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The Holiday
Rated PG-13; Directed by Nancy Meyers; Starring Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Jack Black, Eli Wallach
What happens when you swap homes with another person for a couple of weeks? Why, everyone knows that you fall in love with the charming man so conveniently located near your vacation home. I just want to know where I can sign up for a vacation like this. And how much extra does it cost to get Jude Law as part of the deal?
Amanda (Cameron Diaz) is a successful woman who has just broken up with her cheating boyfriend. Iris (Kate Winslet) is a lovelorn writer who suffers from a sad case of unrequited love. In a desperate need to get away, both women arrange online to swap homes with each other. Amanda lets Iris have her gorgeous home in L.A. and Iris lets Amanda have her cozy cottage in England. Very quickly, Iris meets Miles (Jack Black) and Amanda meets Graham (Jude Law). Love blooms.
Writer and director Nancy Meyers (Something’s Got to Give) gives us two very different romances that somewhat succeed. The movie goes a little long and sometimes it gets a little sticky-sweet, but both women have equal time – we can also forgive the stickiness as there are some truly funny moments.
Luckily, both women are winningly played by Diaz and Winslet. It is also lucky that we women in the audience can gaze longingly at Jude Law (who comes across with charm to spare). As for Jack Black, he seems a little tense at playing a romantic hero, but he has his moments.
The Holiday is not a perfect movie, but it offers a perfectly romantic mood for the holiday season. Plus, Jude Law is part of the deal.
