On DVD. PG-13. 138 Minutes.
There are two basic plot lines for romantic comedies. The first- boy meets girl, boy falls for girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girls back- is the most common. The second, also well-worn, is boy is smitten by/dating sexy hot girl who treats him like crap, boy also knows a cool, cute, super-sweet girl, boy loses hot girl, boy hooks up with sweet girl, hot girl comes back, boy chooses sweet girl. The Holiday (sort of) manages its staggering length by including both plot lines. And it doesn't hurt to get a rediculously good cast: Kate Winslet (taking a break from suicide fare), Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, and Jack Black star. Throw in Ed Burns, Shannon Sossamon (smokin' girl from 40 Days, 40 Nights), and the great Eli Wallach in supporting roles and you've got a better-than-the-genre ensemble.
Here's the deal. Diaz and Winslet's characters both are jilted in love and decide to trade homes. Diaz jumps the pond to Winslet's English cottage while Kate takes Cameron's Malibu mansion. A drunk Jude Law shows up at his sister's house, only to find Diaz (I know, ladies, and Justin, to boot. Some girls are just lucky). Meanwhile, Jack Black swings by Diaz's home to pick up some items for her recently-exed boyfriend, only to find Ms. Winslet. Their fates are sealed. The real heart (and fun) of the movie lies in the unexpected friendship between Eli Wallach, playing a retired Hollywood screenwriter from the system days, and Winslet. Their May-December friendship crackles with so much life, you're half-rooting for septuagenarian to make it happen. As an extra bonus, this film loves films, working as a minor paean to movies. In the end a better-than-average chick flick that a movie-loving guy can enjoy.
There are two basic plot lines for romantic comedies. The first- boy meets girl, boy falls for girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girls back- is the most common. The second, also well-worn, is boy is smitten by/dating sexy hot girl who treats him like crap, boy also knows a cool, cute, super-sweet girl, boy loses hot girl, boy hooks up with sweet girl, hot girl comes back, boy chooses sweet girl. The Holiday (sort of) manages its staggering length by including both plot lines. And it doesn't hurt to get a rediculously good cast: Kate Winslet (taking a break from suicide fare), Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, and Jack Black star. Throw in Ed Burns, Shannon Sossamon (smokin' girl from 40 Days, 40 Nights), and the great Eli Wallach in supporting roles and you've got a better-than-the-genre ensemble.
Here's the deal. Diaz and Winslet's characters both are jilted in love and decide to trade homes. Diaz jumps the pond to Winslet's English cottage while Kate takes Cameron's Malibu mansion. A drunk Jude Law shows up at his sister's house, only to find Diaz (I know, ladies, and Justin, to boot. Some girls are just lucky). Meanwhile, Jack Black swings by Diaz's home to pick up some items for her recently-exed boyfriend, only to find Ms. Winslet. Their fates are sealed. The real heart (and fun) of the movie lies in the unexpected friendship between Eli Wallach, playing a retired Hollywood screenwriter from the system days, and Winslet. Their May-December friendship crackles with so much life, you're half-rooting for septuagenarian to make it happen. As an extra bonus, this film loves films, working as a minor paean to movies. In the end a better-than-average chick flick that a movie-loving guy can enjoy.
3 comments:
Girlfriend?
I, for one, was not particularly hoping Eli Wallach would make it happen, but I did like their friendship. Jude Law and Kate Winslet fare best and their American counterparts are out-matched. But there's enough here to at least watch it once.
nah, just friends. priests don't date.
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