There was More Than one Lobster Present at the Birth of Jesus

If you had to be trapped inside a movie for 5 days, which movie would you pick?

Love, Actually.

Man, I love this movie.  It’s just so sweet, all of it.  And it has something for everyone.  Whether you’re a widower trying to get through the holidays, anyone yearning for a co-worker, a gay man in love with his rock star best friend, or even a stand in body double for a porno, you can relate to someone in the movie.

The first time I saw it, I didn’t even think of it as a Christmas movie.  I know it technically is, but Christmas is just the background to me, the stories overshadow the holiday-ness of it.  It’s obviously a very important theme, because if you really love Christmas, come on and let it snow.  And obviously the octopus that was oh so important at the birth of baby Jesus plays such an important role (8 legs, David).

The movie has everything: Good advice (Don’t buy drugs. Become a pop star, and they give you them for free), dance lessons (only applies to the song “Jump”), Mr Bean, the best Christmas song ever (“All I Want for Christmas is You”), and fake, fully clothed sex.

What I love about this movie (aside from the humor, the scenery and the music) is the idea that everyone can find love.  You can walk in on your brother sleeping with your wife and still marry the housekeeper who doesn’t even speak your language.  You can have a depressed brother who calls you a million times a day and still at least make out with Karl, the enigmatic chief designer.  You can swear in front of your Prime Minister boss on day one and still kiss him on stage in front of the whole town (even if you are the chubby girl from the dodgy end of town).  There are plenty of sad moments too, Karen and Joni kill me every time, and Mark with the signs, oy.  But the end, with the hugging at the airport, and Colin, god of sex, with the Americans, and the happiness and all the love, it’s just exactly where I’d want to be.

I’d stay trapped in this movie for five days, simply because it makes me remember that love actually is all around.