| Overall Grade: |
A- |
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| Story: |
B+ |
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| Acting: |
A- |
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| Direction: |
B+ |
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|
| Visuals: |
A- |
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Again, the critics get it wrong...
by DEC (movies profile)
Sep 16, 2007
29
of
31 people found this review helpful
I just finished watching this movie and I was pleased that it was not the same old "boy meets girl, boy and girl fall in love, boy and girl have a fight and break up, boy and girl realize they can't live without each other and make up in a happy ending" plot that Hollywood can't seem to get away from. Yes it was predictable that Cameron Diaz and Jude Law would end up together, as would Kate Winslet and Jack Black, but hey, at least it's an effort to break the same boring mold. The presence of Eli Wallach made a cute sub-plot for Kate Winslet's Iris and a cameo appearance by an OscarTM winning actor makes for a very funny scene. I'm sure that film critics felt it necessary to downplay this movie because it does not contain the obligatory Hollywood staples of rampant meaningless and non-commital sex, drug use, violence, explosions, high speed car chases and blatant homosexuality.
The Holiday is a clean, friendly movie (okay, chick flick) and contains themes that even the manly-est of men can appreciate. We've all been where these people are but none of us have ever had the guts to admit it or do something as radical as Iris and Amanda did. It's about time that Kate Winslet showed us a different, more relatable side of her acting ability. I'm not much of a Cameron Diaz fan, but I actually liked her in this movie -- something that hasn't happened since she did There's Something About Mary.
Jude Law and Jack Black also hold their own well. Jude Law carries his character's baggage well and lets us see life from a rarely-seen viewpoint. Jack Black takes on a less over-the-top than usual character and offers something more relatable, a character with whom I could easily identify, having been there myself.
This is a movie I would recommend to my mother or grandmother to see. It's not too risque for older movie-goers, especially with Eli Wallach and it is certainly something the younger fans can watch as well. I can't say I see an OscarTM in the future of this movie, but it is still good friendly entertainment. |
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