Netflix’s Holidate – An Unapologetic Year of Raunchy Friendship

You know what time of year it is! Halloween hasn’t even passed but Netflix is already releasing its annual Holiday catalogue. Last year’s roster included two exotic Christmas adventures (Holiday in the Wild and Falling Inn Love), a sequel to a staple series (A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby), a Vanessa Hudgens Hallmark Holiday story (The Knight Before Christmas), a Love Actually ripoff (Let it Snow) and a surprisingly deep animated Christmas tale (Klaus). Surely this year’s roster can be a bit more original right? It’s one exotic Christmas adventure, two sequels to Netflix Christmas movies (including one Vanessa Hudgens Hallmark Holiday story), two musicals and a young adult romance. That’s different enough right? First up, Holidate!

Holidate tells the story of two single people, Sloane (Roberts) and Jackson (Bracey), who make a pact to be each other’s holidate, a no-commitment contract for holiday festivities. As they bond over their hatred of the holiday season and the constant pestering of family members on the state of their lives, these two pessimists find ways to connect and eventually fall for one another. As the film starts, a number of recognizable faces grace our screens including Frances Fisher, Jessica Capshaw and Kristin Chenoweth as Aunt Susan, Elaine, and Abby respectively. Then things take a downward turn as both Sloane and Jackson both deal with unfathomable situations. Jackson’s Christmas with his new girlfriend is particularly cringe-worthy. They meet in a clothing store return line of all places and quickly their love story begins.

Holidate takes place over the next year starting with New Year’s Eye. The two platonic daters meet up on Valentine’s Day then create excuses to see one another for optional holidays and avoid dating any other people as they quickly bond with one another. This is a romantic story of two people not desperately seeking love, but growing a strong friendship that blossoms into more. They create a safe space for each other which so many rom-coms fail to develop in their shallow narratives. The biggest difference between the typical rom-com and this film is in its progressive protagonist Sloane. She isn’t the typical overtly feminine, trope-centric love obsessed woman. No, instead she prefers smoking, devouring candy and making the raunchiest jokes possible. She laughs at the feminine roles her family members have forced upon themselves, except for her hilariously risque Aunt Susan.

However, the dialogue and many of the filler comedy scenes are brash, unapologetic and awkward. Anything regarding their dating history feels too constructed and inorganic (especially scenes involving Sloane’s ex Luc). Luckily, the dialogue manages to save itself when the two are playfully bantering and speaking openly to one another. The friendship that blossoms between them feels real and that is the backbone of this story.

Now onto the next Christmas tale! ‘Tis the season!

still courtesy of Netflix

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Dylan Phillips