Just yesterday I was thinking about two things. Specifically where I’d love to travel to next and what I need to add to my vision board for 2019. Little did I know that Last Holiday, the 2006 comedy about a shy woman who suddenly decides to change her life and live it up in a posh European hotel would offer me so much inspiration. 

If you’re familiar with Last Holiday, you know that I probably don’t want to be in the main protagonist’s exact predicament. However I could most definitely do with a little more of the ’embracing life’ part. 

Starring Queen Latifah, LL Cool J and Timothy Hutton, what I like most about this fun Wayne Wang-directed comedy, besides the way it has inspired me, is how much it made me laugh and smile. It’s exactly what I needed this festive season.

Latifah and her natural charisma are the reasons I tuned in at all. Other reasons I stayed watching include the many engaging characters; from Latifah’s Georgia, Chef Didier, who’s well played by Gerard Depardieu, LL Cool J’s Sean and all the staff at Grandhotel Pupp.

As for everything else in Last Holiday, key highlights include the cinematography, the way food is featured and all the well-chosen fancy outfits worn by Georgia while in Europe.

If I had to pick a moment in Last Holiday that I loved that little bit less, I’d choose the not completely believable way the snowboarding scene played out. Overall though, Last Holiday is a fun and funny holiday/Christmas movie that will put a smile on your face and have you looking forward as you think about how to best live the coming year(s). 

Watch it because it has a certain silly quality that’s good for your mood.

Happy Film Loving,

G