Love Actually

MPAA Rating: R

Entertainment: +3

Content: -3

With a star-studded cast, this romantic comedy will help launch the holiday movies. Dashing, newly elected British Prime Minister (Hugh Grant) finds himself attracted to one of his staff members (Martine McCutcheon). His happily married sister, Karen (Emma Thompson), is facing a marital crisis. All in all, seven couples are dealing with various stages of relationships. Jamie (Colin Firth), a writer, is emotionally wounded by a cheating wife, escapes to France and rents a country cottage that includes a French maid (Lucia Moniz) who speaks no English. Daniel (Liam Neeson) must overcome his grief over his beloved wifes recent death to build a relationship with his young stepson. In another scenario, a spinster (Laura Linney) discovers love with a coworker she has secretly admired from afar. Billy Bob Thornton makes a cameo appearance as the American President. With the song Love Is All Around playing in the background and the warm, fuzzy atmosphere of the Christmas setting, you can count on a fairy-tale ending.

Advertised as a light-hearted romantic comedy, the trailers dont mention the filthy language and explicit pornographic behavior performed by a young couple. The many obscenities, including 11 f-words, will disappoint, but the graphic simulated sexual acts performed by a young couple before a video camera take Love Actually out of the light-hearted category. The couple mechanically removes their clothes and engages in fondling and oral sex while carrying on a casual conversation. Breast nudity and rear male nudity occur a few times, and Sarahs first date with her new beau ends with a bedroom scene. Neesons character disappointingly uses sexual obscenities with his 10-year-old stepson. This Christmas season love story makes a mockery of the meaning of Christmas, including an office party of drinking and lewd behavior. There is no mention of this being a religious holiday, even in the school Christmas pageant. With its explicit sex acts, filthy language and crude sexual innuendo, Love Actually bombs on Previews acceptability scale.

Preview Reviewer: Mary Draughon
Distributor:
Universal Pictures

Summary
The following categories contain objective listings of film content which contribute to the subjective numeric Content ratings posted to the left and on the Home page.

Crude Language: Several (8) times moderate 5, mild 3

Obscene Language: Many (27) times strong (f-word 11, s-word 8); moderate (other 8)

Profanity: Many (11) times strong 4 (C 2, J 2); moderate (G-sake 1, other 6)

Violence: None

Sex: Several times strong (simulated sex acts with breast nudity several times, sex implied between couple on first date, adulterous couple in bed, breast fondling)

Nudity: Several times moderate (breast nudity and rear male nudity), mild (backup singers in revealing outfits)

Sexual Dialogue/Gesture: Many times (young woman tries to seduce her boss with lewd behavior and innuendo)

Drugs: Aging singer appears to be drunk

Other: Christmas treated as secular holiday

Running Time: 128 minutes
Intended Audience: Adults


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