>>REVIEW
THE HOLIDAY
STARRING: Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Cameron Diaz and Jack Black
DIRECTED BY: Nancy Meyers
Opens Friday, December 8
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When a picture arrives under the direction of Nancy Meyers (As Good as it Gets, Something’s Gotta Give, What Women Want), you know two things – it’s going to be a chick flick and it’s going to be superb. The Holiday is no exception.
As usual Meyers called out a stellar cast to play strong characters in a solid, intriguing, romantic format. As usual, the story is exceedingly simple.
Two beautiful, emotionally distraught women, one in Surrey, England, the other in L.A., who have immersed themselves in work and sour relationships for years use their present unpleasant situations as a chance to get away for the holiday season. They meet on the Internet and decide on a holiday home exchange. Both are excited to set out to new turf and relax, alone, but almost as soon as they have landed, potential love interests arrive at their doorsteps.
The American movie trailer mogul, Amanda (Cameron Diaz) gets hammered, falls asleep and awakes to an equally hammered Graham (Jude Law), Iris’s (Kate Winslet) seemingly ne’er-do-well brother, threatening to urinate on her doorstep. Iris, love-lorn journalist, meets Miles (Jack Black) as he innocently tries to retrieve his pal Ethan’s (Amanda’s cheating ex fiancé) belongings from Amanda’s lovely Hollywood home.
The relationship in England ignites quickly as the couple believe that there is little, if any, chance of continuance. On the American side of the puddle there is less than a spark as Miles (a self-professed one-woman man) is with his current flame, Maggie. As we can all guess, situations change and change again opening and closing the doors of potential throughout the film. As it is a Christmas film, as it is a romantic film and as it is a Hollywood film by Nancy Meyers, we all well know where things will end up. The how, when and delivery are the point and fun of this piece.
The acting of the leads is as brilliant as one could expect from each of them. Probably the most surprising of the lot is Jack Black, known better for his irreverent comedic bits than anything serious or, at least on this level, romantic. As it turns out he is excellent and very lovable in this role to such a degree that we will most likely see him similarly in the future. |
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