Director: Paul Feig
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Runtime: 103 Minutes
Main Cast: Emilia Clarke, Henry Golding, Emma Thompson, Michelle Yeoh, Jade Anouka, Patti LuPone, Rob Delaney, Lydia Leonard, Sue Perkins, Rebecca Root
Plot: Kate’s life changed for the worse when she was seriously ill a couple of years ago. She sleeps on the couch of a friend’s house each night until they tire of her and kick her out, she refuses to speak to her mother, and her boss at the Christmas store she works at has all but given up on her. That is, until she meets Tom, whose optimism turns her life around.
My Thoughts: I’ve loved every Paul Feig movie I’ve seen, and Christmas is my favourite time of year, so I was so excited when the trailer for Last Christmas finally came out. Then I saw on Twitter a lot of tweets about the trailer giving too much away and I kind of steered clear just in case. I mean, the main character suffered a huge trauma and the movie itself is called ‘Last’ Christmas so I knew it would be a weepy one, but I didn’t want to find out the entire plot via Twitter.
That said, I’m marking the rest of this post as SPOILER TERRITORY. Go and watch the movie first, unless you’ve already seen Twitter or Reddit, because I looked just, and sure enough, the internet worked out what happened. You clever lot, you. Anyway, I adored this movie. Emilia Clarke is a national treasure. She can say more with her eyebrows than with words, I’m telling you! And Henry Golding? Swoon. I knew something was off straight away, though. You’re telling me someone in 2019 doesn’t have a phone? To be honest, I just assumed he was a figment of Emilia’s imagination…some sort of Christmas spirit that turns up only when she needs him. I guess I wasn’t far off.
And then the twist. My bestie Steph was with me at the time. When Emilia went back to Henry’s place to find out no one had lived there for ages? Steph worked it out just like that and told me…and then cue the uncontrollable sobbing. We were literally sat there crying and wiping our eyes in sync…we were a right mess! After that, it felt like it should have all been so obvious…garden and bench included but…ugh.
Best Bit: Just when I thought I would never smile again, it was Christmas Day, and Emma Thompson made a comment about lesbian pudding. Can we please protect Emma Thompson at all costs? She is legendary in whatever role she’s playing!
Worst Bit: I come to the cinema to forget how terrible the world is, our little island in particular. Did you HAVE to stick Brexit into this?!
Fun Trivia: Paul Feig was originally not interested in doing another Holiday-comedy, after his previous entry, Unaccompanied Minors (2006), was a critical and commercial failure. However, after reading the script, personally sent to him by Emma Thompson, he was convinced.
My Rating: 4 out of 5 ugly tree decorations that Santa would proudly display in her store!
The trailer gave so much away. I still want to see this though. I had plans to last night then was too tired to make it happen.
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When I watch the trailer now, after seeing the movie, it’s almost cringe-worthy how much is given away. It’s annoying!
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Still planning on seeing this but I have this weird refusal to watch any Christmas movie until the day after Thanksgiving (don’t make fun of me). 🙂
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No I totally get that! We don’t have Thanksgiving here so for us it’s more like an after Bonfire Night kind of thing 🙂
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My mother called me up yesterday and requested me to join her watching this film later this month. I’m really curious!
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Aww you should definitely go with her! Take an extra pack of tissues for her, though.
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Duly noted! 😀
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I hope it’ll still be in theatres when I’m ready to see it – I’m glad to hear your review and expect I might like it as well.
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It’s easy to pick apart with a critic hat on but hugely enjoyable if you can switch off from that – I hope you enjoy it!
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I just cannot believe Emma Thompson and her husband wrote that twist in. It’s so outrageously cliche and dumb it makes me wanna see it but I think the twist overshadows the talk of the rest of the movie which would never happen with a good script
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*SPOILER TALK*
You’re so right! We were sat there after it ended like duh, last Christmas I GAVE YOU MY HEART. Arghhhh!
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Oh. My. God.
This is so sweet.
I actually laughed when the ‘twist’ was revealed, likely revealing my blackened, Grinch-like heart to the rest of the theater goers.
Honestly, the movie is silly fun. I would watch Clarke in anything (point proven, I suppose), so I will never be mad that I saw this. But…c’mon…it’s beyond ridiculous, right? (though I will admit, I snorted at the lesbian pudding line BIG TIME)
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Oh it’s ridiculous in every sense – and I can’t imagine it’ll hold up AT ALL on a rewatch, but it was so much fun at the time.
I would have LOVED to have been in the room with you for that twist!
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