Real love

The plot consists of nine parallel developing stories. The film takes place at the end of 2003, starting 5 weeks before Christmas . The culmination of all the plots falls on Christmas Eve , when the action of the film intricately intertwines all the characters among themselves. The main meaning and main phrase of the film: “Love is around us” / “Love is real everywhere” ( Love Actually is all around). The main characters of the film are absolutely all the characters, there is no bet on the participation of the main characters - the stars.

The picture begins and ends at Heathrow Airport . In the epilogue there are all the heroes. Some fly on vacation or honeymoon, others meet arriving.

Billy Mack and Joe

The old rocker Billy Mack ( Bill Nighy ), once popular, and now released in circulation, returns to the scene and records a remake of the old romantic song “Love is all around” (“Love is everywhere”) of the group “ The Troggs ”. In the lyrics, the word "love" is everywhere replaced by " Christmas ." Billy himself is skeptical, outrageous behaves in live television and radio, honors his fat manager and frankly calls his new single shitty. But he still intends to come out on top in the Christmas charts, so it’s not at all clear whether this is self-criticism or subtle PR . At the end of the film, Billy thinks about his life and comes to the conclusion that the only one he loves is his manager. No, he is not gay, it is just impossible not to love the man who turned out to be your closest friend.

Juliet, Peter and Mark

The wedding of Juliet ( Keira Knightley ) and Peter ( Chiwetel Ejiofor ) is one of the first scenes of the film. Mark ( Andrew Lincoln ), Peter's best friend, its main organizer and best man, carefully shoots the entire ceremony with his own video camera. After some time, it turns out that the quality of the official wedding photography leaves much to be desired, and Juliet asks Mark to show her copy. It is here that Mark's wedding chronicle consists mainly of close-ups of the face of Juliet herself, which can definitely indicate some of the feelings he experiences. On Christmas Eve, Mark under the guise of a mumbled ( carolling ) comes to the door of the latter-day spouses and confesses to Juliet in love, after which he simply retires.

Jamie and Aurelia

Accidentally returning home, the writer Jamie ( Colin Firth ) learns that his girlfriend is cheating on him with his own brother. Jamie goes to France to write a new detective story. The mistress of the house, which he rents, recommends Aurelia ( Lucia Moniz ) to the Portuguese housekeeper for him. Aurelia does not know a word in English, and Jamie speaks Portuguese, but nevertheless a feeling erupts between them. A week before Christmas, Jamie learns the required minimum language in Portuguese and goes to ask for the hand of Aurelia, who had already learned English by that time.

Daniel and Sam

The widowed stepfather, Daniel ( Liam Neeson ) is trying to cope with the loss of his wife and to establish contact with his stepson ( Thomas Sangster ), who, as it turns out, he almost does not know. Father and son, who at first are very far from each other, gradually find a common language. Daniel finds out that Sam has fallen in love with his classmate and is keen to help him get her attention. At school night, Daniel meets Carol ( Claudia Schiffer ), a single mother, and there seems to be a chance that he will again be able to experience love.

Harry, Karen and Mia

Harry ( Alan Rickman ), head of an advertising agency, a man in years and an exemplary family man. His secretary Mia ( Heike Makach ) is trying to seduce him. He enters a general store and buys her an expensive pendant for Christmas. Meanwhile, his wife Karen ( Emma Thompson ) is very busy preparing for Christmas: trying to talk to her brother, Prime Minister David ( Hugh Grant ), helps in staging a school Christmas play for her children, and also helps her friend Daniel ( Liam Neeson ), surviving the death of his wife. Karen finds an expensive pendant in Harry's coat pocket and happily assumes that this is a Christmas present for her. When it comes time to open the gifts, Karen selects the box in which she believes the pendant is located, but there is a music disc by Joni Mitchell .

John and Judy

John ( Martin Freeman ) and Judy ( Joanna Paige ) work as studio doubles in bed scenes on the set of a very frank and, apparently, high-budget film. Despite the fact that in the course of work they have to completely strip and even imitate sexual acts, they are very shy of each other and are very shy and shy trying to make friends. In the final scene at the airport, they are already engaged.

David and Natalie

New British Prime Minister David ( Hugh Grant ) feels that he likes secretary Natalie ( Martina McCutchen ). When the President of the United States ( Billy Bob Thornton ) begins to give her undue attention, this leads to what is usually diplomatic (even too, according to the opposition) David makes a very tough statement about his political position in the negotiations. But undue attention from the American leads to Natalie being fired. However, on Christmas Eve , having received a touching card with the girl’s recognition of her feelings for him, David decides to give up everything, and with a guard and an escort machine he decides to go looking for her, knowing only the area and the name of the street. He finds Natalie (whose neighbor is Mia) and together with her family goes to a school performance at the school where the girl’s younger brother is studying. David’s nephews are also studying at this school - he meets his sister. During the presentation, the prime minister and his ex-secretary are finally alone for a while (exactly behind the scenes), and the two decide to kiss. At that moment, the curtain opens and the premiere will be recognized by the entire hall (and then all of England) about the novel. Because love is obedient, even the prime ministers.

Sarah and Karl

Sarah ( Laura Linni ) and Karl ( Rodrigo Santoro ) have been working for the same company for two years, they are cute to each other, but they don’t dare to get to know each other better. Director of the company Harry (Alan Rickman) literally forces them to approach each other at a corporate party, but again nothing comes out - Sarah is called from the clinic where her mentally ill brother is contained: he has an aggravation and Sarah that night, sacrificing intimacy with Karl, rides to him. Because love for a brother is also love.

Colin, Tony, and American Girls

Lovelace, a loser Colin ( Chris Marshall ), who is not popular with “ frigid ” Englishwomen, leaves for the USA for 2 months, where, he believes, all American girls will want him only because of his British accent . Since the film itself is a Christmas fairy tale with a good ending, this is exactly what happens.

The soundtrack for the film was written and composed by Craig Armstrong . Soundtrack includes:

• Kelly Clarkson - " The Trouble with Love Is "
• Dido - "Here with Me"
• Maroon 5 - "Sweetest Goodbye / Sunday Morning "
• Norah Jones - "Turn Me On"
• Wyclef Jean and Sharissa - “Take Me As I Am”
• Eva Cassidy - "Songbird"
• The Calling - “Wherever You Will Go”
• The Pointer Sisters - “Jump (for My Love)”
• Joni Mitchell - "Both Sides Now"
• Lynden David Hall - " All You Need Is Love "
• The Beach Boys - "God Only Knows"
• Texas - “I'll See It Through”
• Sugababes - “Too Lost in You”
• Otis Redding - "White Christmas"
• Olivia Olson - "All I Want For Christmas Is You"

Music from the cut scenes (was not included in the soundtrack):

• Scott Walker - "Joanna"
• Craig Armstrong - Glasgow Love Theme
• Carlos Santana - “Smooth”

The UK version also included Craig Armstrong 's PM's Love Theme, and Sometimes. Also, the songs “Puppy Love” by Paul Anka , “Like I love you” by Justin Timberlake , and “Bye Bye Baby” by The Bay City Rollers , which were used in the film, were not included in the soundtrack.

The comic song “Christmas is All Around”, which sounded throughout the whole picture, was indeed released as a separate single, but did not get much success (unlike the film). This composition became a cover-version of the 1994 Wet Wet Wet hit, which led the UK charts for 15 weeks.

Richard Curtis, the creator of the film “Real Love”, said that one of the reasons why he decided to make such a film was that it took him 3-4 years to shoot every romantic film, so he wouldn’t have had enough life to realize all his ideas, and he decided to combine several films into one at once and see how he did it.

Actors and Roles

Roles leading the hit parade, in which Billy Mack wins, performed the duet Ant & Dec.

Portuguese actress Lucia Moniz got her role completely by accident. Her close friend, engaged in the selection of actors, sent her photos to his colleague, who carried out the casting for the picture. Soon Lucia received an invitation, came to the screen tests and on the same day left the film studio with a signed contract.

Simon Pegg was casting for the role of Harry, the seller of the necklace.

An employee of the store selling Harry an expensive necklace is Rowan Atkinson's cameo , the legendary Mr. Bean , one of whose creators is Richard Curtis, screenwriter and director of Real Love. According to the original plan, Rowan Atkinson was to play the role of an angel.

Shooting

Filming took place from September 2 to November 26, 2002.

The first shots of the film, representing numerous meetings of relatives at the airport, were filmed without the involvement of extras. The film crew set up cameras at Heathrow and filmed random people who were later asked to consent to the use of these videos in the picture.

The lake, where the heroes of Lucia Moniz and Colin Firth were splashing, was in fact only 45 cm deep, and the actors had to show considerable skill to make this scene look authentic on the screen. In addition, during the filming of this episode, Colin was severely bitten by mosquitoes, and the actor even had to resort to the services of physicians.

• The release of the picture on DVD became the most popular in the UK in 2004.
• Video release February 2004 from Soyuz-Video, on DVD from CP-Digital. In Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Belarus, they were released from Inter-Film on video (on the cover, together with Soyuzvideo), later released with a licensed DVD cover. Reissue on DVD November 26, 2009, “CP-Digital”, release on Blu-Ray December 17, 2009, “CP-Digital”.

Film Premieres

Costs

• Budget: 40 million dollars
• Marketing: -
• Total: 40 million dollars

Cash fees

• In the USA: 59,696,144 dollars ( 24.4% )
• In other countries: 185 235 622 dollars ( 75.6% )
  • Including in Russia: 2 070 000 dollars
• General fees: 246 942 017 dollars

• Picture Format: 2.35: 1
• Copy Format: 35 mm (anamorphic)
• Shooting format: 35 mm
• Image: color
• Production: DNA Films; Studio Canal; Universal Pictures; Working Title Films
• Special effects: Framestore CFC (visual effects from as Framestore CFC London); Snow Business International (snow effects)
• Studio dubbing: MOSFILM Master
• Rental: Central Partnership ( Russia ); Universal ( USA )

• BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor (Bill Nighy)
• Empire Magazine Award (Best British Film, Best British Actress, Best Newcomer)
• Award from the London circle of film critics (the best British actor of the year in the role of the second plan, the best British actress of the year in the role of the second plan)
• Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award (Best Supporting Actor)

Nominations

• Alexander Korda Prize
• BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress
• Golden Globe Award for Best Film - Comedy or Musical
• Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay
• European Film Awards (best actor, best director)
• Sputnik Award (best supporting actor - comedy or musical, best supporting actress - comedy or musical)

In 2017, the short “Red Nose Day Actually” (“Red Nose Day”) sequel was released, describing how the heroes' lives turned 13 years later ^[3] .

• Love Actually: Official Film Site
• Review by Sergey Kudryavtsev
• An article about the film on the site film.ru
• An article about the film on the NTV + website
• Deleted scenes with director comments