Holidate
2020 · Directed by John Whitesell
Original language: English
- comedy
- romance
The story
Fed up with being single on holidays, two strangers agree to be each other's platonic plus-ones all year long, only to catch real feelings along the way.
What it’s like
Bright, sun-washed daylight in bedrooms, bars and family dining rooms, with the holiday decor doing much of the colour work: tinsel reds, pastel Easter bunnies, twinkling New Year's Eve lights. The camera stays fairly conventional and polished, with plenty of medium two-shots and warm tracking as the pair move through each occasion, and the score leans on bouncy pop and soft acoustic cues. It feels cozy and breezy, a light romantic comedy with a gently sentimental undertow, and it suits a lazy weekend afternoon, a comfort rewatch, or something on in the background while wrapping presents. The pacing is brisk and episodic, hopping from one holiday to the next, and the emotional register stays warm and playful with a few sincere, tender beats. Two wary, guarded people slowly let each other closer. Intensity is low: some crude jokes and sexual innuendo, a little drinking, and family awkwardness, but no real violence, gore or fear. It is for people who want a gentle, funny romance with festive scenery and no heavy stakes.
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