LAST CHRISTMAS – Review

We all may know someone who’s more than a little “Noel-nutty” (hey, it might be that person with the holly in their hair staring back at you from the mirror). They’re the folks in a frenzy as retailors pack up the pumpkins and bring out the wreaths. And they probably overload on nogg as they “zone out” on all those winter holiday flicks that clog a couple of the basic cable TV channels. Ah, but what’s this at the multiplex, barely a week into November? Did one of those offerings slither out of its cage over at Hallmark? Perhaps, except this has a rather interesting list of talents. It’s got a story and script co-written by Oscar-winner Emma Thompson (who acts in it, too), and it’s directed by one of the current kings of raunchy comedies (this time minus his muse Melissa McCarthy), Paul Feig. What kind of tinsel and fluff stocking stuffer have these two diverse talents created? Well, it’s one that takes its title (and much of its score) from the late George Michaels’ yule pop anthem, LAST CHRISTMAS.

As the story starts, ’tis the season alright, but in 1998 Yugoslavia. In a church service, an adorable young girl sings like an angel while her older sister and parents, father Ivan (Boris Isakovis) and mother Petra (Thompson) adoringly gaze from the pews. Nearly 20 years later that “angel” is now an elf. Well, that’s how she dresses at her job as a clerk at a year-round Christmas decoration shop in bustling London called “Yuletide”. When not evading her often surly boss “Santa” (Michelle Yeoh), who behaves more like “Scrooge”, Kate (Emilia Clarke) is rushing to theatre auditions and testing the generosity of her pals by asking to crash on their couches. Yes, she’s homeless but by choice, as she doesn’t want to return to the family home and endure the “finger-pointing” of her Mum (her ringtone on Kate’s phone is the 80’s pop tune “Drives Me Crazy”). But often she takes a break from “sofa surfing” to share the beds of guys she meets in bars (this elf is a drinker and a “player”). One day, as the holidays draw nearer, a stranger to the store brings some calm to the chaotic Kate. Lanky, handsome Tom (Henry Golding) is a nighttime delivery bicyclist, who wants nothing more from her than some company during his long walks through the largely unexplored areas of the city. Imploring her to always “Look up”, Tom takes Kate to a quaint hidden park before parting ways at the church where he volunteers to help the “real” homeless. She’s charmed, but perplexed when he doesn’t give her his number saying his phone stays in the cupboard. When Tom seems to disappear for days, Kate becomes obsessed with tracking down this “man of mystery”. Along the way she gets involved with the church and allows her own family back into her life (they drifted after her illness ended a year ago). Kate feels a special connection to Tom, so it becomes her goal to spend this Christmas with this man who’s unlike any other one-night-stand or suitor.

This modern fable is carried by a terrific cast that expertly balances its comedic and dramatic elements (with a splash of romance on top). Clarke’s bright smile lights up the screen along with the most expressive eyebrows since a certain Mr. Marx. Her Kate starts off as cynical and a tad grouchy, but we see her tough exterior begin to erode as the light returns to her often bloodshot eyes. Plus she’s got a very pleasant singing voice (um, musical, hint, hint). And it helps that she’s has a comfortable, playful chemistry with Golding as the enigmatic Tom. He’s more relaxed on screen than in his two break-out flicks last year, CRAZY RICH ASIANS and A SIMPLE FAVOR, even engaging in a sprightly dance around Clarke reminding us of a young Tommy Tune or the master, Dick Van Dyke. Their supporting team is led by the zany Thompson, playing against her usual sophisticated roles as the sometimes overbearing Eastern European mama (with that thick accent I kept wondering when she’d join Lon Chaney, Jr. in the gypsy caravan). She’s a true delight, but the biggest comic surprise is the glamorous Ms. Yeoh as the tough shop owner, using the phrase “Get to work!” like a sharp sword. But then she gets to lighten up thanks to an obviously smitten uptight Nordic silver fox she dubs “Boy” played with endearing reserve by Peter Mygind. The rest of the cast is filled with wonderful British comic actors including a great pair of policewomen played by Laura Evelyn and Ingrid Oliver, not “good cop/bad cop”, but rather “friendly cop/brusque cop”.

Once again Feig demonstrates his talent for making engaging farces, but this time he tackles tougher topics like death and bigotry along with a budding romance and how people can change their ways. Much of the credit has to go to the writing talents of Thompson collaborating here with Bryony Kimmings (on the screenplay) and her hubby Greg Wise (on the story). The duo (Feig and Thompson) succeed in making a most unique holiday flick, one that’s not hinted at in the film’s marketing (the TV spots and posters). It’s not a “marshmallow world”, but a gritty tough place (some Brexit digs pack a punch). Yes, London looks charming in December, but the sparkling streets don’t hide the hungry and homeless (my biggest complaint is the often whimsical street folk, who are much too cute and eccentric). This plot’s eggnog is spiked with some strong medicine, with so many twists on the road to the 25th. Really, it’s a “spoiler” M. Night minefield. But the ending’s full of heart (in many ways), pushed along by the iconic George Michael medleys, making Clarke and company’s gift under the tree a most engaging LAST CHRISTMAS.

3 Out of 4