1. LOVE ACTUALLY (2003) Reviewed by Nev Pierce http://www.bbc

MUSIC AND FILMS KEY TEXTS Name___________ ID________ Date:______
1. What type of films is Love Actually?
2. Who is the main character in this film? Who performs in this role?
3. Where is the setting?
4. According to the film reviews, ten stories about love are twisted together. Can you give one example?
5. According to the film reviews, what do the audience of Richard Curtis’ films expect? (storylines,
casting, ending, etc.)
6. Can you find one positive comment and one negative comment about the film?
7. What are other well-known Curtis’ works? Have you seen any of them?
1. LOVE ACTUALLY (2003)
Reviewed by Nev Pierce
http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2003/11/06/love_actually_200
3_review.shtml
Cynics may be sick, romantics will feel their spirits soar.
Richard Curtis returns.
The writer responsible for the biggest British hits of the last
ten years - Four Weddings And A Funeral, Notting Hill,
Bridget Jones's Diary - directs this vibrant romantic comedy,
blending ambition with good sense by filling the profuse parts
of his multi-storied script with excellent, experienced actors,
and rising young stars.
"BILL NIGHY IS BRILLIANT"
Ten stories intertwine, loosely connected by friends of friends,
family and next-door-neighbours. There's the new, bachelor
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prime minister (Hugh Grant) falling for the teagirl (Martine
McCutcheon); his sister (Emma Thompson) suspecting her
husband (Alan Rickman) may stray; her mate (Liam Neeson)
grieving over his wife's death; his stepson (Thomas
Sangster) longing for a girl from school...
The writer (Colin Firth) heartbroken in France; his newlywed
friends (Chiwetel Ejiofor and Keira Knightley) whose best
man (Andrew Lincoln) acts oddly; their Yank friend (Laura
Linney) who wants a beau in Blighty; the sex-starved Brit
(Kris Marshall) heading to the sexed-up United States; his
best mate's buddy (Martin Freeman) falling for a pornstar
stand-in.
And bestriding it all, Bill Nighy is brilliant as a washed-up Rod
Stewart-alike rock singer, whose coarse cover of the Four
Weddings... theme song is climbing the charts towards a
seasonal number one: "Christmas," he sings, "is all around."
"A SOFT FOCUS SHORT CUTS"
Inevitably, some strands are almost forgotten and actors
underused. A soft focus Short Cuts, the movie lacks the
layered fluency of Robert Altman's work - or the hard edge.
But while there's enough treacle to turn a bee diabetic, it is
not without raw emotional moments - with Thompson
outstanding in a tear-duct tingling scene.
You can almost see Curtis pressing the emotional buttons,
but he does it so well you won't care. Warm, bittersweet and
hilarious, this is lovely, actually. Prepare to be smitten. (309
words)
(Keywords)
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(What I find interesting)
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FILM
REVIEW
by
GO
LEVEL
UP
http://www.golevelup.com/pages/movies/film_review_love_actually_
Directed by Richard Curtis
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Hugh Grant - The Prime Minister
Martine McCutcheon - Natalie
Andrew Lincoln - Mark
Keira Knightley - Juliet
Bill Nighy - Billy Mack
Colin Firth - Jamie Bennett
Liam Neeson - Daniel
Emma Thompson - Karen
Kris Marshall - Colin Frissell
Rowan Atkinson - Rufus
Michael Parkinson - Parky
Jo Whiley - Radio DJ
Ant McPartlin - Ant
Declan Donnelly - Dec
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This movie focuses on a handful of love-themed happenings in and
around London in the run-up to Christmas. Originally Love Actually Is
All Around, the movie's name comes from the hit single Love Is All
Around by Wet Wet Wet, from director Richard Curtis's first major hit
Four Weddings And A Funeral, and sets out to prove a third cliche
coined by The Beatles, All You Need Is Love. Confused? It doesn't
matter. Just lie back and let the love wash over you. Sounds like
another song doesn't it?
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The Review! &'()
Anyone who is familiar with Curtis's work will know what to expect.
The same cast acting out the same storylines with the
tried-and-tested feel-good humour and requisite slushy ending. As
you can imagine, I watched the opening credits roll with more than
hint of cynicism. But this film is so unashamed, and ladles on the
romantic humour with such gay abandon it is almost impossible not
to get swept away by it all, even for a raddled old cynic like myself.
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This movie is about as British as it gets in almost every respect.
Anyone with an interest in British popular culture could do worse than
watch it a couple of times for an introduction to the Heat Magazine
scene. For a start, the executive producer is none other than
Mohammed Fayed, owner of Harrods. Quite what a role he had in its
production is questionable and probably financial, but it certainly
contributes to its Britishness. Despite Fayed's Egyptianness and
continually denied British passport, he has become a British
institution.
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The cast reads like a who's who of pop culture. From Hugh Grant to
Keira Knightley, from EastEnders' Martine McCutcheon to Radio 1
DJ Jo Whiley, from kids' TV presenters Ant & Dec to chatshow king
Michael Parkinson, the big names are wheeled out in force. These
are the people that occupy the pages of The Sun day in, day out.
These are the people you need to know to appreciate what it means
to live in the UK today.
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The storylines themselves are unmistakably British. An ageing rock
star desperate to make a come-back and take the coveted Christmas
Number One in the Top 40 singles chart, for example, would not
happen elsewhere. The Christmas Number One is a peculiarly
British obsession. Add to this the obvious Britishness of Hugh Grant
playing Prime Minister, mix with a hint of EastEnders in his
love-interest Martine McCutcheon, and you have Britain soup.
Perhaps best served cold with sour cream.
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It is difficult to criticise this movie as it would be all too easy. It is of
course slushy and predictable, it's meant to be. It is certainly
sentimental, it's about love at Christmas for goodness sake, need I
say more? What is important here is that the writing, while not
groundbreaking, is extremely well done and the acting and direction
sensitive enough to be touching, often tragic and humourous at the
same time. I recommend taking the person you love out for a
romantic meal, then on to see Love Actually, and surrender yourself
to this tidal wave of love. Surely that's another song?
E The Rating ef
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Britain soup (mix of British things) @ð$,ê¥•[[J9>,
groundbreaking (cutting edge/innovative) •‘’[#‘tp{
(What I find interesting)
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