Almost every time I talk to my mother these days, she inevitably asks, “You didn’t watch The Holiday yet, did you?” She is, of course, referring to the film with Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law and Jack Black that has been running on cable. I keep saying “no” with a roll of my eyes. For some reason I just wasn’t compelled to watch it.
But then last night I had some down time and there it was and I knew I couldn’t take even one minute of politics. So I dug in and watched The Holiday and, well, my mother indeed knows me like a freakin’ book. I loved it.
First of all, Jude Law, with whom I share a birthday, is easy on the eyes and a delight in this role. But it was the bigger themes — possibility, openness, personal courage, love — that absorbed me so. It was about love and connection amidst life’s messiness. It was about not making assumptions, but communicating instead. It was about taking chances, helping others, trusting. All of it. Hats off to Nancy Meyers for writing a gem.
My mother will be so happy to hear that my answer has changed to “yes.”
