Iris: I believe it's called "gumption" *slams door on Jasper's face*

            For every woman (or soft-hearted man, as the case may be) who has ever gone through an extended, difficult, over the top, heart-rending break-up, gumption is IT.

            The Holiday, Nancy Meyer's film about 2 women who swap houses, cars, etc.,  starts off innocuously – people who are in love, falling out of love, enduring lost loves and, well, going through the throes of unrequited love. Montages of the characters are flashed: Miles (Jack Black) composing a film score, Amanda (Cameron Diaz) wordlessly drying out in the passenger seat as she looks at her boyfriend, Arthur (Eli Wallach) looking forlornly at the faded wedding picture of his wife, and Iris (Kate Winslet), at the office Christmas party, wrapping a present for her ex-beau, who just makes it so difficult to let go.

20 minutes into the movie, as Kate Winslet's ex announces his engagement to another woman, I find myself dabbing at my eyes with tissue. A longer stream of weepy moments follow while my seatmate in the darkened theatre elbows me in jest. It's the kind of movie that doesn't factor in "being on the rebound." Neither does it discuss the   lifestyle adjustments and cross-cultural ramifications of long-distance relationships, but hey, one doesn't go on a holiday to think, right?

So, with the usual Americana meets British bloke, or Britgirl meets Amboy, establish an inexplicable connection over a lilting musical score, have amazing sex, or a profound conversation over dinner (whichever comes first), break-up, as in, really break-up with their philandering exes, discover secrets and other complications, fall into a bit of a quandary and, throwing all caution to the wind, spontaneously spill out their viscera, er, their feelings.

Of course, special mention goes to Jude Law (come on ladies, altogether now, heave that collective sigh of longing). Looks aside, his portrayal of Graham, Iris' hunk of a brother and other half of the Cameron-Jude love team, was just, well, in colloquial Filipino, referred to as, "makalaglag-panty". Such a character, a rather geeky, full-time father of two who's a weeper (roll that R in a very English way, will you?), a literature major, and a very expressive gentleman, is someone who infuses the movie with the kind of mass-appeal worthy of a semi-chickflick.

Jack Black also exploits his musical prowess to a hilt (dear God, please don't let him be typecast into those manufactured underdog/musical prodigy roles). Even in those tender moments, it requires temporary suspension of disbelief to allow the romance to sink in. From a guy who donned tights in Nacho Libre, the character of Miles, the composer, seems to be a bit more subdued and realistic.

There are a lot of loose ends that the conclusion was unable to reconcile. Sometimes, the humor just seems to be so strategically timed. The addition of Arthur (Amanda's Oscar-winning LA neighbor) in the cast was also one of the cinematic firsts. In a way, it demonstrated how aging gracefully can be linked to how screenwriters fade away into the backdrop while the screen talents bask in the limelight.

I suppose this film was deliberately driven by a lot of "sensitive male" characters and strong-willed, career-oriented females with a vulnerable, totally neurotic side hidden beneath that façade of accomplishment.

Too bad it wasn't released around Christmastime in the Philippines (international release date of Sony Digital was pegged at December 8^th). Nevertheless, it sure was a nice film to relax with, on days off and post-midterms downtime, it's the kind of entertainment that elicits guaranteed hand-holding. Of course, the prerequisite would be: to have gumption. ;-)
Pinoy Era

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