Just like everyone else on this planet, to get into the holiday spirit, I watched "Love Actually" last weekend while decorating my tree and lighting winter-scented candles. The 2003 movie is, hands down, one of the best Christmas movies of the past 30 years (according to J. Grieg and myself at least.) And at first glance, it seems to capture all the right tropes. There's young love, unrequited love, the sordid affair, the sad widower, even the bromance. But as I watched, I realized something. "Love Actually" doesn't exactly age well in this Feminist, "Me Too" era that Jessica Valenti so pointedly summarizes. In fact, it is sorely missing one of the most authentic types of love out there.
Where is the strong female friendship in 'Love Actually'?
Seriously, what's a girl got to do to see a good sistamance? (FYI: that's the female equivalent of "bromance" - a strong, non-sexual, same-gender relationship.) Definitions aside, every lead female in "Love Actually" desperately needs a good girlfriend to vent to. Especially Karen, played by Emma Thompson. She's the wife of no-good scoundrel Harry (RIP Alan Rickman), the sister of the Prime Minister, and best buds with widower Daniel.
Karen is there for everyone. But who is there for Karen?
You can ask the same question about lone wedding guest, caretaker, and best sister ever, Sarah, played by the ever-talented Laura Linney. (Seriously, if you haven't seen her yet in Ozark, tune in ASAP!) Who does Sarah call to gush about Karl, or complain about her brother, or simply go out for drinks with?
And why is Natalie, Hugh Grant's foxy secretary, not living with a best girlfriend? Instead, she's stuck at home with a bunch of bullying, toxic family members. Surely, she has a good girlfriend she could shack up with instead?
The 'Love Actually' women need a girls' night
When did this scene get cut? I imagine that their girls' night would have been at an old British pub.
All the women would be there. Karen and Mia would inevitably run into each other and have a heart to heart about female solidarity. Karen would forgive Mia. Then, Mia would help Karen realize she needs to leave her loser husband and get hitched to sad Daniel, already.
Juliet would convince Sarah to turn her dang phone off and get some boundaries in her life.
Maybe then she would successfully have hooked up with the love of her life, and she and Karl could live happily ever after.
"Just Judy" would show Natalie how to be what Julie Anne Russell calls an Alpha Female, no matter what line of work you're in.
Who knows? Aurelia's sister might even be there and meet Billy Mac's manager, Joe. The two outsiders would fall in love. Joe would accept her, unibrow, curves and all.
If "Love Actually" had given women the screen time they deserved, the entire storyline would have turned on its head. And the movie would finally, realistically portray what love actually looks like: altruistic advice, support, and guidance from people who just want you to live your best life.
