Love Actually feels like one of the most divisive rom-coms in recent cinematic history. Perhaps it’s because I only see people on the internet talking about it, and those who dwell online tend to have the most polarised opinions, but it seems like you either love it or hate it; there’s no middle ground.
Well, I think I’ve found something we can all agree on. This Christmas movie would have been improved tenfold, no a hundredfold, had they included the original ending.
You see, the romance movie’s original ending was so bizarre it would take a heart of stone not to fall in love with it. In case you haven’t seen the film, it basically follows several seemingly unrelated characters around Christmas time and tracks the ups and downs of their love lives. One of these characters is Sam (Thomas Sangster), whose mum has just died.
Desperate to try and cheer up his stepson Daniel (Liam Neeson) helps the young boy woo his crush, a little American girl called Joanna. Unfortunately, this doesn’t go to plan and Sam’s forced to make a desperate trip to the airport before she leaves the UK.
In the theatrical cut, Sam simply slips by airport security. Still, the alternate ending has Sam using hitherto unmentioned gymnastic skills to flip over the security guard before vaulting down to the gate. It’s incredible how stupid it is and made all the better by the fact it’s so obviously a stunt double.
Check out the deleted ending here:
Apparently, the initial draft of the script did mention that Sam was a gymnast, it wasn’t like he suddenly got superpowers, but it’s still delightfully silly.
If you love the work of Richard Curtis, then check out our list of the best comedy movies, or if you’re after something a little more serious, then we have a guide to the best drama movies.