I was on the fence about whether or not to go see this film because the trailers looked kind of derivative and predictable. I decided to give it a shot because the cast looked very good in it. I can now say I’m very glad I decided to give this film a shot because it really captivated me. The story is wonderful on its own, then you add in the Christmas setting, and it all conspires to make for a real holiday treat. So what makes Last Christmas worthwhile and not just another run of the mill romance film?
Emilia Clarke, who I love in interviews, gives a really great spirited performance here. I already liked her as a person. I just think she gives off this really infectious positive energy. She throws herself completely into this lead role, I loved seeing the range. She has very spot on comedic timing and can handle the more light hearted fare well. She’s also tasked with some pretty sobering material and she proves she’s game for that, as well. I just love her character too. Her story is developed well.
Henry Golding co stars as her love interest, an actor I’ve loved in past projects like Crazy Rich Asians and A Simple Favor. Golding’s character is eclectic for sure, a little out of the ordinary, and I enjoyed his performance. He provided the character with a nice level of lovability and his intimate scenes with Clarke come across as genuine. He provides a very fitting sense of comfortability to Clarke’s character and that works very well with the overall story.
Michelle Yeoh has some nice moments as Clarke’s boss. While her character isn’t super important, I still enjoyed having her onscreen. Emma Thompson has some effective comedic moments as the somewhat over bearing mother. Thompson is really funny and I feel like she doesn’t get the chance to flex that acting muscle as much as she should. Thankfully, this script gives her that opportunity.
The cast aside, the story itself is very moving and deeper than I thought it would be. I love holiday films that are able to mix light hearted fun with an ultimately deeper main storyline, and that’s what Last Christmas does. I appreciate how the writers juggle the two different tones well because that can be hard to do. I’ve seen a number of films where they just weren’t able to balance the tones well and the whole thing comes crashing down.
The way the story wraps up is very clever too. Things don’t exactly turn out the way you think they will. I always love a good twist, as long as the film earns it and as long as it improves the overall result. In the case of Last Christmas, I can say that the twist they throw in does uplift the story. It has an impact on the characters that just made me smile and it makes the film so much more memorable. I’ve heard that some have been ruining the film’s ending online and I have to say that’s the ultimate sin in my book. Please do not spoil anything if you’ve seen it and if you’re planning on seeing this, which I highly suggest you do, avoid the talk online about it so your viewing experience is pure.
Last Christmas is a breath of fresh holiday air because of it’s vibrant cast and captivating story. I highly suggest taking your loved ones to see this. I know I’ll be adding it to my favorite Christmas films list!
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