★★★
Kate, a frustrated Londoner who works as an elf in a year-round Christmas shop. But things soon take a turn for the better when she meets Tom, a handsome charmer who seems too good to be true
Classification: 12A
Director Paul Feig and writers Emma Thompson and Bryony Kimmings go full-blown schmaltz with their romantic Christmas comedy inspired by the music of George Michael. Taking its title from the hit song by Wham, Last Christmas is a cute concoction of a dreamy London clad in Christmas lights, a gorgeous Emilia Clarke laughing and singing and a sweet little story about the importance of self-improvement. Although Feig wants his magical holiday adventure to touch upon modern social issues such as growing xenophobia, homelessness and depression there is not enough balance between these ideas and the main romance, leaving much to be desired from the script.
Following Clarke's character of Kate, a depressed self-destructive aspiring singer who seems to burn every bridge she crosses. Working as an elf in a Christmas store her adverse personality attracts the attention of Tom, a good samaritan who believes Kate can find a new lease on life. Slowly their interactions have a positive effect on Kate as she begins to develop a romantic attraction to them and here Feig capitalises on Clarke and Henry Golding's chemistry. Clarke who is iconic as the powerful and glorious Queen Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones is allowed to cut loose and allow her comedic talents to shine. She is a delight in her role as Kate, hilarious in her delivery as she skirts around London in her terrific elf costume/leopard spot coat combo pulling a battered suitcase behind her. Alongside terrific screen presence alongside the charming Golding, the romance to Last Christmas delivers through charming yet clichéd scenes of emotional intimacy and enchanted rendezvous.
The film doesn't balance all of its subplots well but keeps all of them connected to the theme of Kate's self-improvement, Tom's refusal to treat her as a drunken sexual object alongside her fascination at his quirky outlook have her slowly begin to become better. On days where Tom doesn't come to see her, Kate will go look for him and find herself helping others through coincidence. Feig's intention isn't to have Kate become better solely to impress a man, it's more along the line that Kate is given positive and unbiased support that positively reflects on her outlook to life. Lots of the film's comedy comes from Clarke's natural charisma with the other characters, such as members of the homeless shelter she volunteers at and with her character's family.
Kate's family is originally from former Yugoslavia, fleeing to England as a result of the Yugoslav wars, the timeline to all of this is a little hazy but it feeds into Kate's dislike for herself as she rejects her immigrant heritage. This is where the unbalanced nature of the subplots can be annoying because Feig will throw in a few scenes to show how prejudice and discrimination have rocketed since Brexit but then doesn't have the true reality of it be addressed. Last Christmas doesn't need to solve every crisis it mentions but it would be nice if they were integrated into the narrative more organically especially since much of the film is trying to tell a story about a fairytale romance in London. Kate's difficulties with her mother and sister alongside the relationship she has with boss played by the always amazing Michelle Yeoh builds into this insecurity that since a medical emergency the previous year has left year different, that she is not who she once was and that this lack of faith in herself has extended to every facet of her life.
These dramatic themes give the character weight and allow Last Christmas' more emotional scenes to have more power to them but its the final execution of it all that has it all seem questionable. The film has a plot twist, so obvious that you can see it coming pretty much from Clarke and Golding's first interaction, Feig doesn't seem to be trying to be subtle about it but it makes the more serious intentions feel silly and even more unusual. The film is riding a delicate line of cheery sentimentality and poignant realism wrapped around a stylish rom-com romance, and the conclusion makes Kate's story feel more ridiculous than powerful. At times it feels as if Feig and Thompson had binged Fleabag and then ripped off portions to create Kate's personality then stuffed the rest of the film with patented Christmas fluff. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery but in the case of Last Christmas, there is much to be desired from its obvious inspirations.
However, despite its flaws in its conclusions, Clarke remains captivating throughout, Waller-Bridge comparisons aside and is a delight among her talented co-stars making Last Christmas a fun time at the cinema. It would be to the film's benefit if Feig and Thompson were more upfront at the beginning but there is still something to gain especially in its emotional moments with Kate's family and the connection between Kate and Tom. With plenty of George Michael tunes rocking through the runtime paired with the festive scenery of London's film-friendly locations, Last Christmas is a sweet little ballad for the holiday season.
Director: #PaulFeig
Release Date: November 15th 2019
Trailer:
Written review copyright ©CoreyBullochReviews
Images from the Internet Movie Database, Synopsis from Google
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