• Movie Preview •

Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Jack Black, Eli Wallach, Edward Burns, Rufus Sewell. Romantic comedy. Written & directed by Nancy Meyers.

FILM SYNOPSIS: Two women on opposite sides of the globe find themselves with the same troubles – hearts broken by men. Desperate for a change of scenery, the two women meet on the Internet and swap houses for the Christmas holiday. The change does them good. Not only do they love the new locations, but even though they are trying to escape romantic involvements, they manage to find the perfect men the first day of their arrivals.

PREVIEW REVIEW: The Holiday consists of an interesting concept, witty dialogue, romantic situations and the best use of movie star cameos I can remember in a film. Two small problems, however. First, it’s too long. Unfortunately, the script overstays its welcome and offers a fanciful ending that offers no satisfactory solution to the problem of a couple with ties to other parts of the world. Admittedly, this observation is that of a writer and may be considered picayune by those caught up in the pretty locations and the adventures of the lovely female leads.

The second observation may be more of a problem for those who follow the Bible’s teaching concerning sexual abstinence before marriage. I think even those who see that teaching as more of a custom from biblical times than a direct command from God will still be uncomfortable with seeing the Cameron Diaz character bed a man in the first hour she meets him. Of course, in the movie they later fall in love. But in real life, such behavior generally leads to problems. It’s a fantasy, I know, but there is an air of sexual permissiveness throughout the film.

That said, there are no graphic sexual situations and the film itself is a romantic fantasy. It’s not suggesting that we follow their example. Indeed, there are some nice statements made about relationships and putting others first. And though there are two or three off-color words, including one use of the f-word (which always tarnishes the mood of a romantic comedy), there are no misuses of God’s name -- well, except for the colloquialism “oh my god,” which is uttered occasionally. Sadly, though this film takes place at Christmastime, there isn’t any mention of spiritual matters whatsoever.

In other words, this is secular fluff about finding the perfect mate in the perfect setting (the final shot looking like a Hallmark card). It’s escapist fare, but don’t expect to find much spiritual enlightenment.

Distributor: Columbia/Universal