The Holiday
Rent & Buy
Two women, one American and one British, swap homes at Christmastime following bad breakups. Each woman finds romance with a local man but realizes that the imminent return home may end the relationship.
What critics thought
Critics were split almost evenly on Nancy Meyers' holiday romance: audiences embraced it warmly, but reviewers found it formulaic and overlong, with most agreeing the British cast outshines its American counterparts. The central tension in reviews was whether Meyers' sharp dialogue and winning performances are enough to offset a 136-minute runtime and rom-com mechanics the film never quite manages to transcend.
“like a magic trick in reverse, The Holiday reveals the mechanics of the formula while trying to keep up the illusion”
Carina Chocano·Los Angeles Times
“it's a self-consciously old-fashioned premise, with too much sub-Bridget Jones dithering, but Nancy Meyers' dialogue has a perky synthetic sheen”
Owen Gleiberman·Entertainment Weekly
“this overlong film isn't nearly as smart as it would like to appear, and it willingly succumbs to the very rom-com cliches it pretends to subvert”
Justin Chang·Variety
“at least 90% of The Holiday is a stocking-stuffer from Tiffany's ... so loaded with charm that it makes you glow all over and puts a smile in your heart”
Rex Reed·The New York Observer
“The Holiday has charming moments and a hopeful message for despondent singles, but it lacks the emotional resonance of Meyers' Something's Gotta Give (2003) and the zaniness of What Women Want (2000)”
Ruthe Stein·San Francisco Chronicle
Genres
Comedy, Romance
The Holiday
Two women, one American and one British, swap homes at Christmastime following bad breakups. Each woman finds romance with a local man but realizes that the imminent return home may end the relationship.
What critics thought
Critics were split almost evenly on Nancy Meyers' holiday romance: audiences embraced it warmly, but reviewers found it formulaic and overlong, with most agreeing the British cast outshines its American counterparts. The central tension in reviews was whether Meyers' sharp dialogue and winning performances are enough to offset a 136-minute runtime and rom-com mechanics the film never quite manages to transcend.
“like a magic trick in reverse, The Holiday reveals the mechanics of the formula while trying to keep up the illusion”
Carina Chocano·Los Angeles Times
“it's a self-consciously old-fashioned premise, with too much sub-Bridget Jones dithering, but Nancy Meyers' dialogue has a perky synthetic sheen”
Owen Gleiberman·Entertainment Weekly
“this overlong film isn't nearly as smart as it would like to appear, and it willingly succumbs to the very rom-com cliches it pretends to subvert”
Justin Chang·Variety
“at least 90% of The Holiday is a stocking-stuffer from Tiffany's ... so loaded with charm that it makes you glow all over and puts a smile in your heart”
Rex Reed·The New York Observer
“The Holiday has charming moments and a hopeful message for despondent singles, but it lacks the emotional resonance of Meyers' Something's Gotta Give (2003) and the zaniness of What Women Want (2000)”
Ruthe Stein·San Francisco Chronicle
Genres
Comedy, Romance
Cast & Crew
Rent & Buy