Monday, December 15, 2008

Where's the Love (Actually)?


Sorry for the terrible headline. You would think that five-plus years of copyediting experience would yield a better one, but the coffee hasn't kicked in yet. What can you do?

The Daily News had an interesting column in its TV section a couple of weeks ago that tried to drum up support to make Love Actually a holiday movie staple, like It's a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Story. USA Network, which owns the rights to the movie, will show it exactly once before Xmas. However, Oxygen will show it twice on December 20.

I can't say that I disagree. I am a huge fan of Love Actually, Richard Curtis's 2003 romantic comedy that looks like at the romantic lives of a dozen Londoners around Christmas time. It's fun and funny and doesn't take itself too seriously or heap on the whimsy like whipped cream on a sundae. It's big and sprawling, but also very heartfelt and touching. In short, it's perfect for the holidays.

Some network needs to make it the centerpiece of its holiday season, the way TBS does with A Christmas Story or NBC does with It's a Wonderful Life. It's that good.

By the way, can Denis Leary's underrated early-90's gem, The Ref, also get some holiday love?

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