--- title: "The Holiday: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-holiday/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-holiday" critics_score: 55 critics_reviews: 10 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Holiday (2006): what the critics said Critics' score 55 from 10 reviews: 1 positive, 7 mixed, 2 negative. The reviews lean towards a mixed verdict: The Holiday offers polished romantic escapism, but its charm only partly offsets the familiar formula. Praise centres on the performances, particularly Kate Winslet’s vulnerability, her exchanges with Eli Wallach, and the chemistry between Winslet and Jack Black. Several critics find enough warmth and glossy appeal to enjoy the romance despite its sentimentality, while others see the cast as the main reason to stay with it. Reservations cluster around predictability, excessive sweetness and characters whose behaviour feels contrived; length and self-satisfied Hollywood commentary also draw complaints. Black divides opinion, with his restraint winning praise in one review while his singing and the size of his role trouble others. The sharpest disagreement concerns emotional credibility: Eye for Film praises natural dialogue and heartfelt chemistry, whereas The AV Club finds the dialogue artificial and the characters unconvincing despite the cast’s efforts. ## Screen Daily — Mike Goodridge Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 1 December 2006. The page identifies this as a review, but the critic’s verdict is inaccessible. The available text provides no praise or complaint to single out. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/the-holiday/4029804.article) ## Time Out — Anna Smith Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 5 December 2006. The available standfirst compares the film to Love Actually but does not reveal the critic’s overall verdict. It suggests the comparison may not appeal to everyone, but provides no specific praise or complaint. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-holiday-1) ## Radio Times — Ifra Khan Rating 3/5. Khan finds the film sugar-dusted escapism, though it papers over the messier truths of heartbreak. She singles out Kate Winslet’s quiet vulnerability as the film’s emotional core. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-f04k4r/the-holiday-watch-stream-online/) ## Total Film — Total Film Rating 3/5. 8 December 2006. The review finds the film mushy and formulaic, but polished enough to have glossy allure. It singles out Jack Black’s restrained, charming performance as a saving grace. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-holiday-review/) ## Variety — Justin Chang Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 30 November 2006. Chang finds the film generally pleasing but overlong, predictable, and less clever than it thinks it is. He singles out the charming exchanges between Kate Winslet and Eli Wallach, while noting that Jack Black’s role feels overstretched. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2006/film/awards/the-holiday-1200511718/) ## Empire — William Thomas Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 24 November 2000. Thomas finds the glossy romantic comedy cute and skilfully performed, but thinks its target-audience appeal is obvious. He praises its knowing jokes about movie narratives, while objecting to its sermons about Hollywood. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/holiday-review/) ## Slant Magazine — Nick Schager Rating 2/4. 30 November 2006. Schager finds the film contrived and overly saccharine, with dull characters and implausible situations. He praises the credible chemistry between Kate Winslet and Jack Black, while criticizing Black’s improvised singing. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-holiday/) ## The AV Club — Scott Tobias Rating D. 7 December 2006. Tobias pans the film as synthetic and emotionally lifeless. He singles out its artificial dialogue and says the cast cannot make the characters feel authentic. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/the-holiday-1798202230) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 10 December 2006. The critic finds the romantic comedy short on wit and insight, despite its promising premise. Eli Wallach’s performance is singled out as the film’s considerable redeeming feature. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/News_Story/Critic_Review/Observer_review/0,,1968443,00.html) ## Eye for Film — Chris Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 1 December 2006. The critic calls it a warm, shallow but well-made seasonal romance that succeeds within its formula. They praise the natural dialogue and heartfelt chemistry among the leading cast. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-holiday-film-review-by-chris) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-holiday.md