Love is just a holiday away.

Starring: Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Jack Black, Eli Wallach, Edward Burns, Rufus Sewell, Miffy Englefield, Shannyn Sossamon, Bill Macy, Shelley Berman, Sarah Parish, Emma Pritchard

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ - good

"Iris, in the movies, we have leading ladies and we have the best friend. You, I can tell, are a leading lady, but for some reason, you're behaving like the best friend." - Arthur Abbott

Why watch this? It's a sweet, heartfelt holiday film that grows on you.

Plot Summary: Two women from different countries, both experiencing heartbreak during the Christmas season, decide to swap homes online for a change of scenery. Amanda leaves her Los Angeles mansion for Iris's charming cottage in the snowy English countryside, while Iris settles into Amanda's sunny California lifestyle. As they navigate their unfamiliar surroundings and new acquaintances, both women unexpectedly find themselves opening up to the possibility of new relationships and self-discovery.

Dad's Preview: I'm always on the lookout for the next holiday classic film - and I don't mean those contrived Hallmark weep-fests. With this chicky-flicky effort, I may have found it. For these films, we need people frustrated by love's often brutal realities. Real love is hard to find, because we often overlook it, based on our scars, fear of commitment or the subtle, cruel manipulation of others. This film's leads all have baggage, but they are essentially good folks. Here, they are delightfully portrayed by four very adorable actors. We love them, warts and all, and that is Rom-Com 101. It was a really nice touch to add Eli Wallach's aged Jewish Hollywood writer into the mix - he adds to the story's warmth. So settle in on Christmas Eve, with some wine or eggnog, a roaring fire and enjoy The Holiday. 

Columbia Pics, Universal Pics, Relativity Media, Waverly Films;
Sony Pictures Releasing