Starring: Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet
Director: Nancy Meyers
Released: 2006
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Box Office: $201 Million
This Christmas Rom Com follows the story of two women Amanda (Cameron Diaz) and Iris (Kate Winslet) who are both fed up with their lives. Amanda having just broke up with her cheating boyfriend and in for a much needed holiday goes on a home swapping website and finds Iris’s cottage on there. Iris is also looking for an escape when she finds out the mans she’s in love with (who uses her love to help his career) is engaged to someone else. They agree and arrange for Amanda to live in England and Iris to live in LA for two weeks over Christmas. Whilst each are away Amanda forms a romance with Iris’s brother Graham (Jude Law) and Iris grows close with composer Miles (Jack Black) as well as becoming great friends with her 90 year old neighbour Arthur who used to be a famous script writer in Hollywood.
I like how this film has a twist on Christmas, as apart from the decorations and a few mentions you could easily forget what time of year it’s set at. I also like how comparison is used in the film, showing just how different both of their lives are. Iris lives in a tiny cottage in a small village in England that gets covered in snow and up such a small road that you can barely get a car too it, Where as Amanda lives in a multiple bedroomed mansion with luxuries that Iris could only dream of having, in hot LA that has large driveways and even a pool. Seeing how they both react and adjust to their new living spaces is one of the best parts and really shows that even though they are both so different they can both relate and understand the other ones troubles.
I also like how we hear about how alone Amanda is after her parents divorced, which she didn’t see coming as they were all really close. When she meets Grahams children, she recognises the closeness as again its only the 3 of them, and even after their first meeting they seem to make Amanda part of the family straight away, its so lovely and heartwarming.
The part of Iris’ storyline I love the most is her relationship with Arthur, they meet and have dinner in which she informs him of all her issues with her coworker. He gives her a list of films with strong female leads and urges her to become a leading lady. She then convinces him to be key note speaker at the Writers Guild of America gala, something which he has avoided doing for years as he doesn’t want to use his walker. I like how they help each other and really give the other a new lease of life.
Overall this is a great film available on prime and I would highly recommend you check it out. Merry Christmas Everyone! Hope your day is as good as it can be!
Cinema & Chapters by Peggy 