Last Holiday (12 Movies of Christmas)
- Matt Palmer
- Dec 5, 2022
- 2 min read
Show dates and times: Dec. 4 at 7 pm; Dec. 6 at 4 pm; Dec. 13 at 7 pm
Studios: Paramount Pictures/Image Movers
Tagline: Enjoy yourself ... It's later than you think!
Plot: The discovery that she has a terminal illness prompts introverted saleswoman Georgia Byrd to reflect on what she realized has been an overly cautious life. So Georgia withdraws her life savings and jets off to Europe she lives like a millionaire. Upbeat and passionate, Georgia charms everybody she meets, including renowned Chef Didier. The only one missing from her new life is her longtime crush, Sean Matthews.
Cast
Queen Latifah - Georgia Byrd
LL Cool J - Sean Matthews
Timothy Hutton - Matthew Dragen
Giancarlo Esposito - Senator Dillings
Alicia Witt - Ms. Burns
Gerard Depardieu - Chef Didier
Jane Adams - Rochelle
Michel Estime - Marlon
Susan Kellerman - Gunther
Jascha Washington - Darius
Matt Ross - Adamian
Writer(s): Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman (Shrek the Third; How the Grinch Stole Christmas)
Director: Wayne Wang (Snow Flower and the Secret Fan; Maid in Manhattan)
Rated PG-13 for some sexual references (112 minutes)
The 2006 Queen Latifah comedy 'Last Holiday' is a charming, fun little movie that is refreshing. There are quite a few humorous moments and Latifah is hilarious as always. All of her performances in her films (even the ones that are just so-so) are always great.
There are also some dramatic, emotional moments with Latifah's character dealing with a recent medical diagnosis. Indeed, there are some moments that are kind of cliched. But, those moments are still fairly entertaining.
And, after watching this again, I just realized that the actor who plays Senator Dillings (Giancarlo Esposito) is Gus Fring from 'Breaking Bad' and 'Better Call Saul.'
Anyway, one last item I want to add is 'Last Holiday' actually has a great little message is always try to live life to the fullest, which is what Queen Latifah's character does. So, do make sure to check out this holiday comedy during the 12 Movies of Christmas festival!
Here are a few interesting tidbits for 'Last Holiday':
All the dishes served in the movie were prepared by Food Network chefs who traveled with the crew to do the cooking. They also taught Queen Latifah some basic cooking techniques so she would look like a professional chef in the movie.
The writers of this movie are big fans of Ealing Studios comedies, and jumped at the chance to remake the original Alec Guiness film, 'Last Holiday' (1950). Originally they intended for John Candy to play George Byrd, but the project was shelved after Candy's death. It was resurrected years later when Latifah's agent read the script, and contacted the writers about rewriting the story for a woman in the lead.
The movie opened on 2,514 screens in the US, earning $12.8 million and ranking No. 2 in its opening weekend. It eventually earned $38.4 million in the US and $4.9 million in foreign markets for a worldwide box office total of $43.3 million.
Queen Latifah was nominated for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture.
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