On the Third Day of Christmas... I Took Part in the Love Actually Tag

My friend Katy sent me some questions to answer about one of our favourite films, Love Actually, so here goes. Don't read any further if you haven't watched it as there are loads of spoilers. Go and watch it then and come back. I'll still be here.

1. What is your favourite part of the movie?

So. Many. Awesome. Parts! Any bits where Jamie and Aurelia are trying to communicate with each other. Bill Nighy is a comedy legend! I don’t care if people think the bit with Mark and Juliet is creepy. I think it’s lovely. When Joanna is singing ‘All I Want For Christmas’ and points at Sam and then goes on to point at everyone else. Oh and David dancing to The Pointer Sisters in Number 10. Never not funny!

2. Given the chance, what storyline would you have changed and how?

There are always two points where I just shout, “NOOOOOOOOOOOO” at the screen.

The first is when it looks like Sarah and Karl are finally going to get together and her brother Michael calls. Part of me wishes she hadn’t answered, but the other part of me also thinks that Karl shouldn’t have asked her not to answer it without knowing the full situation. Either way it shouldn’t have stopped them from getting together.

The other is when Harry buys that fucking awful necklace for Mia. Yes, he was wrong and a “classic fool” and I would have made him pay if I were Karen. At the same time though whenever I watch it I think it’s clear he didn’t care about Mia because he didn’t put any thought into her present. He just chose the first thing he saw. Karen’s present meant so much more because he had listened to what she said about Joni Mitchell being one of her all time favourites. I’d much rather have a thoughtful gift like that than a skanky necklace.

I know Katy is going to say that I can only pick one so looking at the way I’ve ranted I think it has to be Karen, Harry and Mia. Leave them alone bitch!

3. What love story would you want for yourself and why?

I am picking this one because it’s my favourite in the film – Daniel and Sam. Daniel has lost his wife. Sam has lost his mother. For whatever reason (we don’t know) Sam’s real father is not around and these two have been left alone together to figure out how they continue with their lives. I love watching how they bond and become a proper father and son. Blood doesn’t make you family.

4. Which situation would you least like to find yourself in?

I don’t know if I could handle being in Sarah’s shoes. Although she tells Karl that her brother is ill, it’s clear that she normally keeps everything very close to her chest. Not even her boss knows the situation so she doesn’t have a support network. She mentions that it’s just her and her brother over her and she must feel so alone. I’ve felt alone surrounded by loved ones, so to feel alone when you really are must be awful.

5. Who is your favourite female character?

Karen. She’s played by Emma Thompson so how can I not. The main reason I love her though is that she is so incredibly strong. Harry is clearly in the wrong and she sees the danger before he does. She forgives him because she loves him, but she doesn’t make it easy for him. I’m sure loads of people would have said she should have dumped his arse, but love isn’t that easy to let go of. I just love her.

6. Who is your favourite male character?

There are so many heart throbs in this film that I can choose so I’m going to pick the male character I enjoyed watching the most – Colin Frissell. He’s so useless that I can’t help but love him. He was still very much in ‘Nick from My Family’ mode in this film which made him even funnier because I didn’t know what he was going to come out with next. He’s rebuffed by so many women, but he never gives up. He’s unwaveringly optimistic. And then when you’re convinced that we’re watching some crazy dream sequence, you realise it isn’t and he’s actually hit the jackpot!

7. What makes you love this film?

The Christmassy feeling, the way the characters seem so real even though some of the stories would clearly never happen, how lots of the characters know each other and just everything!

8. How many times have you watched it?

I have no idea! It came out in 2003 so it must be at least 26 times accounting for once in July and once at Christmas. However it’s probably more than that.

9. What part makes you laugh the most?

Billy Mack’s outburst at the beginning. Every. Single. Time.

10. What part makes you cry the most?

I think it has to be when Karen opens the CD from Harry. When she goes up to her bedroom and cries, I cry with her. I just shout at the screen, “But he actually thought about your present!!!" and then I cry a little more. I just want to hug her and tell her everything will be OK. How dare Snape do that to Trelawney!

Bonus question: Do you think Hugh Grant would make a good Prime Minister?

Not sure about Hugh Grant, but I’m sure David would do a good enough job. I don’t envy the role of Prime Minister at all. It’s such a horrible job to do. Being responsible for a nation? No thanks! In the film David gives a speech that echos what is in the heart of us all, but in reality it wouldn’t have been an option. Having said that when Theresa May congratulated Donald Trump on becoming President and said that Britain and the US "will remain strong and close partners," I immediately wished Hugh Grant were our Prime Minister. I will say that every single Prime Minister gets stick for not keeping their promises, but at the same time you can’t please everyone. At least we don't have Trump!

If you've watched Love Actually then I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. If you haven't, then why are you still reading? I told you to go and watch it!

SHARE: