The Holiday (2006)
Written and directed by: Nancy Meyers
Starring: Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jack Black, Jude Law
Dear Grinches,
Dare you tell me that it is not possible for two women to switch homes for the holiday season, in two different countries, and each meet adoring men who fancy them? Then I will tell you, fine. I doubt it can happen, too! I am a Virgo, and very pragmatic, but times of stress and trauma can lead anyone to magical thinking!
Amanda Woods (Cameron Diaz) and Iris (Kate Winslet) are our magical thinking cohorts for two hours in The Holiday so we can escape this god-awful reality of mass corruption for capitalistic gain, and you are going on the ride with us all, grinches! You are getting on this sled, furry green people! And you’re going to enjoy it! Because I said so!
Yes, it may be hard to believe that a woman who looks like Kate Winslet would date Miles, played by Jack Black, and Jack Black clearly thinks this, too. So what, ya hedgehogs! So what? The point is not, “Would Kate Winslet really date that guy—he’s shorter than her and also she’s super super-pretty…” The point is, pretty girls can’t always find kind, admiring, humble and funny men, okay? Studly men think they’re all “that” and they lie and cheat and steal, or they’re just boring because they’re working out at the gym all the time.
And also! Nicole Holofcener does this same thing in her movies, where really skinny attractive women date overweight-ish men you wouldn’t think would make sense, but it’s because the women are looking for personality, not perfection, got it? A good heart and sweet behavior can go a long way with a pretty lady. (And I gave you that piece of advice for free. Remember where you got it. Remember! Throw my name around.)
Furthermore, some of us watch movies for substance and brilliant-cy, but others of us (all) just want to get out of our own heads and problems into a dashing little cottage in England. And others of us want to go to Los Angeles and imagine we own a really successful movie company and have perfect white teeth and not an ounce of body fat. This is the fun! The point of this movie is the imagining, the suspension of disbelief, the way we suspend disbelief in musicals because no one on this green earth (that I have found) breaks out into song and dance in the middle of the street, with a full orchestra, unless they planned it ahead of time to happen in front of a camera. So with The Holiday, we are in soap-opera land, musical sphere, the Princess-next-generation, and everyone is sweet-ish, and no one is killing anybody, and the sex is hidden so that you can watch this flick with your kids walking around in the background. These elements matter when you’re a crying wreck at Christmas, and the people who you want to love you don’t love you, and you are sitting on the couch with a plate of store-bought cookies!
This movie is a material success because it has the classic romantic genre, well-known actors, and a story of wild, spontaneous escape. Add to that an audience of kinfolk who know the truth: the holidays are usually just a terribly depressing time when we face all life’s losses amid the cold dark nights, whilst still pretending to be merry and cheerful.
I wrote whilst. Enjoy that; it won’t come around too often.
Lastly, and most importantly, Nancy Meyers, the writer and director of this sass-party, is from Philadelphia, Pa. And now she is a successful, famous, movie director who put Diane Keaton in all white clothing (in that other film Something’s Gotta Give, which I just l-u-v). So let’s just sit back and marvel at THE PROWESS! And give a little shadowy applause for the success of a Philadelphia native kickin’ it good in Hollywood zone, getting her holiday film up in the top 5 on some of the biggest streaming platforms in the country. Uh-huh. Giddy-up.
Finalmente, I must mention Jude Law. He plays Jude Law. I mean, he plays a guy whose name in the movie I forget (oh, it’s Graham), but I just think any film is worth watching if Jude Law is a dad in it. A dad of two cute British girls. A dad who sometimes puts on really great black-rimmed glasses, all of a sudden, when you weren’t expecting him to. And now you see him in a whole new and even better light. And he wears nice Peacoats, and even thick gray Lambswool scarves to go with the Peacoats. This just adds happiness to life, to see this with your very own eye. This kind of thing happens for a reason, and when you have the good fortune to take in the all-ness of Jude Law-ness on a Saturday morning in your pajamas, when it’s cold outside, and you are crying a bunch, too…. Well, Jude Law was invented for a reason.
I feel I must declare a state of Jude Law.
If I ever start a car company, of well-made cars, there will definitely be a car named after this Jude Law fellow. The interior fabric of said car is going to feel like a Lambswool scarf! And the car exterior color is going to be a blend of blue-ish-indigo-gray that is called, in my car enterprise, Jude Law Gray.
Okay?
So, just listen to women from Philadelphia. That is me, Nancy Meyers, Pink, Jill Scott, Tina Fey, Lucretia Mott, Da’vine Joy Randolph, and some others. Kevin Bacon’s mom, for instance. Also, Patti Labelle, Quinta Brunson, Taylor Swift (ish), Grace Kelly. We ladies have imbibed enough Philadelphia tap water to figure out THE SYSTEM of masterful creations that bring joy and money and glory to the planet! And once we’re finished conjuring up the love-storms, we dance around our kitchens and make British tea and do our schoolwork.
Byeee,
Ms. Wonderful
Jeez Louise, it’s a time of year when people buy things, so maybe you’ll want to buy this book I wrote.
Your best yet to my way of thinking. I mean, ‘whilst’ AND ‘finalmente’! Not to mention that, this speaks to my heart as a proud Philadelphian.