People Are Actually Loving the Love Actually Reunion
Love Actually is back, and people are actually loving it.
The cast of the popular 2003 Christmas movie reunited 14 years later for a 12-minute mini-sequel as part of the U.K.’s Red Nose Day charity fundraiser. While the original film was contentious - successful at the box office, but panned by a number of critics - the ensemble cast appears to have satisfied critics and fans alike this time around following its U.K. premiere on Friday.
Tom Sykes of the Daily Beast wrote that the short, titled Comic Relief, Actually (a nod to the charity that organizes Red Nose Day), was a “showstopping grand finale” to an otherwise uneven television special. Entertainment Tonight was full of praise, bluntly writing, “We actually love this!” and the British newspaper the Telegraph gave the skit four out of five stars, saying that the Love Actually sequel was “winningly nostalgic and a triumphant return.”
Fans and casual viewers additionally took to Twitter to express their satisfaction with the mini-movie.
If the love actually message from Hugh Grant isn't the most needed thing right now, i don't know what is #rednoseday
- Jade (@JadeEden_) March 24, 2017
That was a particularly poignant speech by Hugh Grant at end of #comicrelief Love Actually film. Seems appropriate after events of yesterday
- Gavin Hamilton (@GHmltn) March 24, 2017
"Wherever you see tragedy, you see bravery" - the #RedNoseDay #RND2017 #LoveActually script couldn't have been more relevant! Love will win pic.twitter.com/ULWmQDi2q5
- Iain Blundell (@BlackburnLawyer) March 24, 2017
me watching the Love Actually sequel pic.twitter.com/Ev1dPLiP2o
- Mai Taher (@_MayTaher) March 24, 2017
thinking about the love actually special has me like #comicrelief pic.twitter.com/urXDXmCFoE
- abby :))!)) (@abbyhickmott) March 24, 2017
Comic Relief, Actually has so far only premiered in the U.K., but it will hop across the pond on May 25 when NBC airs its annual Red Nose Day charity event for American viewers.