Then it would have been a drama instead of a comedy. Sounds like you were expecting a Christmas movie, but it was ubër secular, basically a "holiday" movie, with "Christmas" only used for the time frame and the plot hooks, like the children's pageant, the office party, and the "betrayal by gift." My take is that they wanted to push the more ludicrous edge of all the hot buttons, with the only serious moments being the mentally ill brother and the aforementioned betrayal. Can you tell that we've watched it every year since we spent Christmas in London?
Reminded me of the sort of comedy in The IT Crowd, which if you haven't seen, is absolutely hilarious. They take on race, disability, class, homosexuality, mental illness, the fatuousness of most corporate culture—you name it, they make politically incorrect fun of it. Probably couldn't make it these days.
I will look for it on britbox. I spent time with it people. Might be interesting.
I am not sure love actually would have to be a drama to be any good.
I have found the some of the most innovative comedy is the comedy that does not rely on