The Holiday (2006)
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Two women from opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean swap homes for the holiday season to escape heartbreak.
The story
Iris Simpkins, a London-based columnist, is struggling with her feelings for an ex-boyfriend who is about to get engaged. Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Amanda Woods is dealing with the aftermath of a breakup with her film composer boyfriend. Upon discovering Iris's Surrey cottage on a home swap website, Amanda reaches out, and the two women agree to exchange homes for two weeks during the Christmas season. Each woman seeks a change of scenery to find herself again, unaware of the complications and new connections that will arise in their respective new environments as they navigate the holiday season.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Iris Simpkins, a London columnist, is heartbroken by her ex-boyfriend Jasper's engagement. Amanda Woods, a Los Angeles production owner, is reeling from her boyfriend Ethan's infidelity. The two women agree to a home exchange for the holidays. Iris moves to Amanda's large house in California, while Amanda moves to Iris's cottage in Surrey. In England, Amanda meets Iris's brother, Graham, a widower and single father. After a night of drinking, they share a kiss and Amanda decides to stay and see him. In the U.S., Iris befriends Amanda's neighbor, Arthur, a veteran screenwriter, and Miles, a film composer. Arthur encourages her to find her own strength, while Miles and Iris bond over their shared romantic struggles. As the holidays progress, Amanda discovers Graham's secret life as a single father and realizes she is in love with him. Iris eventually rejects Jasper when he tries to reconcile and finds a new connection with Miles. On New Year's Eve, the two women find happiness: Amanda chooses to stay with Graham and his daughters, while Iris accepts a new beginning with Miles.
- First release year
- 2006
- Runtime (minutes)
- 136
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Nancy Meyers
- Writers
- Nancy Meyers · writer
- Cast and characters
- Cameron Diaz · Amanda; Kate Winslet · Iris; Jude Law · Graham; Jack Black · Miles; Eli Wallach · Arthur; Edward Burns · Ethan; Rufus Sewell · Jasper
- Genres
- romantic comedy
- Themes
- Self-discovery; New beginnings; Friendship
- Tone and mood
- Romantic; Heartwarming; Whimsical
- Premise and plot tags
- Home Exchange; Holiday Romance; Cross-Atlantic
- Reception
- The film received generally mixed reviews from critics, who praised the visual design and cast performances but criticized the predictable plot.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 51% · scale: percentage · review count: 160; Metacritic · score: 52 · scale: 100 · review count: 31
- Production trivia
- The film was shot in both California and England.; The film became the twelfth highest-grossing film of the 2000s to be helmed by a female director.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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