"The Holiday" is a Fantastic Break from Traditional Romantic Comedies

The Holiday (2006)

The romantic comedy genre is one which has been completely overrun with the same tropes repeated again and again, but once in a while a particularly unique movie comes along to break free from those cliches and reveals itself to be something original and heartwarming; The Holiday is one of these films. Unlike other traditional romantic comedies, The Holiday uses a simple plot to smoothly transition between the love lives of two very different women. Two women, depressed with the mundane nature of their lives, seek out the opportunity to temporarily spend the holiday season in another home, one in London and the other in Los Angeles. These two women trade places, and in the process find love.

Admittedly, were the plot placed in the hands of another cast it would have fallen flat, but with a cast as talented as Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jack Black, and Jude Law, it's hardly difficult to see why the film is such an extraordinary tale of romance. The cinematography, while quaint and simple, is nice and warmly lit, and the passion and chemistry between the four actors would be impossible to replicate again. While the film makes little efforts at setting itself apart from other romantic comedies, particularly those which take place around the holiday season, it somehow succeeds in doing just that.

Jack Black stands out in particular in his role as a film composer, a role which allows the actor's own passion and understanding for music shine through rather than seep out as a fumbling awkward attempt at portraying a character with a love for something he doesn't entirely understand. The four actors together all seem to have deeper understandings of their characters in that way, each with their own small nuances and successful efforts at turning an otherwise blank slate for romance into someone who is believable as a living and breathing human being.

Naturally, with music being such an important detail within the film's plot and theme, it was important that the film was scored by someone capable of understanding the intricate details of soundtrack, and Hans Zimmer is capable of doing just that

Sonically and visually, the film presents romance in a simple and modest way, it's something natural which falls into place rather than the cosmic aligning of stars or a sweeping tale of two star crossed lovers eternally meant to find one another. Instead, it's beautiful in its simplicity, and it depicts the way two people (or rather, four people) can find someone who simply is the right match for them.

While the film does sometimes stumble and fall victim to popular tropes from romantic comedies, it still manages to stand tall and proud among the best of them as something which is genuine and sincere, and as a film which presents love in the modest and humble way which it should be.