Love Actually (Blu-ray) By David Vaughn   •   November, 2009 It's a few weeks before Christmas, and love is in the air in England for the ensemble cast that includes Hugh Grant, Bill Nighy, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Laura Linney, and Kiera Knightley. All of the characters' lives are intertwined in one way or another, and somehow writer/director Richard Curtis keeps all the different stories interesting and emotionally stirring.

A couple of the stories could have been cut, particularly those involving the sex-scene stand-ins John (Martin Freeman) and Jill (Joanna Page), who meet in a unique circumstance, and Colin (Kris Marshall), who convinces himself that a trip to America is all he needs to meet the women (plural) of his dreams. These story lines detract from the dramatic aspects of the film but certainly do add some comic relief. Regardless, the theme is well thought out, wildly entertaining, and emotional.

With all the beautiful people in the film—especially Kiera Knightly—it's well suited for a 1080p presentation, and it looks impressive for a catalog title. Other than the opening sequence, which is a bit hot, contrast is consistent, and colors are bold and vibrant. Occasionally, flesh tones are on the waxy side, but the overall detail is revealing in both close-ups and long shots, especially the exterior shots of London.

Romantic comedies are rarely audio spectacles, and Love Actually is no exception. Dialog is intelligible, even with the English accents, but the presentation is very front-heavy and collapsed toward the center speaker. Granted, when the music kicks in, things liven up a bit with a strong midrange and decent LFE, and there are a couple of sequences when the surround speakers come in to play, but these are rare in the overall scope of the production.

Supplements include an audio commentary from director Richard Curtis and actors Hugh Grant, Bill Nighy, and Thomas Sangster, 37 minutes of deleted scenes (SD), a 21-minute featurette on the music with HD clips from the film, a closer look at each of the many storylines (SD), and two music videos—one with Kelly Clarkson and the other featuring Bill Nighy's "Christmas is All Around" song from the movie (both in SD).

If you're looking for a romantic comedy unlike any other, be sure to check this out. The ambitious screenplay and excellent directing on the part of Richard Curtis isn't perfect, but it's pretty close. Add in the solid presentation and you have yourself a winner. Recommended.

Release Date: November 3, 2009
Studio: Universal

Movie: 9/10
Picture: 8/10
Sound: 8/10

Review System

Source
Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray player

Display
JVC DLA-RS1 projector
Stewart FireHawk screen (76.5" wide, 16:9)

Electronics
Onkyo Pro PR-SC885 pre/pro
Anthem PVA-7 power amplifier
Belkin PF60 power conditioner

Speakers
M&K S-150s (L, C, R)
M&K SS-150s (LS, RS, SBL, SBR)
SVS PC-Ultra subwoofer

Cables
Monoprice HDMI cables (source to pre/pro)
Best Deal analog-audio cables
PureLink HDC Fiber Optic HDMI Cable System (15 meters) from pre/pro to projector

Acoustical treatments from GIK Acoustics