Almost every Christmas, this movie is shown in TV. I didn't give a glance about it at first; I thought it's another predictable chick-flick. In fact, it's been months or years the DVD just sat in one corner of my house without being touched, until one fine day, when every other option were wasted but watching abandoned DVD, then I newly found Love Actually.
What is love?
From my own pathetic way of trying to understand it;
Love is the most simple yet the most complicated human feeling.
It's indescribable, unexplainable, unpredictable and uncontrollable.
It's happiness, yet always co-exists with sorrow, sadness, fear and hurt.
To sum it all, it sucks.
But it might be difficult to live without it, for it's the meaning of life.
That makes it even more sucks, isn’t it?
That is why; I give the credit to Love Actually, to able to describe it best and right to the core.
Don’t think that I’m a nutcase rewinding the DVD to find these quotes, there is website with this kind of information. Although in fact, I remember them (not exact quote of course) because it’s memorable even when I only watch it one time.
To recall few of best definitions:
- A husband played by Liam Neelson (one of my favorite actors) is in mourning. He is heartbroken, especially when he thinks that his stepson can't go through his mother's death.
There come the conversations:
Daniel: So what's the problem, Sammy-o? Is it just Mum, or is it something else? Maybe... school - are you being bullied? Or is it something worse? Can you give me any clues at all?
Sam: You really want to know?
Daniel: I really want to know.
Sam: Even though you won't be able to do anything to help?
Daniel: Even if that's the case, yeah.
Sam: Okay. Well, the truth is... actually... I'm in love.
Daniel: Sorry?
Sam: I know I should be thinking about Mum all the time, and I am. But the truth is, I'm in love and I was before she died, and there's nothing I can do about it.
Daniel: [laughs] Aren't you a bit young to be in love?
Sam: No.
Daniel: Oh, well, okay... right. Well, I mean, I'm a little relieved.
Sam: Why?
Daniel: Well, because I thought it would be something worse.
Sam: [incredulous] Worse than the total agony of being in love?
Daniel: Oh. No, you're right. Yeah, total agony.
I love the boy character. He will grow up to be a fine gentleman who is wise beyond his year. Agony being in love? Hell yes. What is worse than that? Not many. Not much.
Many key words: agony, no one can do anything to help, nothing you can do about it, and you never are too young or too old to be in love. Wow.. wise kid huh, old soul.
[at his wife's funeral]
Daniel: Jo and I had uh, a lot of time to prepare for this moment. Some of her, uh, requests - for instance, that I should bring Claudia Schiffer as my date to the funeral - I was confident she expected me to ignore.
Keyword: pain of losing can be eased with humour?
Where are you from??? Nothing can ease the pain of losing. If humor does, it just covers it up with a little bit of patty that doesn’t sustain under the sun and rain. If someone jokes about his/her sadness, that is the sign that he/she has even greater sorrow that what they’ve shown.
Love is sadness and fear. (That makes it even more sucks).
Oh, and this is extra from the adorable dad and step-son.
[deleted scene; Daniel and Sam are discussing Sam's true love]
Daniel: Option One: ask her out.
Sam: Impossible.
Daniel: Fair enough. Option Two: become her friend.
Sam: She's the most popular girl in school and she hates boys.
Daniel: Okay. Option Three: kidnap her and keep her tied up in your room until she agrees to marry you.
Sam: It's a route I've considered.
Daniel: And quite rightly rejected on the grounds of...
Sam: Hygiene.
Keyword: Love can’t be forced. When it’s forced, it’s gross.
- A man falls in love with character played by Kiera Knightly. She is married to his best friend. He has been hiding it forever and does his best to avoid falling deeper but to no success. Forbidden love.
This is my favorite scene, the Christmas choir and it sums up painfully but perfectly touching.
(on sheet of poster board)
Mark: With any luck, by next year - I'll be going out with one of these girls.
(show pictures of beautiful supermodels)
Mark: But for now, let me say - Without hope or agenda - Just because it's Christmas - And at Christmas you tell the truth - To me, you are perfect - And my wasted heart will love you - Until you look like this.
(picture of a mummy)
Mark: Merry Christmas
Awwwww....
Keyword: Nothing you can do to control it, heart commands brain (That makes it even more sucks), and wasted heart, wasted heart, wasted heart, pain, sorrow and helplessness. (That makes it bloody sucks).
- When character played by Emma Thompson discovers that her husband played by Alan Rickman might have his heart for another woman.
Karen: Tell me, if you were in my position, what would you do?
Harry: What position is that?
Karen: Imagine your husband bought a gold necklace, and come Christmas gave it to somebody else...
Harry: Oh, Karen...
Karen: Would you wait around to find out...
Parent: Good night!
Karen: Night, night. Happy Christmas! [back to Harry]
Karen: Would you wait around to find out if it's just a necklace, or if it's sex and a necklace, or if, worst of all, it's a necklace and love? Would you stay, knowing life would always be a little bit worse? Or would you cut and run?
Harry: Oh, God. I am so in the wrong. The classic fool!
Karen: [voice breaking] Yes, but you've also made a fool out of me, and you've made the life I lead foolish, too!
Research says men consider his partner having sex with another person is the worst affair, set aside love.
Women consider her partner falling in love with another person is the worst affair, set aside sex.
I am a woman, men don’t really think properly. ;p
Keyword: Love commands life. It changes everything. It’s heavy, risky and often life-long investment that no one in Wall Street wants to bet their money on it.
Who, in their right mind, want to bet their life on something that doesn’t guarantee return, might collapse anytime while you are losing your own value with every second passing?
Love is worst investment, yet we are suckers (That makes it even more sucks).
And, love is happiness, fear and sadness.
- A quiet and reserved love, a character played by Laura Linney, who ‘secretly’ in love with her colleague, but dares not do anything about it.
When she finally had her chance, she has to let go, because of another love, for her sick brother who demands sacrifice and her whole attention.
Harry: Tell me, exactly, how long it is that you've been working here?
Sarah: Two years, seven months, three days and, I suppose, what... two hours?
Harry: And how long have you been in love with Karl, our enigmatic chief designer?
Sarah: Ahm, two years, seven months, three days and, I suppose, an hour and thirty minutes. Harry: I thought as much.
Sarah: Do you think everybody knows?
Harry: Yes.
Sarah: Do you think Karl knows?
Harry: Yes.
Sarah: Oh, that is... that is bad news.
Harry: Well I just thought maybe the time had come to do something about it.
Sarah: Like what?
Harry: Invite him out for a drink and then, after about twenty minutes, casually drop into the conversation the fact that you'd like to marry him and have lots of sex and babies.
Sarah: You know that?
Harry: Yes, and so does Karl. Think about it, for all our sakes. It's Christmas.
Sarah: Certainly. Excellent. Will do. Thanks, boss!
Keyword: Sacrifice. Agony. Understanding. Again, co-exists with sorrow, pain, sadness and hurt. Alamak.
- Lost in translation, a man played by Colin Firth falls in love with his maid, but none of them understand each other because they speak different languages.
[neither understands the other's language]
Jamie: [in English] It's my favorite time of day, driving you.
Aurelia: [in Portuguese] It's the saddest part of my day, leaving you.
Keyword: No barrier. No control. Tell you, the heart doesn’t care what the brain says.
But the amazing thing, it can also overcome barrier, if it’s strong enough. (Okay, that makes it less suck. But unfortunately, no many are that strong to conquer challenges, so, again, that makes it even more sucks).
- Again, differences, sizes, status. Not a really significant scene compared to the rest. But I love this dialog:
[talking about her ex-boyfriend]
Natalie: He says no one's gonna fancy a girl with thighs the size of big tree trunks. Not a nice guy, actually, in the end.
Prime Minister: Ah! You know, um, being Prime Minister, I could just have him murdered.
Natalie: Thank you, sir. I'll think about it.
Prime Minister: Do. The SAS are absolutely charming. Ruthless trained killers are just a phone call away.
That are many other scenes but this few had already done the movie justice.
So, that should give everyone a better idea about what this little thing called love.
Brilliant writing I suppose.
Shamelessly, I thing my definition can cover much of those areas.
Here it is again.. shamelessly..
Repeat after me!
Love is the most simple yet the most complicated human feeling.
It's indescribable, unexplainable, unpredictable and uncontrollable.
It's happiness, yet always co-exists with sorrow, sadness fear and hurt.
To sum it all, it sucks.
But it might be difficult to live without it, for it's the meaning of life.
That makes it even more sucks....
