Cinema Therapy, volume 4

After yet another hiatus, I'm back with a pic that makes me ever so happy whenever I watch it: Love, Actually. Yes, this weaving tale is complicated, both serious and silly, and is all-around lovely.

And Hugh Grant is the Prime Minister. So, what's not to love?

Probably the best part about it is that it's one of those movies that interweaves very realistic elements of life with the humorous into the story (for example, the recently waning marriage of Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman, as well as the heart-warming friendship between has-been rock star Bill Nighy and his ever exasperated manager).

With a tag-line like "The Ultimate Romantic Comedy", you don't know what to expect: either a Judd Apatow, minutely raucous if not raunchy film, with some romance, or something too tame for words that talks itself up as both incredibly romantic and comedic without being either. This film is heartfelt, and very funny.

Back when this came out in 2003, I was still chafing from a failed relationship, and while it wasn't needed to talk me down from a very high ledge, it was a bit of a comfort.