Love Actually is an ensemble anthology about love at Christmas time. By its very nature, some the film's stories are better than others. Some are also more believable and down-to-Earth than others. Some contain more grounded stories, whereas others are more fairy tale-esque, to capture the magical atmosphere of Christmas. It also doesn't help that Rowan Atkinson's character is a literal angel that punishes some characters and rewards others for their behavior.
But just because a story isn't believable doesn't mean it isn't good. Therefore, this is not a ranking of quality - merely a ranking of believability, from least believable to most.
David & Natalie
David and Natalie's story is certainly a cute one, but it reeks of movie sensationalism and sentimentality. The concept of a Prime Minister falling in love with one of his employees probably isn't a big stretch, but it's the details of the story that make it a little unbelievable.
This includes the Prime Minister going house to house to find Natalie in a dramatic gesture of love, the corny speech in which David puts the President in his place, and the ending that sees David and Natalie kissing in front of a cheering school gymnasium. It's all very "standard rom-com" stuff.
Colin & The Americans
One of the weaker and more insignificant stories of Love Actually sees Colin traveling to America so he can sleep with lots of beautiful American women. He travels to Milwaukee, of all places, goes to a local dive bar, and instantly meets four bombshell women in Ivana Miličević, January Jones, Elisha Cuthbert, and later, their beautiful roommate, played by Shannon Elizabeth.
It's so unrealistic and silly that it seems more like a dream than reality - viewers were probably waiting for the screen to dissolve and reveal Colin sleeping on the plane.
Jamie & Aurélia
This is another example of a cute but ultimately silly and unrealistic story. Jamie is a lonely writer who falls in love with his new housekeeper. The only problem is that she speaks Portuguese, resulting in a frustrating language barrier.
Again, this concept doesn't seem too far fetched, but it veers off course in the details. The most egregious part is the ending, which sees Jamie flying to , amassing the interest of the entire town, declaring his love to Aurélia in broken Portuguese, and Aurélia responding in broken English as the crowd cheers. It's a feel-good moment, but it's also incredibly corny.
Daniel & Sam
The story of Daniel and Sam concerns multiple levels of love. There's the crush between Sam and Joanna, the blossoming love between Daniel and Carol, and the father-son love between Daniel and Sam. For the most part, there's a lot of down-to-Earth and relatable stuff here, including the depiction of Daniel's grief and the extremes that Sam goes to in order to impress a crush.
However, the story falls apart in the ending with the guardian angel allowing Sam to run through the airport. This is just corny rom-com 101.
Juliet, Peter & Mark
The subplot of Juliet, Peter, and Mark suffers the same fate as the Daniel and Sam one - that is to say, it's a great and realistic story that is ruined by some unrealistic story and character choices. The famous cue card sequence is certainly cute, but it doesn't quite ring true; it seems like a "movie moment" meant to elicit awws from the audience.
There's also the questionable actions by Mark to consider, like filming prolonged close-ups of Juliet throughout her wedding. It seems like nothing but a contrived way for Juliet to discover Mark's feelings.
Billy Mack & Joe
The story of Billy Mack and Joe is a cute one detailing a platonic love between two men. Billy Mack is an aging rockstar well past his prime who is trying to attain relevancy through a lazy Christmas song. Joe is his dejected and lonely manager.
In the end, Billy Mack forgoes the fame and the attention by leaving a party hosted by Elton John to hang out with the lonely Joe. It's a beautiful sentiment, and a beautiful story rooted (mostly) in realism.
Sarah & Karl
The story of Sarah and Karl also works on multiple levels. There's the lust between Sarah and Karl, but also the brother-sister familial love between Sarah and Michael. This is one of the more tragic stories of the movie, as Sarah forgoes her lust for Karl to care for her mentally ill and abusive brother.
It's also one of the stories most steeped in realism, ranging from the somewhat reluctant but ultimately faithful attitude of Sarah in dealing with Michael and the shyness she exhibits in dealing with her lust for Karl.
John & Judy
Aside from the fact that John and Judy are adult film stand-ins, their subplot remains wonderfully relatable and down-to-Earth. In fact, them being adult film stand-ins doesn't really play into the story itself. For them, it's just their job, and they talk about the traffic while at work, just like everyone else.
There's also the adorable way they awkwardly step around each others' true feelings, perhaps being too shy to make their feelings known or not wanting to ruin an otherwise solid work relationship. There's a lot of good stuff here, even if the subplot is barely given any screentime.
Harry & Karen
Harry and Karen's subplot is certainly the most relatable - and also the most tragic. Harry pursues a sexual relationship with one of his employees and cheats on Karen, who is forced to put on a brave face in front of her children after she finds out. It's a devastating sequence ... and also one tragically rooted in reality.
Emma Thompson's heartbreaking performance was inspired by her own life experience, as her husband Kenneth Branagh reportedly cheated on her with Helena Bonham Carter. It's a fact that helps make Harry and Karen's story all the more tragic - and all the more rooted in reality.
