'''''Love Actually''''' is a romantic comedy film first released in cinemas in October and November 2003. The film was the directorial debut of successful English screen-writer Richard Curtis and features an ensemble cast including Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Lúcia Moniz, Alan Rickman, Bill Nighy, Keira Knightley, Martin Freeman, Emma Thompson, Andrew Lincoln, Laura Linney, Rowan Atkinson, Thomas Sangster, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Olivia Olson.
The film received a British premiere in Leicester Square in London on 16 November 2003. There Curtis described his film as a "roaring rampage of romance" - a reference to the Quentin Tarantino movie ''Kill Bill'' released around the same time with the tagline a "roaring rampage of revenge". The film, released two weeks earlier in the United States, had received a mixed bag of reviews including a particularly poor review from A. O. Scott of ''The New York Times''. Defending the film at the premiere, Curtis said "I'd rather make a film that most of the audience liked and some critics didn't rather than a film that critics loved and nobody wanted to watch."
As of July 2005, ''Love Actually'' had achieved a US gross box office of over $59 million and a world box office of just under $245 million. In the UK, it took in a very impressive £36,238,777.
'''Taglines''':'' It's all about love... actually'' and '' Love actually is all around. ''
Plot
The film weaves a number of love stories together, with a number of characters linking them together. Below are summaries of each vignette, with crossovers pointed out appropriately. The film begins five weeks before Christmas.
Billy Mack
Billy Mack (Bill Nighy), an aging rock and roll legend, records a Christmas single based on The Troggs' classic hit "Love is All Around" (the same song used in Curtis's breakthrough film, ''Four Weddings and a Funeral''). Billy "promotes" his new single throughout the film despite his honest admission that it is a crap record. Additionally he promises to perform the song naked on television should his song become number one. He is constantly insulting his overweight manager Joe (Gregor Fisher). Billy's single manages to win the Christmas number one single contest. Instead of celebrating his victory at glamorous parties (most notably one hosted by Elton John, to which he is invited and briefly visits), he returns to Joe's flat to celebrate. He explains that Christmas is a time to be with the people you love, and Joe is essentially Billy's family. In the end, Billy suggests celebrating Christmas by getting drunk and watching porn.
Juliet, Peter and Mark
Juliet (Keira Knightley) and Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor)
