A romantic comedy with Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet and Jude Law -- you might be tempted to dismiss The Holiday as one of those terrible Christmas chick flicks. But then there's Jack Black; how does the man of Tenacious D fit in there? Surprisingly, quite nicely, as this supposed "chick flick" surpasses the boundaries of the genre to become an authentically heartfelt movie.
Burned by love, British journalist Iris (a positively charming Kate Winslet) decides that the only way to escape her destructive relationship with ex-boyfriend is to sign up for a house-switching vacation service. Across the globe, Amanda (Cameron Diaz, who successfully balances dramatic flair with comedic timing), a workaholic movie trailer producer in Los Angles, has dramatically parted ways with her cheating boyfriend Ethan. Unable to cry, Amanda finds Iris' picturesque English cottage on a vacation Web site. Within moments, the girls arrange to flee from their own lives and live in the other's home for two weeks.
The house-swap is successfully completed and as Iris delights in Amanda's lavish L.A. home, Amanda tries to adjust to the cozy English countryside. After a few hours (and a number of drinks) Amanda is awoken to Iris' older brother, Graham (Jude Law) who requests to stay the night after getting drunk at the nearby pub. In spite of her reservations, Amanda not only acquiesces to Graham's request, but decides in the spirit of her vacation, to engage in a one night stand. Iris enjoys the solitude of Amanda's oasis, faltering only briefly when the ex faxes a copy of his book manuscript for her review; she quickly recovers until she is blown away by the introduction of Black's character, Miles, a film composer (quite literally; the characters meet in a gust of wind). Miles and Iris connect instantly, despite Miles' dogged devotion to his bimbo up-and-coming actress girlfriend, whom we later discover is cheating on him. Bitten by the philanthropy bug, Iris discovers Amanda's elderly neighbor, Arthur Abbot (Eli Wallach) an aging film veteran. As the two weeks pass, Iris and Arthur develop a kindred friendship as they help one another discover their weaknesses and strengths.
The movie's greatest triumph is the development of the characters' relationships. Moving back and forth between the London and Los Angles locations, at first it seems as though there are two separate movies taking place. Amanda decided that a one night stand with Graham wasn't going to be satisfactory, and the two begin a whirlwind romance despite Amanda's inability to feel completely secure in her new skin and Graham's secretive behavior. For the time being, both are content to enjoy the other's company. Iris continues to spend time with Arthur, learning about the classic era of cinema and her tendency to be a pushover. As the move progresses, Miles enters Arthur and Iris's secret club, and together, Miles and Iris' relationship evolves into a close friendship based more on their differences than their similarities.
The Holiday is broken into two parts. The first is marked by an escape from love, and the second is the gradual realization that in the end, it isn't so bad. Sounds like the hallmark of the usual Hollywood dribble, but Holdiay manages to avoid most of these platitudes through the brilliance of its cast. Each role was specifically written for the actor who fills it, and as such, each character draws on the actor's strength. Winslet's Iris depicts the self-pitying, comically tragic single thirty-something who is unable to see past her faults; Diaz plays the seemingly frivolous, successful diva, Law the suave singleton who has something to hide and Black is his usual lovable, goofball self, but wisely eschews the gross-out comedy of his past movies. The pacing is pretty decent, despite a slight lag in the middle, where the plot begins to become a bit cliché. With the help of the cast and sound track, things manage to right themselves and the movie resolves nicely, with the correct balance between the requisite sappy and a refreshing bit of wit. While more screen time could have been devoted to the development of Iris' story line and less to Amanda's (it was clear that Diaz is the movie's headliner), The Holiday is an enjoyable film for those wishing to see a movie where everything turns out all right at the end, but for a moment there's the panic that maybe things won't always be what they seem.
