Genre Grandeur – The Holiday (2006) – Tranquil Dreams

For the next entry in this month’s Genre Grandeur – Holiday movies, here’s a review by Kim of Tranquil Dreams of The Holiday (2006)

Next month’s genre has been chosen by my good friend Emma of emmakwall (explains it all) and she has chosen the genre of British Thrillers, so send me your reviews of your favorite British Thriller(s) by Jan 25th and I’ll post it.  It’s real simple, just send me an email to britthrills@movierob.net and I’ll post it.

Take it away Kim!

 

Holiday movies don’t get anymore holiday than The Holiday – also one of my favorite movies.  I watch it during the Christmas holidays every year AND I watch it anytime during the year.  Its kind of my go-to feel good movie.

 

Director: Nancy Meyers

Cast: Kate Winslet, Jack Black, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, Eli Wallach, Rufus Sewell

 

Simple commitments columnist Iris (Kate Winslet) and big shot movie trailer producer Amanda (Cameron Diaz) both are unlucky in love in their own way right before the Christmas holidays.  Amanda looks for a place to travel to get away from it all and lands on the home exchange site and finally reaches out to Iris.  Spontaneously, they decide to leave for 2 weeks: Iris to LA and Amanda to Surrey. While they are trying to escape men and move on, they are surprised when this trip to a new place allows to meet people who significantly impact their life.  Amanda meets Iris’s brother, Graham (Jude Law) who subconsciously reconnects her with her emotions.  Iris meets a retired Oscar winning screenplay writer Arthur Abbott (Eli Wallach) who lets her see her own worth while meeting a film composer, Miles (Jack Black) who she slowly falls in love with.

The Holiday is a holiday romantic comedy.  It doesn’t really have a whole lot of Christmas or Hannukah or New Year’s but it does surround that area and includes a few celebrations. Its about finding who you are and searching up those great relationships and those that you love around the holidays.  It has family and love.  There’s so much to enjoy about The Holiday because its funny and cute.  Thats what I love about this one and thats what makes it perfect for the holidays.

 

The performances are fantastic.  This is one of few roles that I truly love Jack Black and it was also the one that made me search up some of his movies and give them a chance regardless of the premise.  I totally love Jude Law (and his awesome accent) and in this one, he’s pretty funny especially the chemistry between him and Cameron Diaz’s Amanda.  What applies to Jack Black up there applies here to Cameron Diaz also because she is so fun to watch for this one.  I’m not a huge fan of her movies and honestly, there’s not much that attracts me to her movies at all and this is the only performance of hers that I always go back to. Last performance is just a very different performance from the always elegant Kate Winslet.  I have a huge girl crush on her, and after her role as Iris, it was just amazing.  She’s just the sweetest character in this and yet so simple and also so grateful and her character was the most awesome and the ultimate feel good.

The Holiday is an ultimate feel-good holiday movie with a great cast with fantastic characters and funny and witty dialogue.  The setting and the simple parallel storylines of the two leading ladies compliment each other perfectly.  Fun, feel-good, awesome, set during the winter holidays in opposite locations: the sunny LA and the snowy Surrey, all makes The Holiday a great holiday movie.

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Thanks Kim!