This recommendation comes from a friend who was a resident assistant with me in Saint/Elliot dormitories my junior year at Wheaton College. We reconnected on my Roadtrip, as I saw her when I drove through Seattle on my way back to Montana last March. I actually watched this film with Liam and Marilyn Chambers in Bendigo, about a week before Christmas 2018, and it really did help put me in the Christmas spirit.
Recommendation #15 from Abbie VanDerPuy
The Holiday by Nancy Meyer
Per Wikipedia, The Holiday is a 2006 American romantic comedy film written, produced and directed by Nancy Meyers. Co-produced by Bruce A. Block, it was filmed in both California and England, and stars Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet as Amanda and Iris, two lovelorn women from opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean, who arrange a home exchange to escape heartbreak during the Christmas and holiday season. Jude Law and Jack Black were cast as the film’s leading men Graham and Miles, with Eli Wallach, Shannyn Sossamon, Edward Burns and Rufus Sewell playing key supporting roles.
I am writing this review after just having written the review for Law Abiding Citizen. And while the two movies are VERY different, they do both center around the power of love and how we all change our lives because of the love we feel for others. The character Iris muses on this in the movie, “I suppose I think about love more than anyone really should. I am constantly amazed by its sheer power to alter and define our lives.” I agree with Iris. I too am amazed by the sheer power of love to alter and define our lives.
Although neither film was rated very highly on Rotten Tomatoes, The Holiday did earn a score of 49% (5.5/10), a full 23% higher than Law Abiding Citizen. And I can say I also enjoyed this movie quite a bit more. It made me laugh, it made me smile, and it made me happy to see other people discovering happiness in unlikely places. While you may not be surprised or entertained by this movie, you will also not be embarrassed or troubled if your children see a scene.
If you haven’t seen it, it’s a modern Christmas story that you could enjoy with your significant other. Yes, it may be a little predictable, but it’s a feel-good movie that you can enjoy during the holidays. I’ll leave you with one final quote from the movie, as it is also has a theme about moving on. “And after all that, however long all that may be, you’ll go somewhere new. And you’ll meet people who make you feel worthwhile again.” That’s been my story for 2018. Not only have I’ve found people who’ve made me feel worthwhile again, I have felt the love…
The song for this post is today’s (January 15th’s) song from my Dependence Playlist for January 2019. Trintonal’s I Feel The Love (feat. Ross Lynch)
I've gone too many nights
Chasing the shadow of your silhouette
Moving just to survive
All that I wanted was to start again
Stumbling through the crowd
Feet lifting off the ground looking for you
Washing my fear away
Standing here face to face
Nothing to lose
I won't look back now
I feel the love