Love Actually

A closer look at the story

In the frantic run-up to Christmas, all sorts of very different people across London have their love lives put to the test. Husbands and wives, lovers, a father and his son, a rock star and his manager each face romance in its many forms, from the unrequited and the passionate to the entirely unexpected. Among them are the Prime Minister, the married couple Harry and Karen, Daniel and Natalie. Linked to one another in loose and surprising ways, these stories capture both the joyful and the bittersweet side of the festive season. Written and directed by Richard Curtis, the 135-minute 2003 film stars Hugh Grant, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson and Liam Neeson in a warm romantic comedy.