Wired Weekend Movie Review - The Holiday

...with Allie and Jeremy

Description:

• Starring Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jack Black, and Jude Law
• The Holiday marks Winslet's first starring role in a true romantic comedy
• Rated PG-13 for sexual content and some strong language
• Theatrical Release Date: December 8, 2006

Synopsis:
The Holiday is not your typical romantic comedy. In a genre that focuses on true love and love at first sight, this film looks at the other side: the unrequited love and the unfaithful; at least that's what the movie claims in the Kate Winslet powered opening monologue.

By telling us this is its focus, The Holiday immediately attempts to garner sympathy for its main characters: a British social columnist (Winslet) who continues to love a man she can't have and a L.A. film trailer producer (Diaz) who can't cry, despite being in a relationship with a man who has cheated on her.


With both women wanting to escape the men in their lives, the two happen across each other through a web site and end up exchanging homes for two weeks over the Christmas holiday. Of course, men are everywhere and both wind up meeting new guys in their new locales complicating matters further because now, instead of getting away, the women find themselves falling in love with people in places they are supposed to leave soon.



To Sum it Up:

The movie that had a whole lot of potential in coming off too cheesy, ends up being surprisingly entertaining. The Holiday is a true movie lovers movie, with lots of play on the inner works of the industry.

The cast is four people, who you would not imagine being in the same film together. Even though their scenes were at times awkward, their situations were totally believable. You'll even notice an A-list actor with a cameo appearance (Dustin Hoffman).

Any lack of chemistry between Winslet and Black is soon made up with the adoring affection shared between Winslet and her new neighbor, screenwriter friend (Wallach). Their warm relationship brought one of us to tears; I'll let you guess which one.

Law and Diaz had a little more chemistry together, with Law having one of those heart melting scenes for us ladies. You know, where the man admits his love with tears streaming down his face. Yeah, that does it every time.

Allie rates - B - it's certainly worth watching. Jeremy adds, "not too bad for a chick flick, not bad at all."