Holiday Offers Romantic Rendezvous
Two Stories, One Heart

The holidays are, traditionally, a time for family pictures. A couple years ago, I was surprised by the release of Love Actually, a romantic comedy set around the Christmas season. This year, Hollywood is hoping that the mistletoe magic will strike again by giving audiences two-times the love in a film of endings and beginnings. Writer/directory Nancy Meyers weaves a story of two women exchaging homes and finding love in The Holiday.

Placeholder
Amanda (Cameron Diaz) finds herself in an unlikely romance with Graham (Jude Law) in The Holiday. (Sony, 2006)
Directed by: Nancy Meyers
Written by: Nancy Meyers
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Jack Black, Eli Wallach, Edward Burns, and Rufus Sewell

Rated PG-13 (for sexual content and some strong language)
Running time: 138 min.

FilmGuru's Rating : 7 out of 10.

Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet star as two women who are searching for a chance to abandon their complicated lives, if only for a week or two. While Amanda (Diaz) in Los Angeles has recently broken up with her boyfriend, Iris (Winslet) in England has discovered that her ex (Rufus Sewell) has recently become engaged. The solution, as it turns out, is for the women to switch lives. So Amanda heads off for life in the English countryside while Iris goes to L.A.

Although the the story could have relied too heavily on the fish-out-of-water scenario, the "big city girl in the country" angle is played down. In fact, Amanda realizes quickly that this life is too slow for her and plans to leave. That's when Iris's drunken brother Graham (Jude Law) stops by on the way home from the pub.

Meanwhile, Iris is loving Los Angeles. Her tiny cottage back home doesn't compare to Amanda's mansion with its swimming pool, huge kitchen, and home theater. But Iris's bliss is complicated by the continued intrusion of her ex Jasper (Sewell). Despite his apathy toward her, she moons over him and does anything to please him. The phrase "co-dependent" isn't adequate to describe Iris's relationship with Jasper.

As Amanda goes through a series of misgivings about Graham, Iris makes new friends in Los Angeles -- allowing her to slowly let go of Jasper. A side story about Iris's new neighbor Arthur (played by veteran actor Eli Wallach), shows the depths of her compassion and her need to be loved. Jack Black appears as Miles, an associate of Amanda's ex-boyfriend. While Miles goes through his own dating problems, he and Iris begin to become friends.

The premise for the story is a plausable one, if you don't think about the logistics too hard. The immediacy of the situation lends to some quick airline reservations and a complete switch of cars, homes, etc. It's all very trusting, and seeming impossible in today's cynical world. Nevertheless, the love story takes a couple of ingenious twists and does not follow the expected path. In the end, it offers a very routine Hollywood ending, but it fits the bill for a holiday love story.

I'm not a big fan of Cameron Diaz, and this film helps explain why. She's has wonderful comedic moments, but her dramatic acting has no range. I just don't believe her as a leading lady in a romantic film. For that matter, I didn't believe her as an action star in either of the Charlie's Angels films either. I'd like to see her in more physical comedy roles. I think her lanky body and big smile are well suited to making people laugh.

Despite Diaz, the acting in the film is brilliant and believable. Kate Winslet is wonderful as the sweet but emotionally vulnerable Iris. I've been a fan of hers for years, and feel that she's one of the best young actresses out there. Jude Law and Jack Black play leading men quite differently, but it is easy to understand the charms of each. While Law is dashing and very British, Black play the loveable goof next door.

The most surprising performance, however, is Eli Wallach. This amazing actor recently popped up on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and blew me away. His work spans half a century, including some classic westerns like How the West Was Won and The Magnificient Seven. Yet, he continues to deliver remarkable performances that steal scenes.

For a tender, funny tearjerker, The Holiday gets high marks. It's definitely the kind of movie that will appeal to adults who want a break from the normal holiday family fare.