A pleasant holiday

Rating: 7/10 (6 May 2013)

Cameron Diaz plays Amanda, workaholic owner of a movie trailer production company. Amanda lives in a huge, beautiful home in Los Angeles. Kate Winslet plays Iris, newspaper society column writer. Iris lives in a quaint old cottage in Surrey, outside of London. Both Amanda and Iris experience romantic disappointments just in time for Christmas. Alone and depressed at home is no way to spend the holiday season. Through a home swap website the two women find each other and find their solution. They will swap homes for two weeks. In that tried and true romantic comedy formula it will prove to be two weeks that will change their lives.
Initially it appears Iris has gotten much the better of the deal. She revels in the luxuries of Amanda's swanky digs. Meanwhile Amanda is well and truly out of her element in the small cottage in the English countryside. On day one she plans to fly back home on day two. But then there's a knock on the door in the middle of the night, Iris' inebriated brother Graham looking for a place to sleep. Hey, you don't suppose Amanda and Graham might fall for one another do you? As I said, tried and true romantic comedy formula. Back in Los Angeles things are going well for Iris. She meets some interesting people, most notably Arthur, an old man with quite a life story. He was a writer during the Golden Age of Hollywood and he and Iris strike up an unusual and thoroughly charming friendship.
The film meanders quite a bit, bouncing back and forth between Amanda and Iris. It does drag at times, at 136 minutes long the film is probably a half hour or so too long for its own good. It's rather predictable, sticking to its formula though it does manage to spring a good surprise or two. For much of its running time the film is much more focused on Amanda and Diaz than on Iris and Winslet. Which is a shame because Iris is a much more likable, embraceable character than Amanda. Plus, it's nice to see Winslet in a lighthearted romantic comedy, just having fun. We know she's a great actress, here she gets a chance to just be funny and enjoy herself and she does very well with the opportunity. Not that Diaz is bad, she does well with her part as well and eventually some of Amanda's rough edges do wear down allowing that character's story to become more enjoyable. The pairing of Diaz and Jude Law, playing Graham, works well. Law is perfect playing a cad, albeit a charming cad. And just when you think you've got his character pegged his story goes to some surprising, interesting places. Meanwhile the pairing between Winslet and Eli Wallach, playing Arthur, is tremendous. Two magnificent performers bringing the best out of one another. Of course to fit the formula we need a romantic interest for Winslet's character so enter Jack Black. Jack Black? Certainly not the conventional choice for a romantic leading man but it works. Yes, even Jack Black is charming in this movie. The Holiday is no work of great, classic cinema. It's just a routine romantic comedy and for its genre it's better than most. It's got wit, laughs, charm and very good performances. Yes, it's predictable and formulaic. Sometimes the formula works.