Last Christmas (2019)

It’s the time of year when holiday-based films come to the big screen, and this particular film has got to be one of the better ones I’ve come across in recent years.

Based on the hit song by George Michael, this film tells the story of Kate (Emilia Clarke), who works in a Christmas-themed store for her Chinese employer (Michelle Yeoh) who goes by the name Santa.

Kate has always dreamed of being a singer, since she was a child, and got to sing the solo in her childrens’ choir performance. The eldest daughter of Yugoslavian migrants, Ivan (Boris Isakovic) and Petra (Emma Thompson), and sister of Marta (Lydia Leonard), she hasn’t had her big break yet, but she keeps trying, going from one audition to another. It seems she is destined to be stuck in the same job forever though, and it isn’t a job she particularly enjoys.

During a shift at work, she spies a young man through the window, a man who seems quite taken with her. He introduces himself as Tom (Henry Golding), and begins pursuing her. She initially turns him down, but after several chance meetings throughout town over the next few days, she eventually accepts the inevitable, and the two of them become close friends.

Tom (Henry Golding) and Kate (Emilia Clarke).

He introduces her to the homeless shelter where he volunteers, shows her around his favourite hidden gems of places around London, he even teaches her to skate when she needs to learn for an upcoming audition.

All the while, she navigates her way through the increasingly strained relationships with her family, especially with her mother, who is convinced that in the current British climate, she and all the other migrants are going to be chased out of town any day now. She hates it when they call her by her real name (Katarina), but at the end of the day, they are family, and she has to live with them for a long time yet.

Relationships have been especially strained over the last year, since Kate had quite a serious health scare. It wouldn’t be quite so difficult if Kate listened to her doctor, and adopted the lifestyle and dietary changes they were suggesting, but she seems to want to keep living as she always has, being selfish and pushing people away whenever they start to get too close.

But Tom continues to push her to live a better life, and little by little, she starts to follow his advice.

'Santa' (Michelle Yeoh).

I won’t go any further in describing the plot, I think you ought to see it for yourself, and I wouldn’t want to spoil it for you.

The screenplay, written by Emma Thompson and Bryony Kimmings, is quite clever. The central heart of the story is incredibly sweet, and the film is full of humour. Yes, it is a Christmas film, with all the schmaltz that entails, but it is also a riotously funny comedy (something I don’t think the rest of the audience I saw the film with appreciated; I seemed to be the only person laughing at most points).

The film is reportedly based on the George Michael song of the same name, and this song features heavily in the soundtrack. In fact, the majority of the soundtrack consists of George Michael songs, all of which have been used to fit around the plot, and they all work well. There is a small amount of original score - composed by Theodore Shapiro - but not a great deal. What is there is good, but there isn’t a lot of it; the film is largely a vehicle for all those fabulous hit songs.

John Schwartzman’s cinematography is also good, with no shots or angles particularly standing out at any point. There’s nothing unique about the camerawork here, but that’s not a bad thing; it actually works well within the context of the story.

Kate (Emilia Clarke) and her mother Petra (Emma Thompson).

I do want to mention one more thing about the story, but will try not to spoil anything in doing so. As I mentioned earlier, the film is mostly a hilarious comedy, but it has a great deal of heart, too. As I sat watching it in the cinema, I didn’t think much of it to begin with; it seemed like just another romantic comedy with a whole lot of Christmas themes thrown in. But then - towards the final third of the film - something happened that absolutely took my breath away, something that elevated the film to a whole new level, making it one of the best Christmas films I have seen in a long time.

The performances of the cast are sensational, in particular Clarke and Thompson. The two of them have such brilliant comic timing in their scenes together, but they also play their roles with a lot of feeling and a deep emotional connection exists between their characters. An honourable mention must also go to Henry Golding, whose character shines through his eyes in every scene in which he appears.

Director Paul Feig has made a wonderful film here, a beautiful comedy with plenty of heart that ushers in the holiday season brilliantly. You don’t necessarily have to rush out to see it on the big screen, but you ought to see it as soon as you can; you’ll thank me for it.

8 out of 10.