The holiday

So T and I went to see The Holiday today. We talked a bit about her boyfriend first. Things seem to be going really well. She did confide that she gets frustrated about the "little things." "When he blows his nose, it's more like a honk," she said, "and he always has his hand near his crotch."

(This reminded me of D's college roommate (I'll call him Buffin), whom I never met because I met D after college. D and Buffin were randomly matched, since it was freshman year. Buffin was a football player who liked his drink a bit too much. Once his friends had to call the paramedics. When he came to, he was throwing punches at the paramedics. He had to have his stomach pumped. Finally he said, referring to himself in the third person: "A lesser man might stop drinking after something like this, but not Buffin!" Oy. When I studied for the bar, we were told to put up a picture of someone unlikely who had passed the bar, to boost our confidence; we duly put up a picture of Buffin. It's down now.)

I liked The Holiday. I'm always charmed by the British habit of calling it a holiday, instead of a prosaic "vacation"; they also call L.A. Lotus Land, which I didn't know before. The characters weren't extraordinarily well developed, and the script was just serviceable, but I didn't have these thoughts until later. I like most Nancy Meyer movies (Something's Gotta Give, etc.) and this one was no exception. T gave it a B, while I gave it an A or A-. I don't think it would hold up to rewatching, but it was a fun, feel-good confection. And I liked the candy cane/gingerbread cinematography in London; Kate Winslet's house was so cozy. (I guess it was technically in Surrey.)

There was a subplot where Kate was going to dinner and working out with a 90-year-old man, and I was wincing a bit and expecting them to sleep together. Thankfully, they never did. He just taught her about empowerment, or as he called it, "gumption." Dustin Hoffman also had a cameo.

Comments

Roxanne said…
I've wanted to watch The Holiday. Thanks for the review. I hope it makes it to the $1 theater. :)
Anonymous said…
I just finished reading Swapping Lives (Jane Green)... is the plot similar to that of The Holiday?
bdogg_mcgee said…
Liz--What did you think of "Swapping Lives?" I listened to it on audiobook, and thought it was pretty good, although the lady who narrated it didn't do that great of a job with the American accents. :)

Thanks for the review, Bearette--I want to go see it, but don't know if I can drag DH to it. However, it IS my turn to pick the movie! :)

Wish D a Happy Hanukkah from me!
Bearette said…
Liz - not really, other than the initial device of switching houses. i thought the plot in the movie was better :)

Bdogg - will do :) i remember some guy left (or went to the bathroom, but i never saw him come back) and i was surprised that a guy had come to the movie at all ;)
Anonymous said…
Bdogg- Actually, I listened to it on CD, and I thought the same thing about the narrator! I found myself mildly annoyed whenever she was doing Amber's voice.
bdogg_mcgee said…
Liz--OMG! I know exactly what you mean! And--this is nitpicky--but she used British colloquialisms when the Americans were talking, which I also found a bit annoying, like when Amber was talking about "ringing" someone. We totally don't say that over here!

Other than that, I enjoyed the book. :)
Anonymous said…
"Oh, Richard, I love my life with you and the kids. This bit about my voice being annoying and "British-sounding" is complete rubbish. Now let's have a spot of tea."
bdogg_mcgee said…
hee hee hee!
Amy said…
I didn't know you had taken the bar. Are you a lawyer now? Haven't seen The Holiday yet...seemed like just another cheesy romantic comedy when I saw the preview.
Bearette said…
Amy - yeah, i was one a long time ago. it wasn't really the right fit. as for the movie, it was definitely cheesy, but enjoyable.

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