++THe BrEAk Up BoOn++. Review on The Holiday Movie

I've found almost everything ever written about love to be true. Shakespeare said "Journeys end in lovers meeting." What an extraordinary thought. Personally, I have not experienced anything remotely close to that, but I am more than willing to believe Shakespeare had. I suppose I think about love more than anyone really should. I am constantly amazed by its sheer power to alter and define our lives. It was Shakespeare who also said "love is blind". Now that is something I know to be true. For some quite inexplicably, love fades; for others love is simply lost. But then of course love can also be found, even if just for the night. And then, there's another kind of love: the cruelest kind. The one that almost kills its victims. It’s called unrequited love. Of that I am an expert. Most love stories are about people who fall in love with each other. But what about the rest of us? What about our stories, those of us who fall in love alone? We are the victims of the one sided affair. We are the cursed of the loved ones. We are the unloved ones, the walking wounded. The handicapped without the advantage of a great parking space! Yes, you are looking at one such individual. And I have willingly loved that man for over three miserable years! The absolute worst years of my life! The worst Christmas', the worst Birthday's, New Years Eve's brought in by tears and valium. These years that I have been in love have been the darkest days of my life. All because I've been cursed by being in love with a man who does not and will not love me back. Oh god, just the sight of him! Heart pounding! Throat thickening! Absolutely can't swallow! All the usual symptoms.

It takes two to tango!

Fed up with their usual despondency and an effort to break away from the life which reminds them constantly of the heartaches and relationships gone wrong, Two women decide to swap homes. Iris(Kate Winslet), staying in a cosy countryside manor in Surrey England, is too fed up of being used and jilted time and again by her boyfriend Jasper (Rufus Sewell). On the other hand Amanda Woods (Cameron Diaz), a budding film professional  staying in an uptown locality in LA, also needs to get over Ethan (Edward Burns). An internet site leads them to the idea of switching their homes in view of the fact that a changed scenario would help them get over the pain.

Amanda finds herself in a countryside home with no usual facilities and tries to back on her decision, when a very drunk Graham(Jude Law), Iris' brother lands up on her door. She gets smitten at the first sight and suddenly the countryside starts appearing beautiful to her. While Iris is happy to be in Amanda's home , complete with all the luxuries she always dreamt of. Here she comes across Arthur Abbott (Eli Wallach), and thereon she finds a friend in a person who is nearly ninety years old. They mutually grow fond of each other and in process fill up the empty spaces of their lives. Iris also finds herself romantically inclined towards Miles (Jack Black), whose a singer.

The movie speaks of the story of two women rising above their gloom and finding happiness and satisfaction.

I understand feeling as small and as insignificant as humanly possible. And how it can actually ache in places you didn't know you had inside you. And it doesn't matter how many new haircuts you get, or gyms you join, or how many glasses of chardonnay you drink with your girlfriends... you still go to bed every night going over every detail and wonder what you did wrong or how you could have misunderstood. And how in the hell for that brief moment you could think that you were that happy. And sometimes you can even convince yourself that he'll see the light and show up at your door. And after all that, however long all that may be, you'll go somewhere new. And you'll meet people who make you feel worthwhile again. And little pieces of your soul will finally come back. And all that fuzzy stuff, those years of your life that you wasted, that will eventually begin to fade.

In a totally contrary situation to their lifestyles, they find perfection in unison. A wonderful romantic flick, which makes you mushy and turns your insides.  I seriously did not think that I would be affected by a movie so simple and adorable. But few scenes touched me like anything, for instance Amanda trying hard to squeeze a tear and not being able to and finaly in the scene when she is finally ends up crying. When Iris realizes the loneliness and that unappealing sandwich on Arthur's plate and invites him for dinner. Or that of Amanda coming across Graham's kids. Even the way Iris shows door to Jasper is commendable.

Kate Winslet is done a phenomenal job in shoes of being a wronged woman, used by her lover. Cameron Diaz is as cheerful and bubbly as required for her role. Jude Law looks subtle and quiet though he must have really done wonders to the heartbeat of women. Eli Wallach is endearing and just looks like a next door neighbor I would love to have. Jack Black's role does not take much screen space. As for me Kate Winslet was the one I noticed most becaz of her dialogue delivery and act.

The backdrop and screen play are magnificent and the few places where the camera has caught the beauty of English country is breathtaking.

The Story and Direction is by Nancy Meyers and Kudos to her for such a laudable movie. The film keeps the interest of the viewer intact throughout. The concept is brilliantly executed and displayed. Though the movie deals with heartbreak still it never makes you feel disillusioned or sad at any moment. Other fact which puts a smile on your face is the fact that how hard we try to get out and get over someone and we tend to do all possible nonsense in hope that it works. Notable is the first scene where Amanda meet Graham and persuade him to have sex right away just to prove a statement of his EX wrong that she is bad at sex (Amanda's dialogues are hilarious and she has acted too well).  On and on "The Holiday" is a cheerful romantic movie which talks about "Taking Chances".

I know my package, perhaps in the light of day, isn't all that wonderful, but I finally know what I want and that, in itself, is a miracle.