…ensemble romantic comedies.
Love Actually (2003) and He’s Just Not That Into You (2009) to name a few. Okay, really just Love Actually, which I always watch at Christmastime, but could really watch any day of the year. HJNTIY was good, but its philosophy kind of depresses me. Love Actually, on the other hand, is like a big cup of delicious hot chocolate. It makes you feel, warm, cozy, and full all at the same time. Maybe it’s the largely British cast that draws me in (those damn accents get me every time) or the European setting (London and Marseilles) that make me want to hop a plane and risk the poor exchange rate to become an ex-pat. Or maybe it’s the use of “God Only Knows” by the Beach Boys (or “Wherever you will Go” by The Calling, remember them? Circa eighth or ninth grade?) that makes me so happy. Sure, it’s arguably cliché, but in its portrayal of so many different kinds of relationships, it manages to capture the love in our lives that “actually is all around,” from the unrequited feelings for a best friend’s wife, to the love between siblings, or parents and their children. Love Actually isn’t an ensemble casts’ quest to find a date before Christmas, but a story that follows of a group of loosely connected individuals as they realize that love is possible, and uncover what may have been out there all along.
One of my favorite moments: an understated, respectful declaration of love
Valentine’s Day recognizes the success of Love Actually and attempts to recreate it with an American, Hallmark holiday version. Based in Los Angeles, there is a slew of recognizable actors of all ages, ranging from Taylor Lautner to Shirley MacLaine. While this will certainly be heralded as “another cliché romantic comedy,” for some reason I can’t wait! It even uses The Black Eyed Peas “I Gotta Feeling,” in its trailer, a song that drove me crazy all summer long, but it’s now six months later and I can’t turn away.
Sure some of the plots will be silly, unrealistic, or overdone, but everyone needs a little sap around the holidays. It doesn’t hurt for it to come in the form of ridiculously attractive celebrities. I know not to believe that my life will play out likes scenes from any of the above films, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy their sugary sweetness along with a bowl of ice cream and sigh, thinking about how great it would be if it did.
Very true. Cheesy romantic comedies always make me feel frustrated yet good at the same time. Love Actually is the best romantic comedy of all time. The accents help…