Christmas Movie Marathon, Day 30 — The Holiday (2006)

I remember the first time that I saw this movie I was going through something dramatic, and I remember crying more than I would have during some sad parts because I related to the emotions happening. Now, that was in high school and I have an idea of what I could have been sad about, but I can't place it specifically or how it relates to this movie.. so.

Cool story.

I didn't expect this movie to be as good as it is at all, but I should have known because Kate Winslet can do no wrong and Jack Black is shockingly charming! He rarely is offered a role with this kind of depth. I really actually like this movie! It surprised me by not being too... Rom-Com-like. Romantic Comedies tend to attach themselves way too much to the time when they are made, and though that is cool and funny when you see the movie, after awhile I feel like it gets really exhausted. I like a movie that doesn't really mention Facebook, binge-watching, Charlie Sheen, or other #trendingtopics that they cherry-picked from the internet.

I guess they did use a sort-of Craigslist-type website to find each other and switch houses (and man, did they both freaking score with that deal) which is a "trend" if you wanted to be picky, but at least the house-swapping tale is not one we're tired of hearing.

As far as this movie goes, life is hard, but everything was adorable and nothing hurt.

But, really though, this movie has very sad beginnings and the reasons for these women switching houses are really devastating for them, yet they have some great experiences that aren't all about love and sex. They both pretty much experience how the other person saw the world and adapt those traits to use for themselves. No wonder they actually become good friends in the end, because their personalities contain what the other lacks in a complimentary way.

From a holiday perspective, I think it's safe to say that the Christmas aspect of this movie works merely to set up the plot and pin these women so desperate to leave the lives they currently lead and skip the whole "happy family Christmas" for the chance to break away. I guess there is much more at play here about how stepping outside of your comfort zone can produce amazing results, and how to figure out which people in your life are worth sticking around for.

So yeah, sorry for more pictures than post, but I didn't want to play favoritism with the main characters.

January is almost over! Who's paying attention, right?
Stephanie