It isn’t until the film nears its conclusion that we understand how all these characters, each grappling with long-standing or newly discovered romantic issues as Christmas approaches, are connected. Hugh Grant portrays a British Prime Minister, reminiscent of Blair, who develops an interest in his assistant, "Natalie," played by Martine McCutcheon. Liam Neeson, as “Daniel,” is recently widowed and must adjust to the intense admiration his eleven-year-old son, 'Sam,' has for a girl at school who’s soon returning to America. Colin Firth's rather timid "Jamie" discovers that his relationship might push the idea of family ties too far—though perhaps there’s some hope in Portugal? Meanwhile, Bill Nighy is hoping a poorly executed, overly gaudy holiday version of The Troggs’ “Love is All Around” will restore him and his long-suffering manager "Joe" (Gregor Fisher) to the top of the charts. Emma Thompson experiences marital doubts alongside Alan Rickman—a man who seems to be having his own problems with his office assistant/temptress, "Mia" (Heike Makatsch). Martin Freeman and Joanna Page gradually form a connection while performing increasingly explicit scenes for a movie rehearsal, and so on. The narrative is filled with sharp, observant humor that effectively illustrates the various phases of love and relationships—from blissful beginnings to everyday monotony, complete with all the awkwardness and occasional sadness that makes us laugh, cringe, and sometimes tear up. I’ve always had a soft spot for Andrew Lincoln since his role in the BBC's "This Life" (1996), so his storyline involving his newly-married best friend Chiwetel Ejiofor and Keira Knightley was somewhat disheartening—it could go one way, or perhaps even two. Laura Linney also appears as the stressed “Sarah,” who has a crush on her colleague "Karl" (Rodrigo Santoro), but brings some seriousness to the story as she’s constantly using her phone at inappropriate times, though for reasons that aren't frivolous—although this plotline does rather fade out. This is an inventive and amusing blend of stories that weaves everything together while remaining grounded in the realities faced by many people who find Christmas either wonderful or difficult. Some storylines are more successful than others; I doubt we’d all agree on our favorites—and that speaks to the clever writing and consistent rhythm of this drama. I'm unsure about the accuracy of the Prime Minister’s experiences at Heathrow Airport, but I passed through there recently and can confirm—there was a distinct lack of love and affection as everyone struggled just to leave, with trolley skirmishes that would have seemed right at home in "Ben Hur."

Source on TMDB