Fridae

In a week of so-so films, The Holiday is easily the best new release there is. It is written and directed by Nancy Myers, who struck gold with chicks flicks for straight adult women like What Women Want and Something's Gotta Give.

In her latest, Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz play single women living in London and Los Angeles respectively. Desperate to forget their romantic failures, they decide to swop houses for just two weeks. Neither is looking for love in their new locations, but Kate finds herself increasingly drawn to an American music composer, while Cameron becomes attracted to Kate's elder brother, played by Jude Law.

Though the film is formulaic and predictable from the start, nothing will prepare you for the charm and humour the actors bring to their roles. Kate is wholly convincing and sympathetic as the woman who's "always the bridesmaid, never the bride", while Cameron plays up the comic potential in her character with aplomb. Lesbians will enjoy this film, not least because two of the most beautiful actresses in Hollywood play the central characters so well.

For the boys there's Jude Law who, truth to tell, has never looked sexier. Decked out in gorgeous threads and smiling his way through much of his screentime, he had many fags and femmes audibly swooning at the media preview last week. Just listen to theatre's collective sigh when he puts on an elegant pair of black-rimmed spectacles...

Yes, The Holiday is pure romantic fluff, but it's the right romantic fluff for the holidays.