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Love Actually
Love Actually is the highly awaited new screenplay and directorial debut from phenomenally popular screenwriter Richard Curtis. Weaving together the stories of ten couples, the movie is as real as our own lives, and as funny, wise, and poignant as only Richard Curtis ( Four Weddings and a Funeral ) could create.
Set in contemporary London just before Christmas, the cast includes a lovelorn Prime Minister, an aging rock star, a sexually ambitious assistant, a newly widowed stepfather, a beautiful housekeeper, a straying husband, and other characters entangled in the silly, sloppy, sexy, sweet business of finding love. The film's stellar actors include Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, and others.
Introduced by Richard Curtis, the book features the full screenplay plus outtakes, behind-the-scenes snapshots, and more. With marvelous full-color photographs throughout, this smart, funny, romantic book is a valentine for anyone who still believes that despite the madness and uncertainty of modern life, love actually is all around.
Set in contemporary London just before Christmas, the cast includes a lovelorn Prime Minister, an aging rock star, a sexually ambitious assistant, a newly widowed stepfather, a beautiful housekeeper, a straying husband, and other characters entangled in the silly, sloppy, sexy, sweet business of finding love. The film's stellar actors include Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, and others.
Introduced by Richard Curtis, the book features the full screenplay plus outtakes, behind-the-scenes snapshots, and more. With marvelous full-color photographs throughout, this smart, funny, romantic book is a valentine for anyone who still believes that despite the madness and uncertainty of modern life, love actually is all around.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
20 people are currently reading
689 people want to read
About the author
Richard Curtis
152 books80 followersRichard Whalley Anthony Curtis, CBE
Graduate of Harrow School and subsequently Christ Church, University of Oxford. Academy Award nominee and recipient of Emmy and BAFTA awards for screenwriting. He is also a director and producer. In 2007, he became a Fellow of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).
Graduate of Harrow School and subsequently Christ Church, University of Oxford. Academy Award nominee and recipient of Emmy and BAFTA awards for screenwriting. He is also a director and producer. In 2007, he became a Fellow of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
July 31, 2007
Before I saw the movie, I read this script book. It's dialogue is unpredictably fresh. You get ten cases of love simultaneously --all worth knowing.
March 22, 2020
Dit boek was een verrassing van mijn moeder. Ik wist niet eens dat het boek bestond, hoewel Love Actually misschien wel mijn lievelingsfilm is. Zij kwam het echter tegen in een tweedehands winkel en had zo'n vermoeden dat ik er wel blij mee zou zijn. Ze had gelijk. Ik had vanochtend zin in iets Nederlands en iets luchtigs. Ik hoefde niet lang na te denken welk boek dat ging worden.
Het boek is gebaseerd op de film en dat merk je. Het verhaal volgt letterlijk alle bekende scenes, en volgens mij ook nog wat scenes die de uiteindelijke film niet gehaald hebben. Plot technisch voegt het boek dan ook niet echt iets toe. Er zitten geen nieuwe personages of nieuwe verhaallijnen in. Als je de film al kan dromen, dan kan je het boek eigenlijk ook al dromen.
Wat ik echter wel heel leuk vond, is dat de innerlijke emoties van de karakters in dit boek uitgeschreven worden. Natuurlijk, de acteurs kunnen veel duidelijk maken, maar niet alles en non verbale communicatie blijft toch lastig. Vooral de innerlijke gedachten van David zijn echt geweldig en ook in het boek waren Aurelia en Jamie mijn favorieten. Hun innerlijke gedachtes en gevoelens, de manier waarop ze voor elkaar vallen, het werkt op papier misschien nog wel beter dan op het scherm. Ook het verhaallijntje van Sarah en haar zieke broer komt net iets beter uit de verf op papier.
Maar het allerbelangrijkste is dat dit boek me hetzelfde gevoel geeft als de film me geeft: Warmte, blijdschap en het idee dat er echt meer liefde op de wereld is dan al het andere. Het was het perfecte boek voor dit moment. Dus dankjewel mama dat je deze voor me hebt meegebracht!
Het boek is gebaseerd op de film en dat merk je. Het verhaal volgt letterlijk alle bekende scenes, en volgens mij ook nog wat scenes die de uiteindelijke film niet gehaald hebben. Plot technisch voegt het boek dan ook niet echt iets toe. Er zitten geen nieuwe personages of nieuwe verhaallijnen in. Als je de film al kan dromen, dan kan je het boek eigenlijk ook al dromen.
Wat ik echter wel heel leuk vond, is dat de innerlijke emoties van de karakters in dit boek uitgeschreven worden. Natuurlijk, de acteurs kunnen veel duidelijk maken, maar niet alles en non verbale communicatie blijft toch lastig. Vooral de innerlijke gedachten van David zijn echt geweldig en ook in het boek waren Aurelia en Jamie mijn favorieten. Hun innerlijke gedachtes en gevoelens, de manier waarop ze voor elkaar vallen, het werkt op papier misschien nog wel beter dan op het scherm. Ook het verhaallijntje van Sarah en haar zieke broer komt net iets beter uit de verf op papier.
Maar het allerbelangrijkste is dat dit boek me hetzelfde gevoel geeft als de film me geeft: Warmte, blijdschap en het idee dat er echt meer liefde op de wereld is dan al het andere. Het was het perfecte boek voor dit moment. Dus dankjewel mama dat je deze voor me hebt meegebracht!
November 19, 2025
3,5⭐️
I love this movie💗 and this book also amazing too😻
I love this movie💗 and this book also amazing too😻
August 20, 2025
Het was een heel verwarrend boek. Het ging over 5-10 mensen en ik kon maar niet onthouden wie , wie was.
Er werd ook een paar keer vreemd gegaan, terwijl ik dacht dat het over zoetsappige liefde ging.
Er werd ook een paar keer vreemd gegaan, terwijl ik dacht dat het over zoetsappige liefde ging.
September 21, 2010
“Love actually “is the title of my book. The book was written by: Richard Curtis He also writes a famous book: Notting Hill. There are eight loves in this story with a lot of palpitating and random attracts the readers.
The new Prime Minister of England – David is my favorite character. . Because he is a good man always try to do his best for the country. But in his life, politics are not all; he also has something to care. That’s Natalie his receptionist, his love. Or Mark – a talented painter who has fall in love with his best friend’s wife. He declares his love to her on Christmas night in front of her house by card when she is upset with her husband. After that, he walks away but she follows him and kisses him on the lips. Read Love Actually I also meet Jamie and Aurelia. Firstly she is his maid. She doesn’t know English but they can understand each other very well although they are always speak in they own language. And love appeared it makes she puts off his skirt and skip into cold water to collect his poems. Love also makes him spend sometimes of his busy life to study her language. Mark With his “rubbish “song – that’s what he call the song “Christmas is all around “ inspires a lot of people, including Daniel and Sam. Their wife (mom) has died and leaves their life. From that their life so cold till the day they learned to restart they life again, together. Sam likes Joona – his classmate but she doesn’t fall the same way back. He is very upset and tells his Dad. From trying to solve this problem together, trying to understand love they become closer and discover the most important thing in this world. At the end, everything seems good when Joona looks at Sam with different look. Or Harry – who spends £270 to buy a necklace for someone isn’t his wife.
In London, Christmas is coming and the people in this story have love on their minds. Some have found love; some have lost it. Some accepted their loneliness; other live in hopes. “Even the new Prime Minister’s thoughts are not always on his job because love – actually- is all around us
The new Prime Minister of England – David is my favorite character. . Because he is a good man always try to do his best for the country. But in his life, politics are not all; he also has something to care. That’s Natalie his receptionist, his love. Or Mark – a talented painter who has fall in love with his best friend’s wife. He declares his love to her on Christmas night in front of her house by card when she is upset with her husband. After that, he walks away but she follows him and kisses him on the lips. Read Love Actually I also meet Jamie and Aurelia. Firstly she is his maid. She doesn’t know English but they can understand each other very well although they are always speak in they own language. And love appeared it makes she puts off his skirt and skip into cold water to collect his poems. Love also makes him spend sometimes of his busy life to study her language. Mark With his “rubbish “song – that’s what he call the song “Christmas is all around “ inspires a lot of people, including Daniel and Sam. Their wife (mom) has died and leaves their life. From that their life so cold till the day they learned to restart they life again, together. Sam likes Joona – his classmate but she doesn’t fall the same way back. He is very upset and tells his Dad. From trying to solve this problem together, trying to understand love they become closer and discover the most important thing in this world. At the end, everything seems good when Joona looks at Sam with different look. Or Harry – who spends £270 to buy a necklace for someone isn’t his wife.
In London, Christmas is coming and the people in this story have love on their minds. Some have found love; some have lost it. Some accepted their loneliness; other live in hopes. “Even the new Prime Minister’s thoughts are not always on his job because love – actually- is all around us
December 11, 2014
An epic, truly Masterpiece romantic script &Movie...
Richard Curtis the script writter, also the director of this truly mesmerizing piece of art, had done his job as it should be,,, the paralleled
stories of different kinds of ppl, with different motives to love & beloved from the PM of England who fell in love with asimple "FAT""Just Meditate" maid in his office in 10 Downing Street,,,
to the kid who just had the same feeling towards his colleague who was about to travel to the US leaving him, and the school without being informed of his childish, yet sincere feelings....
The cast was carefully chosen beginning from the distinguished Liam Nesson, Emma Thompson, Huhg Grant,,, To Keira Knightly, with asmall part, and the rest of the harmonic group of actors,,,,
Great script, Great Movie, MUST BE WATCHED...
Richard Curtis the script writter, also the director of this truly mesmerizing piece of art, had done his job as it should be,,, the paralleled
stories of different kinds of ppl, with different motives to love & beloved from the PM of England who fell in love with asimple "FAT""Just Meditate" maid in his office in 10 Downing Street,,,
to the kid who just had the same feeling towards his colleague who was about to travel to the US leaving him, and the school without being informed of his childish, yet sincere feelings....
The cast was carefully chosen beginning from the distinguished Liam Nesson, Emma Thompson, Huhg Grant,,, To Keira Knightly, with asmall part, and the rest of the harmonic group of actors,,,,
Great script, Great Movie, MUST BE WATCHED...
April 6, 2021
Whenever I am in a bad mood, I pick this screenplay book up again. I love Richard Curtis's forward and the interviews on love in the back with actors in the film. It's right up there with the movie, in my opinion, so if you are a fan of the film, get this book!
June 20, 2012
I actually saw the movie first before reading this.I prefer the movie than this. But this is still a good read :)
October 28, 2017
I love this book. For me it's the most positive book ever and it just makes you fill good.
January 8, 2025
Love Actually
I wanted to read this book because my mom had read it, and she also watched the movie on Netflix. She recommended it to me because she knows I don’t really enjoy reading as much, and Love Actually is not too difficult to understand. I am also more interested in romantic story’s, so I thought this book would be perfect for me.
At first, I didn’t really know what to expect. I had heard that the story is about a typical love story and that it is very romantic with a dash of comedy. Now that I have read the story, I can say that I agree with those remarks.
Sarah was one of my favourite characters, along with Sam. Sarah is a very kind woman who works hard to achieve what she wants. She is also very helpful with her brother and cares for him even when she doesn’t want to or when she is busy with other things like her crush Karl. Sam is a ten-year-old boy who has a crush on his classmate Joanna. (She has the same name as Sam’s mother, who had recently passed away.) Sam tries hard to get Joanna’s attention, and at the end he succeeds to talk to her. Just like Sarah, he worked very hard to get what he wanted. I like to say that I work hard as well, my mother would agree.
I really enjoyed reading Love Actually. It kept me entertained with the many storylines and characters. At first, I found it difficult to know when I was reading whose story, but that became very clear when I had read a couple of pages.
In the end (spoiler alert) everyone finds their love. Sam finally talks to Joanna, Harry realizes that he should be with his wife, the Minister-President confesses his love to Natalie, Jamie and Aurelia fall in love, … There are some more characters who get to experience love (all of them do), but these were my personal favourite couples. I think it is beautiful how everyone gets a happy ending. Even Joe, the chubby manager, gets to be around people he (secretly) loves.
Love Actually is a great story for people who like to get cosy and have a great time while reading a romantic comedy. However, it is a Christmas story. So I think I picked a good time to read it, I think I would be less interested if I were to read it in summer.
I wanted to read this book because my mom had read it, and she also watched the movie on Netflix. She recommended it to me because she knows I don’t really enjoy reading as much, and Love Actually is not too difficult to understand. I am also more interested in romantic story’s, so I thought this book would be perfect for me.
At first, I didn’t really know what to expect. I had heard that the story is about a typical love story and that it is very romantic with a dash of comedy. Now that I have read the story, I can say that I agree with those remarks.
Sarah was one of my favourite characters, along with Sam. Sarah is a very kind woman who works hard to achieve what she wants. She is also very helpful with her brother and cares for him even when she doesn’t want to or when she is busy with other things like her crush Karl. Sam is a ten-year-old boy who has a crush on his classmate Joanna. (She has the same name as Sam’s mother, who had recently passed away.) Sam tries hard to get Joanna’s attention, and at the end he succeeds to talk to her. Just like Sarah, he worked very hard to get what he wanted. I like to say that I work hard as well, my mother would agree.
I really enjoyed reading Love Actually. It kept me entertained with the many storylines and characters. At first, I found it difficult to know when I was reading whose story, but that became very clear when I had read a couple of pages.
In the end (spoiler alert) everyone finds their love. Sam finally talks to Joanna, Harry realizes that he should be with his wife, the Minister-President confesses his love to Natalie, Jamie and Aurelia fall in love, … There are some more characters who get to experience love (all of them do), but these were my personal favourite couples. I think it is beautiful how everyone gets a happy ending. Even Joe, the chubby manager, gets to be around people he (secretly) loves.
Love Actually is a great story for people who like to get cosy and have a great time while reading a romantic comedy. However, it is a Christmas story. So I think I picked a good time to read it, I think I would be less interested if I were to read it in summer.
July 29, 2023
Considering Curtis also wrote Notting Hill, I'm not surprised how amazing this was. Considering everyone has been at my throat for years for not seeing the movie, almost as much as everyone has nagged me about my driving license - It was worth finally getting around to it (and then rereading the script to ensure I liked the movie and not like Keira Knightley, Alan Rickman, Liam Neeson, Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson).
Takeaways:
- Love mustn't be silenced
- Love can be found all around us
- Christmas is the time for truth
- This is just as much of a Christmas movie as die hard
Favourite quotes:
- "I'll be hanging around the mistletoe, hoping to be kissed."
- "When I was young and successful, I was greedy and foolish, and now I'm left with no one. Wrinkled and alone."
- "Beautiful Aurelia, I've come here with a view of asking you to marriage me. I know I seems an insane person—because I hardly knows you—but sometimes things are so transparency, they don't need evidential proof. And I will inhabit here, or you can inhabit with me in England."
Funny quotes:
- "Invite him out for a drink and then, after about twenty minutes, casually drop into the conversation the fact that you'd like to marry him and have lots of sex and babies."
- "Definitely go for England, girl. You'll meet Prince William—then you can marry him instead."
- "There was more than one lobster at the birth of Jesus?"
Almost cried at:
With any luck, by next year
I'll be going out with one of these girls...
[Pictures of models]
But for now, let me say,
without hope or agenda,
just because it's Christmas—
(and at Christmas you tell the truth)
to me, you are perfect
and my wasted heart will love you
until you look like this...
[picture of the mummy]
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Takeaways:
- Love mustn't be silenced
- Love can be found all around us
- Christmas is the time for truth
- This is just as much of a Christmas movie as die hard
Favourite quotes:
- "I'll be hanging around the mistletoe, hoping to be kissed."
- "When I was young and successful, I was greedy and foolish, and now I'm left with no one. Wrinkled and alone."
- "Beautiful Aurelia, I've come here with a view of asking you to marriage me. I know I seems an insane person—because I hardly knows you—but sometimes things are so transparency, they don't need evidential proof. And I will inhabit here, or you can inhabit with me in England."
Funny quotes:
- "Invite him out for a drink and then, after about twenty minutes, casually drop into the conversation the fact that you'd like to marry him and have lots of sex and babies."
- "Definitely go for England, girl. You'll meet Prince William—then you can marry him instead."
- "There was more than one lobster at the birth of Jesus?"
Almost cried at:
With any luck, by next year
I'll be going out with one of these girls...
[Pictures of models]
But for now, let me say,
without hope or agenda,
just because it's Christmas—
(and at Christmas you tell the truth)
to me, you are perfect
and my wasted heart will love you
until you look like this...
[picture of the mummy]
MERRY CHRISTMAS
February 7, 2018
loveactually is one of my most favorite films as I watch it at least once every year of course in Christmas season. I feel heart-warmed and cry with happy tears every time. Anyway I LOVE this script!!
Above is the reason why I decided to read the book. This is from Penguin Readers which are graded readers. Thus it’s very short and easy to finish it all without looking up the words in a dictionary. It’s very for extensive readings though it depends on what level you are.
This script has various stories of 6 patterns of “LOVE”. Yes as the catch copy says “ love actually, is all around us”.
My most favorite story is that the guy has secretly one way love to his best friend’s bride, and the best part is that he finally confessed her his love feelings on Christmas day. I love the way he does.... it’s bitter, sweet, touching and a bit laughable.
That’s exactly the moment I happily cry all the time!
I totally agree with all the way his attitude to her.
My point is if you love someone you should not(eg: married, having a partner, your best friend’s etc etc)
you would better hide for good like the person you love can never notice your mind, or tell the truth then give up and go next. Otherwise you would make the whole thing very uncomfortable especially to the one you love. (yes only when the person doesn’t have any feelings, if they have, the person would definitely have been yours long since!)
I suppose that’s the gentle way and a kind of manner of a forbidden love in this case.
Well I know it’s actually hard and uncontrollable if it really happens to you though!
Above is the reason why I decided to read the book. This is from Penguin Readers which are graded readers. Thus it’s very short and easy to finish it all without looking up the words in a dictionary. It’s very for extensive readings though it depends on what level you are.
This script has various stories of 6 patterns of “LOVE”. Yes as the catch copy says “ love actually, is all around us”.
My most favorite story is that the guy has secretly one way love to his best friend’s bride, and the best part is that he finally confessed her his love feelings on Christmas day. I love the way he does.... it’s bitter, sweet, touching and a bit laughable.
That’s exactly the moment I happily cry all the time!
I totally agree with all the way his attitude to her.
My point is if you love someone you should not(eg: married, having a partner, your best friend’s etc etc)
you would better hide for good like the person you love can never notice your mind, or tell the truth then give up and go next. Otherwise you would make the whole thing very uncomfortable especially to the one you love. (yes only when the person doesn’t have any feelings, if they have, the person would definitely have been yours long since!)
I suppose that’s the gentle way and a kind of manner of a forbidden love in this case.
Well I know it’s actually hard and uncontrollable if it really happens to you though!
January 22, 2021
I've watched this movie nearly every Christmas since I saw it in the cinema in London in 2003. Reading the screenplay was no less wonderful. It's still just as hilarious, heart-warming, and heartbreaking as watching the film, and the photos bring back so many wonderful memories.
I loved the added artwork and behind-the-scenes photos, though I wish there was more, and the love surveys at the end taken of each actor were superb. I laughed my way through them and while I was a bit disappointed by some of the answers from my favorites, there were others that just made me so happy.
There's a fun quiz, samples of film posters around the world, anecdotes from behind the scenes (Billy Bob Thornton has some ODD phobias) and the voice of the entire book is playful, making all the "extras" so much fun. Definitely a perfect keepsake for someone who loves the film.
I loved the added artwork and behind-the-scenes photos, though I wish there was more, and the love surveys at the end taken of each actor were superb. I laughed my way through them and while I was a bit disappointed by some of the answers from my favorites, there were others that just made me so happy.
There's a fun quiz, samples of film posters around the world, anecdotes from behind the scenes (Billy Bob Thornton has some ODD phobias) and the voice of the entire book is playful, making all the "extras" so much fun. Definitely a perfect keepsake for someone who loves the film.
December 1, 2019
I've watched this movie every Christmas, since first seeing it at the movie theatre when it was released. Its on so many favorite Christmas movie lists, and tops mine too. So this book was a fun read, while picturing all the characters, and noting the differences in the written words on the page and the way the actors brought them to life. Lots of extras too, with photos, inside info on some of the scenes, and at the back there is a quick question and answer bit with each of the main characters naming their favorite Christmas song, best and worst Christmas present ever, etc. A very quick read if you already know the story, and just another fun holiday thing.
February 10, 2024
Found this at my local library and it fit my reading challenge this year for a screenplay. I am a fan of this film so I enjoyed this book. I loved the introduction and some of the behind the scenes stuff as well as the screenplay itself, however, I wish I could have read the original screenplay that was at the first table read. Curtis comments that a script is written at least three times. First, by the writer. Secondly, by the director and actors as they film. And finally, in the editing room. This script is really more of a film transcript because it's exactly what's on the screen.
content: language and a few sexual references (briefly described since it's for a film)
content: language and a few sexual references (briefly described since it's for a film)
February 23, 2023
One of my very favorite movies in book form. This includes the screenplay, some trivia, candid shots during filming, interviews with the cast, and a few other extras.
I've seen this movie so many times, I could actually hear the actors delivering the lines as I read them. Not only that, but I could hear the score as well. If you are a fan of the film, you will definitely enjoy the book.
I've seen this movie so many times, I could actually hear the actors delivering the lines as I read them. Not only that, but I could hear the score as well. If you are a fan of the film, you will definitely enjoy the book.
July 9, 2020
Having watched this movie many times, I have to say this book brings it back to life in the reader’s mind’s eye, and if you’re a fan of the movie it doesn’t disappoint.
Very illustrative and fun to read!
Very illustrative and fun to read!
May 12, 2024
Love Actually is één van mijn favoriete films (ondanks seksisme/racisme), maar dit boek brengt daarvan echt niks in naar boven. Super slechte vertaling, spelfouten en nog veel seksistischer en racistischer dan de film...
September 25, 2025
I wanted 'Christmas in July' and this brought it.
Amazing! I just "watched" the whole movie again by reading this book/screenplay. Lots of fun extras. Still remains my favorite Christmas movie and a top rom com. Top notch British humor.
Amazing! I just "watched" the whole movie again by reading this book/screenplay. Lots of fun extras. Still remains my favorite Christmas movie and a top rom com. Top notch British humor.
November 16, 2019
I love it 💕💕💕💕
November 26, 2020
Julia, que libro más malo. Entre tanto personaje, que están liados todos con todos, y que es de navidad; vaya castaña. Para peor me lo he leido obligado por el plan lector de inglés
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2020
No entendí demasiado personaje para tan poca página chica
September 23, 2021
This is my definely favorite book ever!!!, because i like so much the christmas
January 12, 2022
Not my cup of tea. All the bad language turned me off, especially when kids are present.
March 21, 2022
Brought this to my 3rd grade class. Teacher took it and never gave it back.
October 18, 2022
cliché, zoetsappig, sowieso 10/10
December 18, 2024
a masterpiece that can never die.
June 24, 2022
Really cool. Is awesome to read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews