Fans of schmaltzy rom-coms rejoice! Last Christmas is here and it's a sickly-sweet holiday treat that will either leave you wanting seconds or asking for the bill after the first bite. Call me The Grinch, but I wanted a refund.
The film stars Emilia Clarke as a hapless mid-20-year-old stuck in a dead-end job as a Christmas store elf. Things take a turn for the better when a mysterious stranger (played by Henry Golding) enters her life, helping her piece her life back together just in time for Christmas.
It's never a good sign when the film's trailer feels like the whole movie, but you would be right on the money with Last Christmas. As soon the first trailer hit the web, the film's twist had already been dissected in the YouTube comments and those holding their breath for something more will leave sorely underwhelmed.
Sure, you don't go into a film like this expecting to be surprised but neither do you want it feeling like it's three steps behind you just because you've seen the trailer. Yet, as soon the film delivers its climactic plot twist with the earnestness of a kid tying their shoelaces for the first time, the film quickly trips over its own feet.
It's hard to lay blame on the marketing department as there's not much to work with in terms of the film's story. Taking its title from the 1984 Wham! pop song Last Christmas, the film treats George Michael's music with the same depth as Yesterday treated the Beatles; as window dressing. When it comes to the actual film, it's nothing more than your typical Hallmark movie of the week. Watching Clarke bumble around is endearing enough for the first half or so but it wears thin quickly and the predictable story line does little to keep things interesting.
So, the question remains: how far can a film go based on charm alone? Well, your mileage will undoubtably vary based on your tolerance of saccharine love stories as Last Christmas is as sweet as they get. Its lack of cynicism and Clarke's infectiously bubbly lead performance will likely be its saving grace for many, but Last Christmas' story feels like a lump of coal wrapped up in pretty packaging.
The film stars Emilia Clarke as a hapless mid-20-year-old stuck in a dead-end job as a Christmas store elf. Things take a turn for the better when a mysterious stranger (played by Henry Golding) enters her life, helping her piece her life back together just in time for Christmas.
It's never a good sign when the film's trailer feels like the whole movie, but you would be right on the money with Last Christmas. As soon the first trailer hit the web, the film's twist had already been dissected in the YouTube comments and those holding their breath for something more will leave sorely underwhelmed.
Sure, you don't go into a film like this expecting to be surprised but neither do you want it feeling like it's three steps behind you just because you've seen the trailer. Yet, as soon the film delivers its climactic plot twist with the earnestness of a kid tying their shoelaces for the first time, the film quickly trips over its own feet.
It's hard to lay blame on the marketing department as there's not much to work with in terms of the film's story. Taking its title from the 1984 Wham! pop song Last Christmas, the film treats George Michael's music with the same depth as Yesterday treated the Beatles; as window dressing. When it comes to the actual film, it's nothing more than your typical Hallmark movie of the week. Watching Clarke bumble around is endearing enough for the first half or so but it wears thin quickly and the predictable story line does little to keep things interesting.
So, the question remains: how far can a film go based on charm alone? Well, your mileage will undoubtably vary based on your tolerance of saccharine love stories as Last Christmas is as sweet as they get. Its lack of cynicism and Clarke's infectiously bubbly lead performance will likely be its saving grace for many, but Last Christmas' story feels like a lump of coal wrapped up in pretty packaging.