Last Holiday (2006)

Highly Overrated But Still Good

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

It is so daring, it is so ambitious, it is so thrilling and weird and pointed and powerful. I never knew where it was going.

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

This is a good movie, and I enjoyed Queen Latifah in her starring role as a doomed (well, sort of) character on a final fling. She's a good actress! However, in my view, the film was missing something -- a spark -- the spark of romance. Yes, she and LL Cool J's characters love each other, but we see that in the beginning and end, and almost not at all throughout the main body of the film. I think that was a mistake. It's kinda difficult to have a love story without the two people who are in love being together much.On the other hand, Queen's character did not put Timothy Hutton's boss character down, as she could have, and as some directors and screenwriters would probably have wanted the character to do. But that would have been low class. And here, Queen's character is not low class. Good job director and screenwriter(s).There's little to criticize with the acting here. Not that it's stellar, but it is solid. As already mentioned, Queen does nicely. LL Cool J has matured as an actor since this film; he does okay here, but is not a stand out. Timothy Hutton does nicely as the "villain" here; plays it about right. I don't usually care much for Gérard Depardieu, but he does nicely here as the European chef. And, Alicia Witt does reasonably well as the love interest with Hutton.This could have been a much better film...and probably made a profit...had they played up the love interest more between Queen and LL. But, it is what it is, and I've watched it twice now and enjoyed it both times. A "7", but only barely.

This movie has the typical beginnings of a typical Romantic Comedy but after the main Character learns that she is diagnosed with a terminal illness due to a (dog scan) Cat Scan she all of a sudden throws everything to wild abandon since she realizes she has just weeks top live; quits her job, tells all the jerks off, abandons her family and goes to a high profile resort community after she liquidates her retirement money to live it up like no one's business since she has been led to believe that every day might as well be her last.She makes genuine friends at the exclusive hotel where she has taken the executive suite and all the other guests think she is someone she is not including the politician from her region whom she meets and calls out. She lives it up literally thinking every day is her last and makes everyone at the high end hotel love her. She continues to be the life of the party and then the man that she loves from her former job flies down comes to meet her after he learns about her diagnosis and ironically after the maid that was bribed to pry into her bio reads her sad 'if I die from my disease' note turns 180 and in the process turns all the hotel staff on her side. Finally at New Years, ironically the person most intimidated by her audacious live every day by the moment attitude learns who she really is and after his degrading speech she admits he is right but also says she never meant to brag 0r pretend and once she says that she is also suffering from a disease that will kill her any day, everyone at the table abandons him and flock to her.Later on her former company boss from the company she so boldy quit before this fateful trip is on a ledge to jump to his end. She goes up there to console him and the man she loves that flew to see her joins the ledge and proposes to her. She agrees and then the uptight possibly German maid sees the fax document that fell to the floor from the Indian doctor that realized he misdiagnosed her due to a flaw in the machinery.Everyone lives happily ever after.

Queen Latifah plays Georgia Byrd, a woman on her "Last Holiday" in this 2006 film also starring Timothy Hutton, Gerard Depardieu, L.L. Cool J, Alicia Witt, and Giancarlo Esposito. Georgia works in the cookware department of a big department store chain. She's incredibly popular with customers, and at home, she keeps a "possibilities" scrapbook with recipes she's cooked copying her idol, Emeril Lagasse, photos of exotic places, and a photo of her married to her dream man (Cool J) who works with her. But her dream of a restaurant, marriage, a family - she's too shy to really go after them. Then she learns that she only has three weeks to live. She cashes in all of her retirement menu and sets off for Prague. There, she entrances everyone she meets and is unafraid to say what she thinks or take chances. Her popularity and attitudes rankle the owner of the store where she worked (Hutton) who is suspicious of her.Queen Latifah is a natural actress who radiates warmth and honesty in her portrayal of Georgia Byrd. Borrowing from "Nothing Sacred" and "Living it Up," the script emphasizes living life for all its worth and not being afraid to take chances.For all its simplicity, "Last Holiday" leaves the viewer feeling very good. It's predictable, somewhat generic, but delightful, with very good performances and the beautiful scenery of Prague as a backdrop.

Last Holiday, after watching the movie I felt really moved. Though predictable, the movie will make any man, woman, or child smile in the end. Before watching the movie, my friends told me the audience applauded at the theaters. The biggest regret I have about the movie was not watching it in theaters. No Oscar-awarded movie ever moved me like this. This is the only romantic movie I actually liked. I sadly expect a high-standard critic to despise this movie so don't be fulled by them. Honestly most movies are so complex nowadays, I tend to get lost in them. The movie is simple, funny, and something the whole family will enjoy.