Review: Holidate

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Title: Holidate
MPAA Rating: TV-MA
Director: John Whitesell
Starring: Emma Roberts, Luke Bracey, Kristin Chenoweth
Runtime: 1 hr 43 mins

What It Is: Sloane (Roberts) is a woman who’s just broken up her handsome French boyfriend. She’s spending the holidays as she often does…alone. Meanwhile pro golfer Jackson gets himself into a situation over the holidays. The two meet right before New Years’ and decide to meet up for that event as each other’s “holidate”. When it goes well they make an arrangement to hang out EVERY holiday. For her to throw off her parents and for him so that it isn’t as awkward. What happens when being just a holidate isn’t enough.

What We Think: Look. This isn’t what you’d traditionally call a good film. Nah instead what this is is a very charming little film that is harmless. That said it’s also somewhat daring. From the language to the very explicit nature of some of the dialogue the cute factor kicks in only in small spurts. Bracey and Roberts have some decent chemistry. I really liked what they did together even if the dialogue used to get there is…well…meh. Tiffany Paulsen’s script relies on a bit too many cliches. That said she makes the whole holiday thing work as a sort of keeper of time is a really cool framing device for the whole story.

Our Grade: D+, Meh is the real feeling here. Roberts is always rather charming but Bracey needs her far too much. When he’s not with her in a scene he’s pretty bad. Likewise the minor character shift in and out without enough impact to be important enough to leave an impression. Romcoms can live and die by those tiny side characters. If just a bit more thought had been put into that aspect of the script and storytelling this would’ve been an excellent romantic comedy.

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