20 reasons to celebrate 20 years of Love Actually

You're not serious when you're twenty. Or rather, we're too serious. Twenty years ago, on December 2, 2003, the ultimate Christmas movie was released: Love Actually . A little romantic nugget, Richard Curtis' choral feature film is shown every year on television during the end-of-year holidays. It tells the adventures of around twenty people who are tormented emotionally, amicably and even politically. Carried by a choice cast, Love actually celebrates its twenty years. For the occasion, Le Figaro has worked hard - it's in season - and found 20 good reasons to rewatch these two cult hours.

1. For Hugh Grant, at the height of his fame and charm. The Brit plays a handsome, single prime minister who is reluctant to make the first move to date his secretary (Martine McCutcheon). A situation that is now anachronistic.

2. For the opening scene: Juliet (Keira Knightley) and Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor) get married in church and a surprise choir emerges singing a most beautiful All you need is love - the Beatles almost have what it takes to be jealous. Enough to make you want to attend a wedding.

3. For now Bob Dylan: Mark (Andrew Lincoln) stands in front of Juliet's door and declares to her, thanks to a succession of signs (like in the great Bob's Subterranean Homesick Blues video) his love because "you have to say the truth at Christmas. A touching story where the couple is almost better as a threesome.

4. For Hugh Grant's swaying at 10 Downing Street to Jump, the Pointer Sisters' hit. Enough to straighten all the popularity curves.

5. For the Christmas spirit, quite simply.

6. For Billy Mack (Bill Nighy), a slightly embittered old rock legend, who absolutely wants to make a new hit. It's pathetic, but it succeeds: he ends up naked on a TV set.

7. For the street choirs which make us regret that it is not generalized from December 1st to 25th.

8. For the melancholy of Sam (Thomas Sangster), 13 years old and in love with Joanna. As it is a romantic comedy everything ends well.

9. For the thirty kisses exchanged throughout the film, which is a lot in this period - and dangerous given the number of viruses circulating.

10. For this very incorrect sentence: “Who do you have to knock over here to get a cup of tea and some chocolate biscuits?” A prime minister shouldn't say that.

11. For the subtle performance of Liam Neeson as a widower and stepfather who tries to survive and make his stepson happy.

12. For all the actresses who are far from being extras: they have their character and shine in this ensemble film.

13. For the couple Jack and Judy (Martin Freeman and Joanna Page), intimate actor doubles. The fake sex scenes create some crazy moments. Typically quirky English humor.

14. For the very “golden oldies” soundtrack, where the Beach Boys rub shoulders with Otis Redding and Dido. Unfortunately, you won't escape All I Want for Christmas Is You, fortunately not by Mariah Carey.

15. For its freshness, far from any ideology. Since then, Richard Curtis has put on his “woke actually” glasses to watch his film again and rant about it: the scene with the signs? “A stalker scene.” The dialogues ? Some “gross-phobic” jokes may have been shocking. The casting? A clear lack of diversity. Romantic films were better before.

16. For the gently nasty review in Le Figaro, December 3, 2003: “If you like the mandolin and the violin, go for it!”

17. For this exchange between David and the portrait of Margaret Thatcher (who was still alive at the time) which ends with a daring “little rascal”.

18. Because (for the moment) no sequel has come to spoil our pleasure - apart from a 16-minute short film. The rumor comes back like New Year's Eve: every year.

19. For Emma Thompson, simply.

20. Because we haven’t done better since. Every year, all of Hollywood and even French cinema impose boring, heavy and failed Christmas comedies on us. It's well known that Santa Claus only comes around once.