.com).

References:

Ebert, R, 2003, "Love Actually". Chicago Sun-Times [Online] 7th November, Available from: http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20031107/REVIEWS/311070304/1023 [accessed 14th December 2009]

Pierce, N, 2003, "Movies - Love Actually", BBC Website [Online], 20th November, Available from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2003/11/06/love_actually_2003_review.shtml [accessed 14th December 2009]

IMDbPro, 2003, "Love Actually 2003", IMDb Pro website, 30th November 2009 Available from: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0314331/ [accessed 30th November 2009]

"Love Actualy" is the film to watch this Christmas! - Marketing - Final Version

‘Love Actually’ is a master piece of British talent – so wonderfully written, so beautifully made and bursting with talented British actors! This movie will make you smile from ear to ear. If you haven’t seen this film yet then you must, and if you have already seen it then watch it again! It is a real feel-good movie and one that you can enjoy with your partner, your friends, or even on your own.

With an all star cast of Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Keira Knightley, Kris Marshall, Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson just to name a few, this movie is packed with talent, fun and the on screen chemistry between the actors is electric – a recipe for a very entertaining film!

The opening scene gives you a sneaky peak into the style of the film. The scene takes place at Heathrow airport which is full of people being reunited with people they love – there are boyfriends and girlfriends, parents and children, best friends, and siblings. The scene is accompanied by the British Prime Minister (Hugh Grant) delivering a touching speech expressing views on the power and significance of love in our society. To quote him, ‘Love Actually is all around.’

You will laugh, scream, cringe and cry at this impressive and original romantic comedy. The scenes between Natalie, the maid at Number 10 (Martine McCutcheon) and The Prime Minister (Hugh Grant) and pure comedic glory! The chemistry between the pair is electric on screen and their comic timing will leave you in stitches. Watch out for the scene where they first meet and Natalie can’t find the right words to greet a Prime Minister.



One of the highlights of the film has to be when The Prime Minister bursts into a dance routine to the song “Jump” – it is hilarious! It’s like watching your uncle dancing at a wedding reception – you cringe and laugh at the same time!

If you’re not sold on this film so far, then just let me tell you who wrote and directed it… Richard Curtis! Curtis was the one who brought us the fantastic ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’, ‘Notting Hill’ and co-wrote ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’. This movie is the one to watch to make you smile, give you that warm feeling inside, and make you chuckle… Enjoy!

“The Most Delightful Film of the Year” – Chicago Sun-Times

You can view the trailer and discover more about the movie at the ‘Love Actually’ official website, www.loveactually.com.

'Love Actually' is available to buy and rent on DVD and in Blu-Ray version.

Love Actually - Descriptive Writing - Final Version

Richard Curtis wrote and directed the 2003 hit romantic comedy, ‘Love Actually’. The film is a real “feel-good” movie and it will leave you feeling positive about the world and the people in your life.

Curtis does a wonderful job of showing a wide range of situations, where love is present – whether they are happy and idealistic romances, lustful sins or heartbreakingly difficult circumstances. ‘Love Actually’ is a testament to the idea that love can be a very bittersweet experience.

The opening scene is very emotive and sets the mood for the rest of the film. Throughout the scene the Prime Minister delivers a speech which is used to accompany the silent montage of a sea of people at Heathrow airport who are greeting their loved ones who have returned from their travels. You can almost feel the chill of the cold winter air and the heat from the adrenalin filled atmosphere that fills the Arrivals section of the airport, especially as it is Christmas time! These are some lines from the speech…

“General opinions starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed – but I don’t see that – seems to me that love is everywhere.

Igniting laughter, wreaking havoc, breaking hearts, daring commitments, forcing choices, catapulting spirits, forging inroads, creating risks - ecstatic, exciting, unexpected, unwelcome, inconvenient, inexplicable, inelegant, unequalled.

Love actually is all around.”

This powerful and thought provoking speech sums up what the movie is all about – love. The beauty of the words create that warm feeling which you get inside when you meet that person who sets your heart on fire, the one whom you simply are drawn to.

Love arguably creates the strongest emotions a human can experience. The uncontrollable lust you feel when you meet the man of your dreams; the devastating hurt you feel when your partner leaves you or worse still, cheats on you; the nervous excitement you feel on your first date together. All these emotions are at their highest when it is with that one person who has truly captured your heart. No other person could ever evoke the strength of these feelings within you.



One of the most famous scenes in ‘Love Actually’ is the tear jerking scene between Juliet (Keira Knightley) and Mark (Andrew Lincoln) who is the best man at Juliet and Peter’s wedding. Unfortunately for him he also happens to be madly in love with Juliet. Curtis wrote a wonderful scene for the pair in which Mark has come around to Juliet’s house to discretely tell her that he loves her. This scene is a must see even if you haven’t seen the movie! You can view it on the website www.YouTube.com at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enrSE6vRWRY

Interestingly, Curtis decided to set the film at Christmas during the five weeks leading up to Christmas Eve. 'Love Actually' highlights the parallels between Christmas time and love. Christmas is often a bittersweet time of year as it heightens your emotions and seems to force you to reflect on your life and where you are at. Love can do the same thing. What we once thought were important things in life are often completely changed when we fall in love and reassess all our priorities. Christmas is overwhelmingly fun if you are with the ones you love, but it can also be extremely stressful as expectations run so high. It seems that Christmas is similar to love in many ways.

The Christmas theme allows for uplifting and emotive festive songs to be played throughout the movie. One fun and enjoyable moment comes at the end of the movie when Sam, an eleven year old boy who has just lost his mother, plays the drums in the band performing in his school Christmas talent show. The girl he is in love with is performing as part of a dance troupe to the music the band is playing ‘All I Want for Christmas’ – it is a lot of fun!

What made "Love Actually" such a box office hit? Academic - 4th Draft

Richard Curtis’ film, "Love Actually", follows many relationships in the five weeks running up to Christmas, in London, England. It tackles issues such as infidelity, parental love, lovers of different ages, lovers who can’t speak the same language, lovers from different social classes, young love, lust, unconditional love, mourning the death of a loved one and how opposites very often attract!

What is it about this film that has led it to such huge success?

Arguably, one of the most impressive aspects of this film is its ability to make you laugh out loud one minute, and then well up with tears the next. As Nev Pierce writes in his review of the film on the BBC website “You can almost see Curtis pressing the emotional buttons, but he does it so well you won't care."

The film uses a slew of the most talented and highly acclaimed British actors, including Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Alan Rickman, Keira Knightley and Rowan Atkinson. Having the likes of Hugh Grant and Colin Firth surely helped to publicise the film, and one could suggest that this contributed to the high profits the film made.

Another contributing factor to the success of the film could be that "Love Actually" was the first film that Richard Curtis had directed in addition to having written it. Curtis was able to express the precise purpose of each scene by directing his writing, giving greater depth to the piece than if it had been directed by someone else.

Some critics have frowned upon the fact that there are so many lead characters in this film, and with that, there are numerous plots which are only very loosely intertwined. Its advocates would argue that this is the very beauty of the film - the movie is more about the characters and their personal experiences with love, than it is about a complicated, long evolving plot. Roger Ebert, the highly acclaimed journalist for the Chicago Sun-Times, highlights this very debate in his review of the film, writing, "The movie's only flaw is also a virtue: It's jammed with characters, stories, warmth and laughs, until at times Curtis seems to be working from a checklist of obligatory movie love situations and doesn't want to leave anything out."

As the many story lines evolve throughout the film, Curtis plays with different social classes, ages and cultures, highlighting the fact that ultimately all human beings are the same – we all have the ability to fall in love, we all have the ability to care for others and show compassion for one another, and we all fear during some point in our life that we will never find true love or that we are in some way inadequate to the one we love. "Love Actually" explores the different types of love and highlights the fact that all love can be challenging, and raises the ultimate question - is love always worth fighting for?

Not everyone enjoyed the film and was impressed by Curtis’ writing. Numerous reviews of the film suggest that certain scenes and characters in "Love Actually" are unoriginal and repetitive of some of Curtis’ previous works. However, one has to wonder, is that not the reason why Curtis used them?... he was using a recipe that had been tried and tested and was almost guaranteed to produce another hit romantic comedy.



Love it or hate it, no one can dispute the fact that “Love Actually" was a phenomenal box office success. In the opening weekend "Love Actually" made over $6.89M in the USA alone, and has current estimated total earnings of $239,200,000 worldwide (as of 30.11.2009, based upon the information posted on www.imdbpro.com).

References:

Ebert, R, 2003, "Love Actually". Chicago Sun-Times [Online] 7th November, Available from: http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20031107/REVIEWS/311070304/1023 [accessed 14th December 2009]

Pierce, N, 2003, "Movies - Love Actually", BBC Website [Online], 20th November, Available from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2003/11/06/love_actually_2003_review.shtml [accessed 14th December 2009]

2003, "Love Actually 2003", IMDb Pro 30th November 2009 Available from: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0314331/ [accessed 30th November 2009]

"Love Actualy" is the film to watch this Christmas! - Version X - 3rd Draft

‘Love Actually’ is a master piece of British talent – so wonderfully written, so beautifully made and bursting with talented British actors! This movie will make you smile from ear to ear. If you haven’t seen this film yet then you must, and if you have already seen it then watch it again! It is a real feel-good movie and one that you can enjoy with your partner, your mates, or even on your own.

With an all star cast of Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Keira Knightley, Kris Marshall, Alan Rickman and Emma Thomson just to name a few, this movie is packed with talent, fun and the on screen chemistry between the actors is electric – a recipe for a very entertaining film!

The opening scene gives you a sneaky peak into the style of the film. The scene takes place at Heathrow airport which is full of people being reunited with people they love – there are boyfriends and girlfriends, parents and children, best friends, and siblings. The scene is accompanied by the British Prime Minister (Hugh Grant) delivering a touching speech expressing views on the power and significance of love in our society. To quote him, ‘Love Actually is all around.’

You will laugh, scream, cringe and cry at this impressive and original romantic comedy. The scenes between Natalie, the maid at Number 10 (Martine McCutcheon) and The Prime Minister (Hugh Grant) and pure comedic glory! The chemistry between the pair is electric on screen and their comic timing will leave you in stitches. Watch out for the scene where they first meet and Natalie can’t find the right words to greet a Prime Minister.



One of the highlights of the film has to be when The Prime Minister bursts into a dance routine to the song “Jump” – it is hilarious! It’s like watching your uncle dancing at a wedding reception – you cringe and laugh at the same time!

If you’re not sold on this film so far, then just let me tell you who wrote and directed it… Richard Curtis! Curtis was the one who brought us the fantastic ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’, ‘Notting Hill’ and co-wrote ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’. This movie is the one to watch to make you smile, give you that warm feeling inside, and make you chuckle… Enjoy!

“The Most Delightful Film of the Year” – Chicago Sun-Times

You can view the trailer and discover more about the movie at the ‘Love Actually’ official website.

'Love Actually' is available to buy and rent on DVD and in Blu-Ray version.

What made "Love Actually" such a box office hit? Version Z - 3rd Draft

Richard Curtis’ film, ‘Love Actually’, follows many relationships in the five weeks running up to Christmas, in London, England. It tackles issues such as infidelity, parental love, lovers of different ages, lovers who can’t speak the same language, lovers from different social classes, young love, lust, unconditional love, mourning the death of a loved one and how opposites very often attract!

What is it about this film that has led it to such huge success?

Arguably, one of the most impressive aspects of this film is its ability to make you laugh out loud one minute, and then well up with tears the next. As Nev Pierce writes in his review of the film (updated on 20.11.2003) on the BBC website his review, “You can almost see Curtis pressing the emotional buttons, but he does it so well you won't care.”

The film uses a slew of the most talented and highly acclaimed British actors, including Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Alan Rickman, Keira Knightley and Rowan Atkinson. Having the likes of Hugh Grant and Colin Firth surely helped to publicise the film, and one could suggest that this contributed to the high profits the film made.

Another contributing factor to the success of the film could be that ‘Love Actually’ was the first film that Richard Curtis had directed in addition to having written it. Curtis was able to express the precise purpose of each scene by directing his writing, giving greater depth to the piece than if it had been directed by someone else.

Some critics have frowned upon the fact that there are so many lead characters in this film, and with that, there are numerous plots which are only very loosely intertwined. Its advocates would argue that this is the very beauty of the film - the movie is more about the characters and their personal experiences with love, than it is about a complicated, long evolving plot.

As the many story lines evolve throughout the film, Curtis plays with different social classes, ages and cultures, highlighting the fact that ultimately all human beings are the same – we all have the ability to fall in love, we all have the ability to care for others and show compassion for one another, and we all fear during some point in our life that we will never find true love or that we are in some way inadequate to the one we love. ‘Love Actually’ explores the different types of love and highlights the fact that all love can be challenging, and raises the ultimate question - is love always worth fighting for?

Not everyone enjoyed the film and was impressed by Curtis’ writing. There is a review on Tiscali.co.uk which suggests that certain scenes and characters in 'Love Actually' are unoriginal and repetitive of some of Curtis’ previous works. However, one has to wonder, is that not the reason why Curtis used them?... he was using a recipe that had been tried and tested and was almost guaranteed to produce another hit romantic comedy.



Love it or hate it, no one can dispute the fact that “Love Actually” was a phenomenal box office success. In the opening weekend 'Love Actually' made over $6.89M in the USA alone, and has current estimated total earnings of $239,200,000 worldwide (as of 30.11.2009, based upon the information posted on IMDb Pro).