Day 4: The Holiday
The best of the auteur directors have a style all their own. Martin Scorsese has tropes that live in many of his films, like gangsters, New York, and a young buck upstart who is looking to conquer the world. On the other end, you have Nancy Meyers, the queen of the Romantic Comedy. Her films often feature female characters looking for themselves who find love along the way, a dashing leading man, and the worlds best kitchens. From the set design to the actors aspirational lives, there is a lot to love about Nancy Meyers films. The Holiday is no exception.
From London to LA and Back
The film centers on two women who decide to trade houses for the Christmas break. One is in LA, the other in London, Amanda and Iris pack up and leave the next day for places they have never been to before. The very LA, Amanda, struggles in the London suburb of Surrey until Iris’ brother, Graham, literally knocks on her door and falls in love with her. Iris settles into LA life well as she runs away from an old flame in London to spark up a friendship with her 80-year-old neighbor and a more romantic relationship with music composer, Miles.
The All-Stars
The film stars are some of Hollywood’s finest all shining in their own way. This film is Kate Winslet’s first and only foray into a true to form rom-com. She manages to bring a grounding to her character while keeping her light and optimistic. Cameron Diaz is no stranger to the genre and charms her way through the role.
The best feature of the film is Meyers ability to guide the audience through two nearly unrelated storylines, but match them up in theme and tone. It could be jarring to flip between the California sun and London’s winter weather, but the style of the Nancy Meyers world flows through both stories as match cuts, the Hans Zimmer score, and just enough Christmas are used to tie the stories together.
This Christmas classic has been a favorite since it’s release in 2006 and has not lost any sparkle.
What are your thoughts on The Holiday? Share in the comments!
Check out our full list of 12 Days of Christmas Movies!