The Holiday

Directed by Nancy Meyers, The Holiday follows two women (Cameron Diaz’s Amanda and Kate Winslet’s Iris) as they agree to swap houses for the Christmas season and subsequently find themselves growing more and more attached to their new surroundings. Filmmaker Meyers, armed with her own screenplay, delivers a perpetually agreeable (albeit palpably overlong) romcom that benefits from its lighthearted atmosphere and surfeit of charming performances, as, in terms of the latter, Diaz and Winslet’s top-notch efforts are matched (and then some) by a terrific supporting cast that includes Edward Burns, Jude Law, and Rufus Sewell. (Jack Black’s thoroughly impressive and convincing leading-man turn as Iris’ love interest remains a recurring highlight within the proceedings, to be sure.) And while the picture does seem, at 136 minutes, ripe for a little tightening and streamlining, The Holiday, buoyed by its proliferation of engrossing digressions and subplots (eg Iris’ friendship with a famous screenwriter, Eli Wallach’s Arthur Abbott), builds towards a satisfying (and heartwarming) final stretch that confirms its place as a first-class romantic comedy (and bona fide Christmas classic).

***1/2 out of ****