On October 28, Netflix released yet another original, although this one I could’ve done without. “Holidate” featuring many popular cast members, such as Emma Roberts and Jessica Capshaw, had a very unique and captivating storyline that caught my attention. Unfortunately, after watching it, I can’t say that I loved it. 

The film follows Sloane (Roberts) a single, middle-aged woman who is always the lonely family member at holiday events. Her sister Abby (Capshaw) and mother Elaine (Frances Fisher) make it their duty to find Sloane a boyfriend and constantly try to set her up with anyone they can find. After her brother proposes at the family’s Christmas, and another terrible holiday passes by, Sloane finds herself at the mall arguing with another customer Jackson (Luke Bracey) in line returning a holiday gift. After talking about their awful holidays, Jackson offers the idea of being each other’s “Holidate” (A plus one you bring to every holiday so you’re never alone, but not in a relationship or serious in any way). 

I think this plot has a really creative concept. The movie wasn’t completely awful, but it definitely could’ve been produced a little bit better and less cringy. There was a lot of potential for this movie, and although I still enjoyed it and laughed a lot, there were a lot of points where I second guessed why some things were even added into the film. One good thing I can say about this film is that it did make me laugh a lot. I like a lot of the actors in this film as well, so it made this a little more bearable to watch. I also think that the actors had very good chemistry together throughout and made the movie a little bit. 

After agreeing to the “holidate” idea, the two celebrate New Year’s Eve together at a popular party that Jackson had tickets to. They get to know each other more and share stories of their exes, Sloane’s especially. She tells Jackson how she can’t get over her “perfect” ex that broke her heart and cheated on her. Over the course of the night, the both of them hit it off really well, but Sloane doesn’t think the idea of a holidate is necessary and ghosts Jackson until further notice. 

On Valentine’s Day, Sloane runs into her ex at a candy store with his new girlfriend, just as Jackson walks by outside the store and sees the interaction happen. He barges in and plays it off as Sloane’s boyfriend to save her from even more embarrassment. Meanwhile, the two had not spoken for about two months. The both of them bond in the car and make it official to be at every holiday for each other. Saint Patty’s Day, Easter, Cinco De Mayo and Mother’s Day all pass by with the both of them by each other’s side at all. On the fourth of July, Jackson hurts his hand in a firework accident, where Sloane must then take care of him, according to “holidate” rule #3, “leave no holidate behind,” that the two jokingly mention a few times throughout the movie. While taking care of Jackson, Sloane finds herself falling for him, but fights that urge knowing he doesn’t feel the same way. 

I personally really enjoy the character of Jackson in this film. I feel like he’s very relatable and keeps a calm head for the entire film, unlike Sloane who freaks out for more than half of it and plays it overdramatically. Jackson always made valid points and made his character very likeable. I feel like they made Sloane a little over the top and even somewhat annoying, and whenever there was any little inconvenience had to make a whole show about it. 

Halloween comes and Jackson and Sloane go as pirates together to a party. Sloane gets unexpectedly sick as Abby accidentally gives her laxatives instead of ibuprofen. Jackson takes her home and in return this time takes care of her. The two stay the night together, but then Sloane acts as if nothing happened the following day, which frustrates Jackson. On Thanksgiving, while shopping for food, the two get into an argument about Halloween night and how they both acted. Jackson exclaims how he feels for Sloane, as she stubbornly refuses to agree and believe him. From then on, the two split up, but Sloane comes to terms with her feelings for him and in a spiral of events, tries to win him back.

I find this movie to be kind of annoying in the way that the scenes play out because the film just kind of jumps from holiday to holiday without anything else happening in the middle. I wish it would’ve shown more of the normal days of Sloane and Jackson individually and their lives outside of the holidays. I think it just got kind of repetitive when it flipped from like five different holidays right in a row.

This movie is alright for some boring snowy day with nothing to do, but I would not find myself going out of my way to watch this again. I did however enjoy the choice of actors used in this film, that is maybe one of the only plus sides. This film somehow had a lot of success, being seen high on the Netflix charts, so much that screenwriter Tiffany Paulsen has already talked about making a sequel. What a joy that will be to watch.