THE HOLIDAY — ** — Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law; rated PG-13 (vulgarity, profanity, brief sex, violence, brief drugs).
"The Holiday" neatly illustrates the difference between an actor and a celebrity.
In one of the film's parallel story lines, you have actress Kate Winslet, who with little effort helps elevate some pretty formulaic and fluffy material. In the other is celebrity Cameron Diaz, who seems to be laboring here, relying on her cuteness rather than any discernible acting ability. This romantic comedy also has an almost terminal case of the cutes.
"The Holiday" also runs on much longer than it should — by a good 30 or so minutes. Which doesn't make it any easier to swallow.
As promised by the title, the stories occur on or around the Christmas holiday. British journalist Iris (Winslet) is spending hers being miserable and is looking for somewhere to go after she discovers that her best friend and longtime crush (Rufus Sewell) is getting married. Advertising executive Amanda (Diaz) has just broken up with her philandering boyfriend (Edward Burns) and needs to get out of Hollywood.
Thanks to an international home-exchange program, the two women switch places for a couple of weeks. Consequently, Amanda finds herself in Iris' tiny cottage, where she meets the dashing but inebriated Graham (Jude Law). And in L.A., Iris befriends an embittered entertainment-industry veteran (Eli Wallach), as well as film composer Miles (Jack Black).
Screenwriter/director Nancy Meyers ("Something's Gotta Give") clearly needed an editor. The film is more overstuffed than a Christmas goose. And an array of celebrity cameos — from Dustin Hoffman to Lindsay Lohan to James Franco — add absolutely nothing to the film.
Meyers also neglects Winslet's story, and the romance with Black's character feels like an afterthought ... though both actors do try to make up for it.
Frankly, this would be a better picture if it had been a Winslet vehicle rather than a Diaz vehicle. Winslet's character's plight is much more believable and relatable — due in no small part to the always wonderful actress. And the subplot with veteran character actor Wallach is better still.
"The Holiday" is rated PG-13 for some suggestive talk and frank sexual language (one usage of the so-called "R-rated" curse word), a brief sex scene, some domestic violence (including comic fisticuffs) and some brief drug content (prescription drug use). Running time: 132 minutes.
E-mail: jeff@desnews.com