Did you know that “ Love Actually,” the movie love story of eight different couples in Britain trying to figure how to get through Christmas 2003, will be dumped by Netflix on Dec. 25?

2003! That makes this the 20th anniversary of this big, wonderful Christmas story of eight everyday London couples. In Hollywood, there aren’t marriages that last that long.

And now Netflix, a company we’ve grown to trust to provide us with watchable entertainment, has filed for divorce?

Are they kidding? “Love” long ago became America’s favorite Christmas movie.

You and your neighbor’s families from New York to Kansas City, St. Louis and Waterville, at some point in the past years, settled down on a couch and watched the amazing cast of this classic work out their holiday problems.

There is the aging rock star “Billy Mack” (Bill Nighy) doing his “Love Is All Around Us” even though he hates it.

We meet Daniel (Liam Neeson), whose wife has just died, leaving him to raise his adolescent stepson Sam (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) by himself.

We watch Juliet (Keira Knightley) marry Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor) in a church filled with friends who all stand and start playing “All you need is love” with band instruments.

The film features Colin Firth as a writer who caught his best friend in bed with his wife, and then in quick recovery falls in love with the sweet, charming Aurelia (Lucia Moniz), his housekeeper who only speaks Portuguese.

The other stars who fill the Yuletide movie include Laura Linney, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, and the two stars at the very center of this star-filled love story, bachelor Hugh Grant, who just got elected Prime Minister of England, and falls in love with his household servant Natalie (Martine McCutcheon).

And be prepared to watch Billy Bob Thornton as the visiting lusting president of the U.S. who hits on Natalie.

If you must know, “Love Actually” was filmed in about 12 different locations including Marseille, France, and won 10 awards.

“Love Actually” was written and directed by Richard Curtiss and photographed by Michael Coulter.

Yes, “Love Actually” leaves Netflix on Dec. 25, but can be seen on Amazon Prime Video. Let’s face it, Santa, Taylor Swift and “Loved Actually” will never go away.

 

J.P. Devine of Waterville is a former stage and screen actor.

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