LAST CHRISTMAS
UK, 2019, 102 minutes, Colour.
Emelia Clark, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Emma Thompson, Boris Isakovic, Lydia Leonard, Patti Lu Pone.
Paul Feig.
The story for this film is credited to Emma Thompson and her husband, Greg Wise. They must have a thing for George Michael – or, much more than a thing. The title of the film comes from one of his songs which gets quite some repetition throughout the story. And, looking at the credits, there are lots of excerpts from George Michael’s other songs.
The film opens, interestingly, in former Yugoslavia, in 1999, the aftermath of the Balkan wars. The young Katarina is singing in a concert, watched by her proud parents and her sister. We have a setting. But, suddenly the film moves on 20 years and we are in London. It seems as though the transition from the Balkans to the UK has not been as easy as the family might have hoped.
Katarina wants to be called Kate. She has been sick – and the nature of the sickness is only slowly revealed (so not here). She works as an elf, dressed as an elf, at a Yuletide store in Covent Gardenn, managed by a rather grumpy Michelle Yeoh. Kate is always in trouble, often careless, inconsiderate, has to leave where she is boarding, reluctant to go home, finding her sympathetic taxidriver father, reluctantly visiting her rather severe mother (an accented Emma Thompson looking and sounding very much in the Nanny McPhee? tradition). Kate also clashes with her sister Martha, especially when the family gathers for a meal.
So, where can this go? Mainly following Katarina/Kate. She is played by Emelia Clarke, post-Game of Thrones, who, despite herself and her illness and her messing things up, is very cheerfully twee in both look and manner.
At work, she finds a handsome stranger on a bicycle looking into the shop. She keeps encountering him, saying she resists his friendship, but always happy to meet him. One day, she finds him volunteering for a shelter for homeless men and women. She goes in on another day to find him and is trapped into supervising the biscuits and tea and then to serve the soup. He is played by Henry Golding escaping from Crazy Rich Asians.
And so, one of the main messages, especially for Christmas but all year round, is letting one’s guard down, becoming friends with people one normally wouldn’t associate with, appreciate their needs, collaboration help – even setting a coffee cup for change in front of her as she sings Christmas carols for passers-by. Of course, there is quite a range of characters at the homeless shelter – but, no sign of Tom.
This is the kind of film where there is some sadness and tears but also some happiness and smiles – especially as she goes out shopping with her mother, the mother mellowing slightly but still blunt in expression, and everybody turning up to the Christmas concert that she organises at the shelter.
This can be called a nice kind of film (rather nicer in tone than quite a number of other comedies, often raucous, directed by Paul Feig, like Bridesmaids or the remake of Ghost Busters).
It is probably fair to say that number of audiences will find the film rather nice – but, audiences not prone to sentiment may be telling you that it is a bit too icky or twee for them.
1. The title? George Michael’s song? The lyrics – and the plot variation on the lyrics? Excerpts from his other songs?
2. The opening in the Balkans, the concert? 2019 in London, the atmosphere of London, streets, buildings, shops, homes, the shelter, comment garden? The range of the musical score?
3. The impact of the opening, the concert, Katarina and her singing, her admiring parents, her uninterested sister? Setting the scene?
4. The transition to London, 2019, Kate, working in Yuletide, wearing the elf suit? Her collaboration with Santa, the demands on the shop, her mistakes, erratic behaviour?
5. The background of her illness, the gradual revelation of the heart transplant? The variation on George Michael’s lyrics about giving hearts? The gradual recovery, erratic behaviour? Not wanting to go home, the severity of her mother, her father driving the taxi, clashes with her sister and her partner, asked to leave the digs? Her awkwardness – and blowing things up?
6. The portrait of her father, sympathetic, patient? Mother, Emma Thompson’s presence, accent, stern manner, severity of language, expectations, criticisms? Yet smothering in her love? The meals at home, Kate clashing with Marta?
7. Santa, her character, the man coming into the shop, the gift, her stern manner, the infatuation, the outings, mellowing? A couple? Calliing him Boy?
8. The appearance of Tom, on his bike, outside, Kate curious, his coming inside? Their talking together, agreeable? The continued encounters, Tom and his character, yet mischievous, and mysterious? The outings, getting to know each other, in Covent Garden, sitting in the parks, talking, Kate revealing her surgery and the wound? The attraction, the kiss? Tom and his volunteering, disappearances, Kate going to find him, going inside the shelter, serving the biscuits, the soup, the supervisor and his wariness? The genial old man, the range of others at the shelter, the friendly young man? Her returning, her work?
9. The revelation of the truth, Kate and her discovery, Tom as a ghost? His presence because of the accident, giving his heart?
10. Kate, transformed, more conscientious, getting on well with Santa, with her parents, the gift for her sister and partner, making up to those whose lives she interfered with?
11. Her ambitions, going for the audition, singing, failing? Singing outside the shelter, collecting the money? Her finally organising the concert, the humorous auditions and all the talent, the performances?
12. Christmas, everybody turning up the concert, her speech, the sense of Tom’s presence?
13. A film for those who like a blend of laughter, tears, sentiment?
