#lukebracey

Eventually, someone will make a self-aware romantic comedy so good it’ll make all the money, show filmmakers how it can be done, and more importantly how it can be ripped off so we can have more than one. Holidate takes the time to poke fun at the genre’s trappings but then proceeds to commit the same sins we’ve seen over and over.

Sloane (Emma Roberts) hates the holidays. Every time she gets together with her family, all they talk about is her lack of a long-term relationship. When she meets Jackson (Luke Bracey), they strike a deal to be each others’ “holidates” for the foreseeable future.

Holidate isn't really a Christmas movie, but is kinda. Think Holiday Inn. Jackson and Sloane meet right after Christmas. Each of their get-togethers is getting closer to the next one but if you can only take the season of giving in small quantities, you should be ok.

You could linger on the contrived premise but let’s not. Better reasons to complain come in the form of empty, one-dimensional characters. Sloane’s relationship is just about the only thing any of her family members ever talk about. When something else comes around - like her sisters’ crumbling marriage - it’s dealt with swiftly and then dropped. Jack receives what could be a life-altering and career-ending injury but it’s little more than a gag that could’ve been edited out of the movie with no consequences. The film is packed with moments like these.

The couple, their friends, and family cannot provide an adequate foundation for character-based humor or conflict. Instead, Holidate has to indulge in the clichés it previously made fun of for inspiration. I know the 3rd act breakup "has to happen". In a way, it’s what audiences want. Is it too much to ask for it to have a semblance of realism? Thinking of real-world reasons for people who are pretending to be in a relationship to not want to pretend anymore is not that hard.

One thing you won’t foresee is how surprisingly R-Rated a movie this is. There are way more crude sex jokes and f-bombs than expected but much like Jackson's best friend who gives terrible dating advice, it adds nothing to the movie. If you were hoping to see Emma Roberts topless of Luke Bracey’s butt, you’re out of luck.

Holidate is an unremarkable holiday rom-com. None of the jokes provide laughs big enough to remember. None are so bad they’ll burn themselves into your mind either. Don’t get me wrong; there are major groaners (the scene that shows why Jackson is turned off of relationships "forever" is so awful you only forgive it because it’s over and done quick). None are so mentally-devastating the movie couldn’t have recovered (well, maybe that first one). It's the kind of movie you’ll dislike but when the time comes to explain why to someone who thought it was a barrel of laughs, you won’t care enough to. (November 21, 2020)

One True Loves 2023 Luke Bracey Jacket

Inspired by the captivating style of Luke Bracey's character, this iconic piece exudes effortless cool and rugged elegance.