When you choose to make a film based around a holiday you
run the risk of the film being bypassed once that holiday is over. Even during
the holidays I had no real desire to see the film LAST CHRISTMAS. So imagine my
surprise to find it one of the most delightful films I’ve seen in some time.
Emilia Clarke stars as Kate, a young woman living in London
who works in an all year round Christmas shop dressed as an elf. Her boss is
simply named Santa (Michelle Yeoh), an owner who has a habit of stocking some
unusual items in her store. While working there Kate also attempts to launch a
career singing in productions, auditioning for nearly any part available and
never landing a role.
Kate is in the middle of a bad
period in her life. Her career is going nowhere, she has no place of her own to
live, counting on the kindness of her friends to put her up. But even there her
luck runs bad as she doesn’t take long to do something that results in her
being kicked out. Her love life is on the outs as well with frequent hookups
that lead to nothing more serious than a one night stand. Her relationship with
her sister is one of mutual disapproval and the one with her mother is even
worse.
Kate’s mother (Emma Thompson
who also wrote the story and produced the film) calls her by her proper name
Katerina and worries about her non-stop. Much of this is due to an illness Kate
had the previous year which we don’t get details on until later. When all of
her friends boot her out Kate has no choice but to return home to live.
Then one day something
happens. She sees an attractive young man outside the shop looking up at the
sky. Going out to see what he’s looking at, he points out a bird to her
claiming it’s unusual to see this bird in the city. They talk a bit and he
convinces her to walk with him later. Doing so he shows her a small alley,
giving her the history of it and showing that it ends up in a small garden
courtyard with benches that people can sit on.
Kate becomes infatuated with
the man who she learns is named Tom (Henry Golding). He tells her he works late
nights but before he goes to work they continue to spend time together. One
place he lets her know he works is a mission for homeless people. When Tom
doesn’t show one night, she goes there looking for him only to be recruited
into helping.
The relationship between Tom
and Kate builds as the movie progresses but they never sleep together. He tells
her he’s old fashioned like that. As they spend time together things begin to
change for Kate. She becomes happier. She becomes less selfish. She starts helping
other people, especially at the homeless shelter. But will that happiness carry
on? Will Tom be there for her forever? Will something happen that changes
everything?
In spite of revealing a lot of
what takes place in the film so far I’m holding back on much of it. That’s
because this movie did something that so few do for me these days. It surprised
me. It caught me off guard. I’ve seen so many movies that rarely happens and
when it does it make me happy to see that this is still possible.
The surprise is not all that
makes me recommend this movie. It has a bright, fresh feeling to it in spite of
the life that Kate lives when we first meet her. The film doesn’t rely on naked
bodies or four letter words to present a story of two people in love unlike most
films today. Instead it harkens back to the romantic screwball comedies of the
past relying on witty writing, great performances and a story that captures the
heart.
Clarke is known mostly for her
role in GAME OF THRONES but shows that she has so much potential to move past
that into Sandra Bullock territory, a romantic lead with the ability to make
you laugh as well. Golding is a surprise, having only been in six films to far,
his first being CRAZY RICH ASIANS where he did an amazing job as well. Thompson
is hilarious here as an immigrant fearful of everything and concerned for her
children.
As I said at the start, I had
no interest in this movie when it was released. I not admit that the film was a
charming, refreshing change of pace that will entertain, enlighten and make you
think twice about the world we live in. With music obviously written by the
late George Michael used throughout, it’s a movie that you should watch, in
spite of Christmas having come and gone.
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