Reviews Are In For Netflix’s ‘Holidate:’ Is This Rom-Com Worthy Of Streaming?
It’s that time of year when the Christmas holiday movies start appearing. This is when lovers of rom-com movies and the festive season grab the nearest box of tissues and snuggle on the couch with popcorn. However, Netflix’s latest seasonal rom-com, Holidate is getting mixed reviews. Is it worth streaming this holiday movie?
What is Holidate about?
According to Netflix, Holidate is the story of Sloane (AHS’s Emma Roberts) and Jackson (Luke Bracey) who both hate the holidays. Every year they find themselves single at the table or stuck with unwanted dates. However, during one particularly bad Christmas, two strangers meet. They decide to make a pact to be each other’s “holidate” for all festive holidays throughout the following year.
While they both hate the holidays and believe they have no romantic interest in the other, Sloane and Jackson become each other’s perfect plus one. This leads to plenty of hilarity and hijinks along the way. However, when the end of the year, with its many celebrations, comes to an end, they discover something. Sharing everything they hate could end up being something they unexpectedly love.
What do reviewers think about the Netflix movie?
The New York Times review for Holidate goes so far as to call it a “noxious flick.” After describing the storyline of the film their reviewer mentions the characters’ “grating personalities.” They write about the “repressive strains underpinning their flirtation.” This includes the fact that Jackson mentions casual intimacy with Sloane, saying “girls get clingy” as they are “hard-wired to attach and procreate.” Whoa, female viewers would no doubt have a strong reaction to that one!
Meanwhile, they write that Sloane’s pals keep pushing their belief that girls need a guy to survive. What year are we living in anyway? Anyone?
‘Refreshingly raunchy comedy’ on Netflix
On a different note, Cinema Blend’s reviewer deems Holidate “A refreshingly raunchy comedy for the holidays.” He mentions the chemistry between Emma Roberts and Luke Bracey, saying they “throw dialog at each other as effortlessly as pieces of chocolate.” This reportedly keeps the romance and comedy “flowing in equal measure.”
As noted in the review, romantic comedies set around the holidays are a popular sub-genre, especially when it comes to the streaming channels. Everyone knows about Hallmark’s festive romances. Now Netflix is competing to get their subscribers bingeing their holiday content. And while most holiday films are based on the same context, this reviewer says Holidate is different. Instead of soppy music and twinkling lights, this new rom-com doesn’t waste viewers’ time showing it has a heart. However, they point out this isn’t something you would want the whole family to watch.
As Sloane and Luke meet up for every holiday on the calendar, they promise not to get too attached. But will this continue? Cinema Blend’s reviewer sat down to watch a cute romance with comedy thrown in. He ended up “laughing pretty hard and quite frequently.” He notes that the best description for Holidate is that it is an adult rom-com, which includes refreshingly sexual moments along with healthy hilarity.
The adult holiday rom-com is streaming now on Netflix. Watch the trailer included below, grab the popcorn and give it a chance.
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