What I find incredibly uncomfortable to sit through is the scene of Emma Thompson's character crying upstairs to Joan Baez while her family is below opening Christmas gifts. She knew in that moment that her husband was having an affair. Those tears, however, were very real. In an interview, Emma confessed she was overcome with emotion while thinking of what Kenneth Branagh had done to her when she found out he was cheating on Emma with Helena Bonham Carter (a very publicized heartbreak for her). That's why that scene was so believable, the sadness and pain was real.

I still think that if the film had just been about Liam Neeson bonding with his stepson after the death of their wife/mother, it could have been an incredibly moving drama.

I think it's a bit harsh to judge Emma Thompson's character for ultimately staying with her husband. It's not even made all that clear whether or not they're still married in the end, but you can see how it has taken a toll on the relationship. I feel like it was actually a fairly mature ending for both of them.

When I first watched the film, my interpretation of Thompson and Rickman's relationship was that they do *not* stay together. He flies in (from where?) to see his kids at Christmas, and she agrees to pick him up at the airport, mostly as a favor for the kids. A screenwriter subsequently clarified that they do stay together. I will stick with my head canon.

I always hated that the other woman in the story was such a one dimensional character who we were encouraged to hate, while the husband was depicted as a good guy who made a mistake. It’s not the only film that blames the other woman more than the husband and it’s always sickening

Oh my gosh yes, I was SHOCKED that the famous title card scene didn't turn out to have any reason to want them to get together at all. I was so upset when she kissed him! Laura Linney's little silent dance was the only truly joyous moment in the film.

i hate the "to me you are perfect" thing for many reasons, like you listed here, but it reminds me of manic pixie dream girl stories and him idolizing this girl like that is so creepy and belittling

Please do more unhinged rant videos 😂

As a member of the LGBT+ community, I would like to thank Richard Curtis for cutting 2 lesbian storylines from the movie. I shudder to think how much worse this already terrible dumpster fire would've been if he'd left them in.

The story line is incredibly unhinged and appreciate your detailed walkthrough of the red flags. Nicely done Cinzia.

Yes! This film imo is about celebrating toxic relationships, stalking, misogyny, fat phobia, multiple power imbalances, undercurrents of discrimination - but is sold to the audience as, “Love -Actually”

Your unhinged rant gave me at least three unexpected, unhinged shrieks of laughter. I appreciate such a good vent.

To me this film is about how messy human nature is and especially love and relations. I agree with a lot of your points and I don’t know if I’d say that I agree with the way the film portrays the relationships between the characters, but I still find it very charming and I always pick up on tidbits I hadn’t realised before. We usually watch it on the day before Christmas and I’m looking forwards to watching it again after your rant to see it in a different light.

I love Cinematherapy's take on this film, lol, they don't hold back

The tricky thing about long-term relationships is that inevitably there comes a time when you hit a rut, become bored with a partner who is perhaps a little uptight, a little aloof maybe, a little distracted by their own stuff at the expense of yours, a little too set in their ways. And then someone a bit more fun, a bit sexier pays you a little bit of attention and it feels good to be wanted again, to feel that excitement, to remember those first flushes of desire. And so, conventionally immoral or not, you may fall to that temptation, get naked and try to shag his brother at least twice before Colin Firth gets home. For a bubblegum piece of fluff, this film sure has been analysed to death. At the time people knew the Colin (America, not Firth) story was horrendous, and people knew that Egg was a stalker. They called it out then. They talked about the power dynamic issues with the PM and Natalie, and while not so much about Alan Rickman and his PA you could hardly say it was approved of, although people always focused on Emma Thompson's acting (which is still spectacular). Rickman falling for the charms of his PA was a cliché that Curtis would have grown up with, a very convenient shorthand in a film that, by necessity, requires them. Curtis is a particular type of upper-middle class Englishman. Privately educated, all boys school, Oxbridge etc, so his writing skews that way. There's a great interview with his now wife Emma Freud where she talks about his difficulties in writing women and about love and particularly sex outside his narrow social circle. A lot of that is reflected here. Awkward, repressed men not really understanding how to talk to women without resorting to weirdly grand gestures, or exploiting their positions (rarely with truly malicious intent, Billy Bob aside, but nevertheless), and the weird wish fulfilment of a teenager (the Colin story). The emphasis on body-shaming is a relatively new thing. People at the time said no-one in the real world would think to call Martine McCutcheon as fat or chubby - it's shorthand again to create an underdog Cinderella to be swept off her ankles by a Prince Charming - but modern audiences view it as the voice of the writer. I'm not sure that's fair, but I think I'm in the minority there now. I must confess I never saw the Rickman - Linney thing as an abuse of workplace power (Rickman - PA yes, despite the presentation of who was wearing the trousers in that affair). I suppose the way Cinzia describes it I can see it, but that also strikes me as a very formal way to view it. Technically, legally the wrong thing to do, but right from a human point of view. Worthy intentions, bad process, I guess. I have sympathy for Rickman's character, a seemingly good man with a weakness, and maybe even a forgivable one at that (see paragraph one), but it's hard to judge when you and your wife are the emotional adult core of a bubblegum fluff movie, and Mr Bean takes up 30% of your story's screentime for a joke that doesn't work.

Love Actually isn't a love story. By its own definition, it's a story about love, which is not the same thing at all. But more accurately, I would argue that Love Actually is a story about human connection in all its varying and imperfect forms. The cornucopia of messily interconnected, imperfect relationships the films depicts totally works for me when viewed with the understanding that that's what it's about.

I watched Love Actually when I was a teenager but could never articulate why I didn’t like it until this video. I thoroughly enjoyed your rant, it was great fun, a good laugh and a bit of nostalgia all rolled up into one.

I love your Ursula reference for Colin and Aurelia. If I was Mark's friend, he'd be walking around with broken legs if he did that to his supposed friend. It's pretty weird that so many people look at that vignette as so romantic. The British guy expecting to go to the States and get laid for his accent alone is weird, because American guys expect to be able to do the same when they go to Europe.

Dude i remember watching this when i was 13 and at the time i loved anything romance related and i HATED this movie. I actually thought something was wrong with me that I apparently didn’t see how “good” everyone said it was. I feel so validated

LOL I love this! I always have to defend myself when I say I don't like this movie (or at the very least, it's not a happy movie as over half the romances are depressing as hell) and so I'm going to send this link to people when needed.

I CAN'T agree More! I've watched this film for the first time just a week ago because I remembered the hype from when it was first released and wanted to check it out for myself. I hated it! It was awful and cringy and nothing at all what I'd define "love" as. I could go on for like 45 minutes about it, too, but you did a fantastic job 👏 😂

I personally love the rants. Exceptionally witty and informative. Totally agree with your thoughts about Love, Actually. Thank you 🤍👏

I watched a vid recently where you seemed a bit disheartened and disenchanted with KZfaq-ing. But you're on fire in this one! I loved your elaboration on power dynamics. This movie always made me uncomfortable.

40 minutes of Cinzia? It’s not even my birthday 😂

Thank you for this. For years, I was confused about peoples' love for this film

I have spent 2 decades ranting about how terrible this film is, so ... yeah, I get you. At this point I practically start foaming at the mouth when people bring it up as a great holiday romance film.

Being from Milwaukee, Wisconsin - where a group of friends meets yearly to play a drinking game called “Drunk, Actually” {including a rule that calls for a drink every time there’s a toxic work dynamic} - I can definitively state that Wisconsin people are not easily won over by just an accent. We have a fairly large UK ex~pat population due to the University of Wisconsin system’s massive international outreach campaigns, our connection to Lake Michigan (which allows for climate and fresh water ecosystem research), and our agricultural export prowess. It’s just one more thing to add to the list of examples of lazy writing by the screen writers. Good movie to make fun of while drinking, though.

Loved this more casual side of you! Totally agree with all your points but can't help enjoying the film... so ashamed of myself 😂 The repeated "Sam, you little shi..." lines got me!

A huge problem that I had with the affair was how Alan Rickman’s character seemed to be absolved of most of the blame because his secretary was the one constantly shown pursuing him. I remember watching this was my class and a lot of people using very derogatory words about her for being a ‘homewrecker’ while they were just sad about his involvement

Wow. I got 3 minutes into this video and realized I have always thought the “Love Actually” was “Crazy, Stupid, Love”. Apparently I’ve never actually seen Love Actually. But I will be watching this video entirely nonetheless!

I have never seen it but most "romantic comedies" seem to be based on events that in the real world would earn you a date with a magistrate.

Thank you so so much for this fascinating unhinged rant video Cinzia! We don't need Love Actually, we only need lovely unhinged rants! 🙆‍♀️

The way I’ve watched this movie like a dozen times and never questioned her wearing a devil costume to a Christmas party

This is my moms favourite christmas movie, so I've seen it aproximitly 15 times. I think for an movie about love there are far to few variations on love. Aside from the body doubles all the non-platonic relationships have at least one creepy aspect to them.

i completely agree with you! there are parts i find super cringey and problematic but I have to watch it every December lol! it's one of my guilty pleasure movies🫢

My friend makes incredible miniatures and one of the house miniatures is subtlety love actually themed and when you pick up the album that’s next to the record player, it has a sensor from picking it up, that plays audio of Alan Rickman (Harry) saying “to continue your emotional education” and yeah I’m in awe of her and how clever and funny she is so I’m telling anyone reading this about it with great pride in her, I guess, love actually is all around us.

FIrstly, hilarious take down of LA. Secondly, thank you for this awesome break down of a film I found messed up 20 years ago. Seeing people rip this film apart makes me feel vindicated when I did it all those years ago. The ONLY thing I would say is relatable albeit not in such clear cut manner, was being British and going to the states. Pardon my wording but the accent seemed to be an aphrodisiac for some.

You’re completely right! The really detrimental effect of these kind of romcoms is that it teaches the next generation bad examples of relationships without them realizing that they’re bad examples. We all loved Natalie and the prime minister getting together and none of us picked up on how actually problematic Alan Rickman’s character was and how he totally encouraged his secretary’s advances.

I'll say what we all thinkin, unhinged rants look good on you girl.

I agree about most of your rant :-) The movie just have so many powerhouse actors in it, that sell these stories to us. It is only after a bit we start to question if it is really as romantic as it seemed. The best "relationship" in the movie is actually between Liam Neeson and his son. That part of the movie is not about the son and his crush but about father and son bonding. And Liam is actually supportive and nice to his son, choosing not to dismiss the boys feelings. And as you say, the best romantic couple are the two bodydoubles.

You have perfectly articulated what bothered me about every single love story in this movie (except the body doubles one) and what I absolutely loved about one particular pair (the body doubles one).

LA made me wince at the time, and it certainly hasn't gotten any better with age. Nicely analyzed.

This is the first of your videos that I've seen and I have to say that I'm tremendously impressed and enamoured. It's refreshing to see a rant about a 20 year old piece of entertainment media which judges it by the standards of the period. I'm exited to watch more of your videos, particularly those about the ancient world, which is a special interest of mine. Many thanks for your time ❤

I agree with much of what you say. My esteem for you has definitely grown now that I know how you feel about Blackadder. I originally watched it because like you, I like the director's other work and I do like the actors in the movie. I think it could've been a better film if it involved less stories. I believe the writing suffered because of it. BTW, I also think that necklace was ugly!

AGREED!! Whew. 🥺I thought I was alone on this planet. 💐Thank you, Cinzia, for braving the backlash and sharing this poignant, articulate, and apt review.

Oh my god. I am crying with laughter. Your commentary is so spot on, with just the right amount of snarky pizazz. Love love love!

I totally agree. I was so surprised when I finally saw this film. I had put it off for a while and saw it years later, and the people I was hanging out with were STILL talking about it at Christmas time. The only story that had any interesting dynamics was actually the one with Bill Nighy all the rest were very cliche and rather toxic. I am shocked that people have seen this movie as romantic. I strongly got the sense that the writer has no idea about real love and only had the shallowness conception of love.

This is my Christmas movie that I make sure to sit down and watch every year.

Excellent breakdown. Good call on the parallels between Harry and David. I like your including the Try Guys thing too. "Wank bank.". 😂. I laughed several times so hard I snorted.

Your dogs growling mid filing was just adorable XD

This was pure entertainment! Thank you so much for letting us partake in your catharsis, I‘ll gladly watch again!

I can’t believe how people love this film 🤦🏽‍♀️

Personally, I'm of the opinion that Bill Nighy is and has always been a heartthrob too.

That was thoroughly enjoyable! The rant was hilarious and bloody amazing! I loved that edit at 28:48 😆Hope we'll have some more of these in the future. With that said, this movie is quite dear to people in my country mostly because it's one of the few British movies that has even a whiff of Portuguese people, language and culture in the form of Aurélia. But damn, I cringed so hard when I watched this movie.

Oh, AND I really don't think anyone disagrees.

“Would you stay, if you knew life would always be a little bit worse? Or would you cut and run?” was always such a DEVASTATING moment for me, made moreso by Emma Thompson’s performance. That she does stay seemed realistic to me, because of that line. I think it was a significant display of her strength. I don’t think she had no self esteem and didn’t think she could do any better.

Yes to more rants if that's what you want to do! This was great! (I also love that your rant was a well-thought out, coherent argument with little shouting. I often do the same when I say I'm about to rant).

Excellent and well deserved rant, can't fault the logic and creep factor. Do very much enjoy the passion and humour with which you speak. A solid round of applause!

You ever get the feeling you're living in some twilight zone when the most creepy and alarming romance stories are consistently heralded as "amazingly sexy" and "ideal fantasies"? Like is this civilization wide gaslighting or is a desire for emotionally healthy romances just a minority opinion?

Love your channel, you're amazing!

Absolutely loved this video and cannot agree more with all your points! Though admittedly I do watch this movie every holiday season, I do not know why… but I love to hate it, but love it at the same time 😂

Wonderful video! When I first watched this movie, I was won over by the various stories, mostly due to the novelty that not everything was a happy ending. Each subsequent watching caused me to like the movie less and less. I'm now of the strong opinion that the movie is not good at all and the early 2000s Christmas rom-com that should be getting all the love is "The Holiday." One thing came to mind when you recounted the story of Peter, Mark, and Juliet. Mark hired girls for the stag party against Peter's will. The line notes that they are specifically "prostitutes" which suggests things would get particularly rowdy with them around at the stag party. Is there a chance that Mark hired them with the hope of causing Peter to slip into infidelity? If such a thing happened, it could cause a disruption in Peter and Juliet's relationship, maybe even leading to them splitting up. This would give Mark the opportunity to finally swoop in and try to win over Juliet. I know that Mark is supposed to be Peter's best friend, but based on how little we see of that bond on screen, I wouldn't put it past Mark if such a thought crossed his mind when getting the "surprise" for the stag party.

This rant was utterly delightful! I loved every minute of it and completely agree with all the points you made.

100% this. I have only watched it once, a few years ago, and it is absolutely appalling.

I like the video where Owlkitty is inserted in placard scene.more romantic than actual film

I always wondered why this movie made me uncomfortable. I’ve watched it twice and didn’t like it either time. I always wondered what for the actors to do it? Were they hungry? Did they read the script? Did the director film one thing but it changed in the editing bay? Thanks for putting voice to how I felt. BTW- you should do more movie reviews. You’re good at it!!

35:54 I was listening to the video with headphones on and was momentarily convinced my house was haunted by the girl from The Grudge before I rewound and read your note. Good grief.

This is the christmas content I dream of! Thank you Cinzia!

I tried watching this film for the first time earlier this week (i was only 1 when it first came out) and I couldn't finish it was just boring and there is no way a film like that needs so many stories, I have no idea why it's so loved. Great video as always Cinzia

Thank you for saying this. In a meta-moment I broke up with someone over the "cards on the doorstep" scene as almost all of the stories came down to the protagonists inviting moral chaos into their lives by refusing to do the right thing. As such, the film was a cypher for the bankrupt views of their writers and by extension the viewer(s) need to be okay with their bad choices. In the film's version of the stories ends, the only thing that matters is if they are happy with the outcome and not the wreckage left behind.

While I mostly agree with you, I feel there need to be a very important clarification around what happens *TO* Natalie and the US president. She did NOT kiss him. HE was in her space- coming onto HER, touching her. She looked terrified in that scene, unable to move- I would define it as a freeze trauma response. She in no way looked like she wanted him in her space and even at a younger age I read that scene as a sexual assault. I feel you really down played it as 'just a kiss'. I also felt David punished Natalie for what happened with the President, he couldn't have her like that- so he got her moved. Yet clearly over looking the terror on her face in that scene. It always mad me so angery, and then she apologised for- being assaulted? EDIT0 To add further thoughts On Sarah. I still don't understand why after the moment for sex with Karl past- that she couldn't have explained to Karl the situation with her Brother and why she has to take his calls (not ansering them makes him more dirgulated and aggressive). They could have had a lovely night talking, laying together. Just because the sex didn't happened I don't understand why it still couldn't not have formed a beautiful meaningful relationship from that night. To me it stinks of subtext that taking care of others hurts your love life, which is a disgusting thing to imply.

Tons of busy work to do today. So excited to catch up on some of your vids!

There can never be too many rants about love actually in my view. This film is insane to watch (and all the time be thinking, "is this supposed to be cute/romantic?"). Thanks for sharing your thoughts 🌲🌲

I never liked this film, and have always felt like the odd one out with this opinion. I never understood why everyone loved it so much. Thank you for your detailed run down of the movie. 😊

Yes to all of this! Some things went even deeper than what occurred to me. But at the same time, there’s so much more I would say about some of these other the relationships

THANK YOU I REALLY NEEDED a video like this today hahaha mostly from you! Sorry about the caps :) I am having a breakdown of a day and you're my best friend tonight.

only at 06:05 and oh! good thing you posted this, I saw bits of the film at work during break and could not believe what a stellar cast it had, then promised myself to watch it which I'm now definitely going to do, thank you

THANK YOU!!!!!! I've felt the same for years, and I thought I was the problem! Watching it recently, it was bits of stories that were script ideas without focusing on any story in particular. I REALLY hated the whole Prime Minister plot; you could do that story like a fairy tale over 90 minutes, but it was just a mess and totally unbelievable!! Vent On!!

Excellent review and analysis!

I agree with you. I don't understand why everyone thinks it's so good. Thank you!!! Happy Christmas and have a Wonderous New Year!!! 🎅👼🎅 Take care and have fun!!! 😎😃😎

I totally agree with you! This movie ruined my chances with my crush, when I was 13. Even at that age, I saw the issues inherent in the movie. When my crush (I won't use her name, given she can't consent to it) raved about how great the movie was one day at school, I tried to point out that Mark was an incredible ass hat. I, quite calmly I thought, expressed my deep desire to rush into the screen and tell Peter to run like hell! ... It didn't go well. 😁

(Okay, this is gonna be a long one.) My dearest Mme. DuBois, dearest Lady. This rant was just what I needed leading into the mid-week work-week. (It's Wednesday in the UK, it's still Tuesday in Canada) I know you're a busy woman, but you might want to consider doing more of them. Your description of your cadre of 12-year-old classmates attending the screening of _Love, Actually_ put me in mind of when I, and two friends from work, saw Baz Luhrmann's _Romeo + Juliet_ in 1996. A few rows in front of us were about eight or ten girls maybe 15 or 16 years old. So, in the scene when Leonardo DiCaprio (Romeo) sees Juliet (Claire Danes) for the first time, it's through a giant aquarium. He's coming down from an acid trip and has dunked his head into the water. When DiCaprio emerged, all wet from the aquarium, there was a collective and spontaneous sigh of longing from the row of young ladies in front of us. That alone was worth the price of admission. (An aside. They were supposed to be teenagers. Danes was, at 17 at the time. DiCaprio was 22. Hollywood for you.) And our cute, boyish Prime Minister is single again, and he _definitely_ won't stand up for you. Also, the snowflakes on your long-sleeve put me in mind that I really intended to get a Motörhead, Slayer or Twin Temple Christmas sweater, but, as yet, have never done so. PrawnHub also has some Christmas sweaters. Uh... so I've heard... I wouldn't know firsthand. Oh! Look! A Christmas reindeer that looks like Robertson Davies! I may have been tipping the wrist while I wrote this.

I love this rant and I totally agree with nearly all of it. With the 12 year olds, I think it’s fair to say kids grieve differently and it was easier to zero in on the crush probably…at least I see it that way. I was an adult and I remember months of numbness after my mom died focusing on anything else and it was months upon months later I really bawled for her. I still think that particular story was cute because of the kids being kids and not adults. And the step-dad bonding with the kid through this love pursuit, including the unrealistic dash through the airport was one of the more wholesome portrayals of a step parent with his child. I also agree on the one couple that should have gotten more screen time. The body doubles and their mundane conversations of getting to know each other in fairly akward positions, adorable! Colin’s story of going to America and using his accent to finally get a women was one of the most incel things ever put to film and should have been cut from the script.

Can you believe I just saw Love Actually for the first time yesterday?

YES!!! Thank you! The relationships in the movie are just dreadful. At first, I thought it was all so romantic, but my naive American brain was bring tricked by the British accents. The character, Colin, is right about American women going gaga for a British accent. It makes everything sound better. After a few more views, I thought, "Hey, wait a minute! These guys are ACTUALLY terrible!"

I really enjoyed watching you rant (everyone needs that kind of catharsis once in a while) and I get your points, though I disagree in quite a few of them. A well thought-through rant is always appreciated ;-)

Loved the rant! On point

Grrl, you make the best of rants. This ranks with your take on Lacan's semiotic. Finding your channel gave me something else to thank serendipity for!

OMG this was amazing!

In answer to your question. Yes I enjoyed this video. I find other people's perspectives fascinating. Thank you for posting this.

Cinzia I don't know how, but I agree on every.single.count. Brilliant analysis and thank you for being the voice of sanity in a sea of Love Actually lovers haha 😅😇

I didn't think that this would be really my kind of thing, but I found it really very absorbing. Film criticism, done rather well - you're full of surprises, Cinzia!

Thank you for speaking sense!

The energy in this video is wonderful.

Thoroughly enjoyed this ranty take down of LA. Thank you for vocalising my long festering distain for this film!

I've never seen the movie and actually had no knowledge of the plot, so this was highly interesting and informative. Thanks for welcoming us to the ride. GET THY CATHARSIS!!!

I hear ya, sistah! So many problems with that film. Soooo bad.

1) I agree with you in every respect of your review, this movie is bad and it should feel bad, and the only good romance was the body doubles 2) I also was forced to watch this in a university setting, just in 2006 3) PLEASE do more movie reviews like this, this was awesome!

Thank you for this analysis Cinzia! I agree with everything.I would really like to find out your favorite romantic movies.Please make a video about it ❤❤

I love your rant!