MovieMantz Reviews: ‘The Holiday’ (December 7, 2006)

‘Holiday’ from Hell

by Scott Mantz

“The Holiday”
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Jack Black
Directed by: Nancy Meyers

Perhaps the best way to start this review is by saying this: If you liked 2003’s “Love Actually,” you will probably love “The Holiday.” I did not like “Love Actually,” so I’m guessing you know where I stand on “The Holiday.”

It’s not that I’m bitter, or that I hate romantic comedies; I like them just fine, especially when they’re done right (1989’s “When Harry Met Sally” and 2001’s “Bridget Jones’s Diary” instantly come to mind). But when they blatantly recycle every romantic comedy cliché in the book, then that’s when I cry foul.

That’s why I’m crying foul with “The Holiday.” Okay, so it’s not as sappy as “Love Actually,” if only because there aren’t as many subplots. But writer-director Nancy Meyers who should be in her element here after directing 2000?s “What Women Want” and 2003’s “Something?s Gotta Give” comes close enough with a cliché-ridden chick flick that’s predictable, manipulative and contrived.

Amanda Woods (Cameron Diaz) runs a successful movie trailer company in Los Angeles. Half the world away, Iris Simpkins (Kate Winslet) writes a popular wedding column for a British newspaper. When both have their hearts broken, they meet online and decide to swap houses for the holidays. But within hours of Amanda’s arrival in London, she finds herself being pursued by Iris’s dashing brother Graham (Jude Law). And soon after landing in LA, Iris meets Miles (Jack Black), a charming film composer who works for Amanda’s company.

No need to tell you what happens next, which is why it’s probably best to think of “The Holiday” as an artificial Christmas tree sure, it looks nice and pretty, but there’s really nothing genuine about it. Every emotional moment feels forced rather than earned, and it becomes increasingly contrived as it progresses. For example, is it that easy to swap houses with someone with just one day’s notice? Can Cameron Diaz really be lucky enough to find Jude Law knocking at her front door? And if Law’s character lives in England, why does he have a darker tan than Diaz, whose character just arrived from sunny California?

But the hits just keep on coming when Iris befriends Arthur (Eli Wallach), a frail, lonely, retired Hollywood screenwriter who lives next door. Then Graham drops an 11th hour bombshell that’s supposed to be an emotional surprise, but instead reeks of shameless manipulation. Endearing moments like these wouldn’t have been so hard to swallow if “The Holiday” was actually funny, but it’s not. And with a running time of 2 hours and 15 minutes, it’s far too long.

Even the attractive cast members seem to be straining with the material, as Cameron Diaz overdoes it to the point where she becomes slightly annoying. And in an even bigger surprise, she has very little chemistry with Jude Law (yes, it’s possible). And while it’s nice to see Kate Winslet unwind for a change after heavy roles in “Little Children” and “All the King’s Men,” the otherwise likable Jack Black seems miscast as her love interest.

Again, it’s not like I’m bitter about love, and since I was on a date, I was definitely in the right mood to see “The Holiday.” But about halfway through, I couldn’t contain my disdain, and when I whispered to my date that I didn’t like the movie, she told me that she didn’t like it either (and for what it’s worth, she didn’t like “Love Actually” ? I asked her, just to prove my earlier point). So despite it’s good intentions, this gobfest doesn’t work, making it best to stay home for the holidays.

VERDICT: SKIP IT!