Saturday, December 22, 2012

The Holiday (2006): Mormon Movie Review


Quality: 
 Working on a Blog Post about Family Friendly Holiday Movies on Netflix.  In the background my adorable wife is watching The Holiday.  Regrettably it wont make the list because it not streaming on Netflix and not too Family Friendly.  But it is a great movie. And right now it is only $4.75 at Amazon.com!

   I just wanted to give a few notes though because it is on my mind. 
In London, Iris Simpkins, Kate Winslet, writes a wedding column in a newspaper and nurtures an unrequited love for her colleague Jasper Bloom, Rufus Sewell (who always seems to play some sort of slimy character). Near Christmas, she is informed that Jasper is engaged to marry another colleague, and her life turns upside down.

   Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, the movie-trailers maker Amanda Woods, Cameron Diaz, has just split with her unfaithful boyfriend Ethan, Edward Burns, and wants to forget him. Through a house exchange website, Amanda impulsively swaps her mansion for Iris' cottage in Surrey for the holidays. While in Surrey, Amanda meets Iris' brother and book editor Graham, Jude Law.  Meanwhile, Iris meets her new next door neighbor the ninety year old screenplay writer Arthur, Eli Wallach, who helps her retrieve her self-esteem.  She also meets film composer Miles, Jack Black, who is in a dysfunctional relationship of his own.

   We watch it once a year just because it is a cute Holiday movie about romance, both young and old.  There are some tender moments when Arthur speaks with devotion about his long past wife, and the new romantic relationships that develop between the characters.  Because the women in the movie are a bit neurotic; what is meant to come off as quirky seems just corny (which Iris refers to herself as during the film).

   The men really shine out though.  Jack Black has found the happy medium between the over the top physical comedy of Nacho Libre, and the laughably serious role he play is King Kong.  He is charming and endearing, but still gets a laugh in each scene.  It is also great when he explains his love for movie score (which I share).  It is easy to buy into his passion because he is actually a musician, but I wouldn't recommend his Tenacious D music unless you get a radio edit.  This movie's soundtrack was written by Hans Zimmer and is a great extra set piece to the film.  Jude Law is as fetching as usual.  I am sure my wife would have married me 6 months sooner if I had an English accent.  While his character comes off as a bit of a playboy, we soon learn he has a softer side that he plays very well.  

 Content:
 The Holiday is a great date movie for adult couples, but be warned that some of the characters pursue inappropriate relations.  Although nothing is shown, they talk about wanting to do it openly, then it cuts to them lying in bed afterward.    They do go for the obligatory F-bomb, which really bugged me because it really wasn't a bit moment.  Almost as if it slipped out, but it was a really good take so they kept it.  There is a touch more milder obscenities, but not many.  There is a great deal of the use of the name of deity though.  Character drink to deal with problems, in social settings, and get completely "knackered" with little consequence. 

Well, this was meant to be a short review, but I got a little long winded.  I'll try to add some photos tomorrow and spruce it up.

So check it out!  If you order today, you will probably get it by New Years.

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