Last Holiday (C+ or 2.5/4 stars)
Queen Latifah lives it up in 'Last Holiday', a comedy directed by Wayne Wang. Georgia Byrd (Latifah) is a sales clerk at a New Orleans department store. She's a plain, simple soul. She wakes up, goes to work, longs for co-worker, Sean (LL Cool J), goes home, watches Emeril, cooks a fantastic meal, but eats a separate lean cuisine meal, goes to bed, goes to church on Sundays, sings meekly in the choir, etc. (nothing exciting). She even has a 'possibilities' scrapbook where her hopes & dreams reside. Circumstances arise that forces Georgia to get an MRI. And when the results show that she has 3 weeks to live, she cashes her savings & embarks on her 'last holiday'. This film is fresh, cute, & it had lots of potential. But in the end, it doesn't stretch itself out of a certain stale mold.
Where does Georgia choose to go? The Czech Republic's Grandhotel Pupp (pronounced poop). She even hopes to meet one of her idols, Chef Didier (a warm & friendly Gerard Depardieu). With 3 weeks left, Georgia decides to spend all her doe. She checks into the Presidential Suite, gives large tips, buys evening wear, orders everything on the menu, and makes her presence well known to some elitist onlookers. These onlookers include an American Senator, Congressman, a retail bigwig, and his secretary/mistress. The retail giant is convinced that Ms. Byrd is there as a rival to sabotage his big business plans.
Georgia has nothing to lose. She 'tells-off' her nasty boss before leaving for Europe. She yells at a man on the plane when his seatback goes too far. She tells the various politicians, exclusive guests, & the like, her opinion on all matters because it 'will' not matter in 3 weeks. Since finding out she is dying, Georgia opens up and sets free as a bird. No one can stop her. She breaks out of her shell and wears, eats, does, & speaks as she pleases. Why not snowboard? Why not go free base jumping? Why not get top drawer spa treatments? She is the Bell of her own Ball. The snowy European backdrop is the perfect setting for a world that Georgia had only ever hoped she could see one day. Nothing is stopping her ... until some people start figuring out her unfortunate secret.
This is a 1950 remake & since it is widely known that Georgia ultimately discovers that she is not dying, I do not feel guilty divulging. This movie reminds me a lot of 'Pretty Woman' in the way it presents an unsavory woman who wants a better life, turns into a princess, & then gets swept away by her prince (in an almost identical setting). There are some very funny and/or poignant moments spread throughout which surprised me. Scenes where she talks to herself or at God are real & heartbreaking. Serious scenes with Senator Dillings (Giancarlo Esposito) & Ms. Burns (Alicia Witt) are meaningful. And ambiguously funny scenes with Mr. Kragen (Timothy Hutton) & Ms. Gunther (Susan Kellerman) are cute. But it is all surface work. The movie goes from funny, fresh, & momentarily sad ... to over-the-top, hokey, sappy, & utterly predictable in the last 15 minutes.
Queen Latifah is stellar here. She completely takes-on the role of the 'everyday dullard woman' who decides to throw caution to the wind as certain death is on her doorstep. What's most frustrating about 'Last Holiday' is that while it is 'good', it could and should have been so much better. The story itself and the foundation of the plot is identifiable & comfortable, but the ending lacks uniqueness. It is too picture perfect. And the epilogue scenes during the end credits really pushed me over the edge. Still, while the execution of the film is standard, and the denouement frenzied, there are lots of moments to take in and enjoy.
Where does Georgia choose to go? The Czech Republic's Grandhotel Pupp (pronounced poop). She even hopes to meet one of her idols, Chef Didier (a warm & friendly Gerard Depardieu). With 3 weeks left, Georgia decides to spend all her doe. She checks into the Presidential Suite, gives large tips, buys evening wear, orders everything on the menu, and makes her presence well known to some elitist onlookers. These onlookers include an American Senator, Congressman, a retail bigwig, and his secretary/mistress. The retail giant is convinced that Ms. Byrd is there as a rival to sabotage his big business plans.
Georgia has nothing to lose. She 'tells-off' her nasty boss before leaving for Europe. She yells at a man on the plane when his seatback goes too far. She tells the various politicians, exclusive guests, & the like, her opinion on all matters because it 'will' not matter in 3 weeks. Since finding out she is dying, Georgia opens up and sets free as a bird. No one can stop her. She breaks out of her shell and wears, eats, does, & speaks as she pleases. Why not snowboard? Why not go free base jumping? Why not get top drawer spa treatments? She is the Bell of her own Ball. The snowy European backdrop is the perfect setting for a world that Georgia had only ever hoped she could see one day. Nothing is stopping her ... until some people start figuring out her unfortunate secret.
This is a 1950 remake & since it is widely known that Georgia ultimately discovers that she is not dying, I do not feel guilty divulging. This movie reminds me a lot of 'Pretty Woman' in the way it presents an unsavory woman who wants a better life, turns into a princess, & then gets swept away by her prince (in an almost identical setting). There are some very funny and/or poignant moments spread throughout which surprised me. Scenes where she talks to herself or at God are real & heartbreaking. Serious scenes with Senator Dillings (Giancarlo Esposito) & Ms. Burns (Alicia Witt) are meaningful. And ambiguously funny scenes with Mr. Kragen (Timothy Hutton) & Ms. Gunther (Susan Kellerman) are cute. But it is all surface work. The movie goes from funny, fresh, & momentarily sad ... to over-the-top, hokey, sappy, & utterly predictable in the last 15 minutes.
Queen Latifah is stellar here. She completely takes-on the role of the 'everyday dullard woman' who decides to throw caution to the wind as certain death is on her doorstep. What's most frustrating about 'Last Holiday' is that while it is 'good', it could and should have been so much better. The story itself and the foundation of the plot is identifiable & comfortable, but the ending lacks uniqueness. It is too picture perfect. And the epilogue scenes during the end credits really pushed me over the edge. Still, while the execution of the film is standard, and the denouement frenzied, there are lots of moments to take in and enjoy.