Love Actually ***

Cast: Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Alan Rickman, Liam Neeson, Bill Nighy, Laura Linney, Martine McCutcheon, Keira Knightley, Emma Thompson, Billy Bob Thornton, Rowan Atkinson
Director: Richard Curtis

Love Actually weaves together a series of love stories like a Robert Altman film, and its individual stories work more often than not. This movie tells of many different kinds of love -- romantic, friend, and parent/child -- with some of the "loves" working out, and others having no chance. It doesn't strive to give every story a happy ending, a fact which I appreciate, and comes off as feeling true for the most part. Some of the stories seem a bit sappy for my tastes, but with this movie you get a variety, so a viewer will find one that meets their liking. This movie runs a little long, mostly due to the amount of characters present, but if you are looking for a enjoyable romantic comedy this time of year, give Love Actually a chance and you might be surprised.