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A review by rowena_m_andrews
How Love Actually Ruined Christmas (or Colourful Narcotics) by Gary Raymond
4.0
For me, Love Actually has always been one of those films that you love because they are terrible. And sometimes you want to curl up in a blanket with a hot chocolate, a box of chocolates and watch a film that doesn’t demand anything from you, especially in the run-up to Christmas while working in retail.
So, I came to this book already knowing that it wasn’t the best film by a long shot, but enjoying it, and I have to say I can very much agree with the idea of ‘Colourful Narcotics’ – although sometimes that is just what you need. That said, I absolutely loved this book. There is no ambiguity about how Raymond feels about the film, however, even though he makes his dislike evident from the very beginning, it is not the basis for his arguments against the film, and that makes them all the stronger. Instead, we get a blow by blow account of the film, it’s characters, its plot (or lack thereof) in great detail and with where it gets it (very) wrong. With a superb balance of information (I particularly enjoyed all the nuggets of information in the footnotes) and humour, and I found myself laughing at numerous points throughout.
Love Actually Ruined Christmas is an astute, witty, takedown (I almost wanted to write massacre, but it’s not quite) of a film that many call ‘a classic Christmas film’ and as much as I enjoy vegging out and watching the film (and admittedly may do again this year), it made me view the film in a new light. Because, that alongside the humour in this book’s greatest strength, as it focuses on cracks and weaknesses within the very structure of the story and characters, and general attitude of the film, that can’t just be glossed over by going ‘…oh but it has such and such actress/actor in…’
Raymond knows what he’s doing, what he’s saying and how to prove it, and I don’t think I will ever be able to see Love Actually in the same way ever again. I can already imagine some of the commentaries from the book popping up in my head if and when I watch it again.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys film, or who want a humorous read in the run-up to the Festive Season. I would also argue that people who enjoy Love Actually will find something within this book because the witty take will appeal to many people (however, maybe not if Love Actually is your absolute favourite movie…).
So, I came to this book already knowing that it wasn’t the best film by a long shot, but enjoying it, and I have to say I can very much agree with the idea of ‘Colourful Narcotics’ – although sometimes that is just what you need. That said, I absolutely loved this book. There is no ambiguity about how Raymond feels about the film, however, even though he makes his dislike evident from the very beginning, it is not the basis for his arguments against the film, and that makes them all the stronger. Instead, we get a blow by blow account of the film, it’s characters, its plot (or lack thereof) in great detail and with where it gets it (very) wrong. With a superb balance of information (I particularly enjoyed all the nuggets of information in the footnotes) and humour, and I found myself laughing at numerous points throughout.
Love Actually Ruined Christmas is an astute, witty, takedown (I almost wanted to write massacre, but it’s not quite) of a film that many call ‘a classic Christmas film’ and as much as I enjoy vegging out and watching the film (and admittedly may do again this year), it made me view the film in a new light. Because, that alongside the humour in this book’s greatest strength, as it focuses on cracks and weaknesses within the very structure of the story and characters, and general attitude of the film, that can’t just be glossed over by going ‘…oh but it has such and such actress/actor in…’
Raymond knows what he’s doing, what he’s saying and how to prove it, and I don’t think I will ever be able to see Love Actually in the same way ever again. I can already imagine some of the commentaries from the book popping up in my head if and when I watch it again.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys film, or who want a humorous read in the run-up to the Festive Season. I would also argue that people who enjoy Love Actually will find something within this book because the witty take will appeal to many people (however, maybe not if Love Actually is your absolute favourite movie…).