The Holiday (2006)

The Holiday (2006)

Written and Directed by: Nancy Meyers
Starring: Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz

Streaming on Netflix. 

It's a beautiful film! Usually films take their time to establish the world and the characters with introductory scenes - whereas this film uses the premise of the film to do that. Two women from different countries swap their homes for a holiday to get away from their relationship issues. We see two women having failed relationships and deciding to go on a holiday. BAM! We are transported right into the world of the film. And all of this is treated in a light-hearted tone, and yet the film maintains immense empathy for what the characters are going through. Above this, there is the British girl going to Amercia and vice-versa - there is a lot of comedy explored through contrast. There are quite a few characters that we are introduced to, through the lens of the two protagonists and the canvas has been laid out. The beautiful thing about the film is - throughout the film - no matter which scene, which character - it's like there is a filter of kindness, empathy, but also a certain awareness to life which brings out comedy. We could call it the Nancy Meyer filter. I'm not saying she's the only filmmaker to have captured this tone - I've observed this in Richard Curtis' films too - but I really enjoyed how this film feels different and yet familiar. 

As the canvas of the film is laid out, the screenplay has freedom to explore the lives of any character in whichever order it wants to. But the film never loses its grip. By the end of Act-2, the film goes into a territory where all the characters are being treated badly in their relationships and are unable to muster the courage to walk out. And though the arc of them finding courage didn't come through so well to me - I didn't mind it because sometimes finding courage happens with a flip in the brain and often it's not even explicable. Eventually, keeping the tone of the film - everything works out for everybody in the end and it's like a nice warm hug. I absolutely loved Kate Winslet in the film - how could a gorgeous actress and a star like her be convincing as someone who is rejected? Who is going through unrequited love? She did it. I really loved the whole world, and the characters. I watched The Intern, I will have to check out other films by Nancy Meyers.