10 Heartbreaking Movie Moments That Came Out Of Nowhere

10. Karen Opens The Joni Mitchell CD - Love Actually

Generally speaking, whatever adversity the characters in a Christmas movie go through, there's usually a heartwarming and uplifting ending - it is Christmas after all - however, there are exceptions to the rule. The majority of Love Actually's intertwining stories have this kind of happy conclusion, but not all of them.

Chiwetel Ejiofor's Peter has his wife and best friend fall in love behind his back, while Emma Thompson's Karen finds out that her husband (Alan Rickman) has been cheating on her. It is the latter that is the worst of these, as the movie shows the exact moment she finds out the truth.

Earlier, when Karen finds the expensive gold necklace Harry brought in his pocket, she naturally believes it's her Christmas present. When the big day comes and she opens her gift, though, he has given her a Joni Mitchell CD. The incredibly expensive necklace obviously went to somebody else.

As heartbreaking as that moment was, it's arguably outdone when Karen confronts her husband. Tears streaming down her face, she essentially tells him she is going to carry on for the kids' sakes, even knowing that her life would be a little bit worse, before greeting her children with the biggest smile after their nativity play. It's a happy façade, and Emma Thompson's performance is so excellent that you can still see the pain behind it.