Have you ever watched a movie, and thought if only they had done this or that? Or imagined the sequel in your head. I know I certainy have. I blogged recently on my feelings about the new movie The Holiday starring Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law and Jack Black. I started thinking about the movie this past, and what I would have done differently if I had written it.
For this post, I'm going to concentrate on Iris, the character played by Kate Winslet. Her storyline is actually the most interesting thing about the movie. In fact, I would have written the movie without even the entire Amanda storyine. In the movie, she's been in love with Jasper played by Rufus Sewell for years. They once were a couple, but even though they broken up, and he's involved with someone else, they've stayed friends. Talking on the phone whenever his girlfriend is not around, and sending emails back and forth. She even edits his column for him!
In the movie, she does a holiday swap with Amanda who lives in Los Angeles. Oh, and she writes the wedding column for the Daily Telegraph. So far so good. But here's where I would do a different take on it.
When Iris meets the character played by Eli Wallach, a screenwriter from the Golden Age of Hollywood, I would have her decide to write an article about him, trying to interest the Daily Telegraph or even possibly decide that she wants to write his biography. That would give her more of a through line.
Also, instead of having Jack Black play a composer who works with Amanda's company (she makes movie trailers), I would have Paul Rudd playing the composer who happens to be perhaps the estranged grandson of the screenwriter. No offense to Jack Black but he and Kate Winslet have absolutely no chemistry, and Paul Rudd has proven what a charmer he can be in Clueless and as Phoebe's husband Mike on Friends.
For this post, I'm going to concentrate on Iris, the character played by Kate Winslet. Her storyline is actually the most interesting thing about the movie. In fact, I would have written the movie without even the entire Amanda storyine. In the movie, she's been in love with Jasper played by Rufus Sewell for years. They once were a couple, but even though they broken up, and he's involved with someone else, they've stayed friends. Talking on the phone whenever his girlfriend is not around, and sending emails back and forth. She even edits his column for him!
In the movie, she does a holiday swap with Amanda who lives in Los Angeles. Oh, and she writes the wedding column for the Daily Telegraph. So far so good. But here's where I would do a different take on it.
When Iris meets the character played by Eli Wallach, a screenwriter from the Golden Age of Hollywood, I would have her decide to write an article about him, trying to interest the Daily Telegraph or even possibly decide that she wants to write his biography. That would give her more of a through line.
Also, instead of having Jack Black play a composer who works with Amanda's company (she makes movie trailers), I would have Paul Rudd playing the composer who happens to be perhaps the estranged grandson of the screenwriter. No offense to Jack Black but he and Kate Winslet have absolutely no chemistry, and Paul Rudd has proven what a charmer he can be in Clueless and as Phoebe's husband Mike on Friends.
Have the grandson character be suspicious of why she wants to spend all her time with a 90 year old man, instead of hitting the hot spots in Hollywood. Also, have the elderly screenwriter take her to the Formosa Cafe or Musso and Frank's or a tour of old Hollywood. Show her photographs, or scenes from the movies that he's written, to really establish who he was in Hollywood.
I'd make Jasper more of a threat to her future happiness. Right now, Iris's realization about Jasper seems to be one of those lightbulb over the head moments. I'd have scenes where she and Miles (the Jack Black/Paul Rudd character) would really get to know each other. She'd tell him about Jasper, and he'd tell her that he sounds like a jerk, and that he'd once been like that himself. Really see the growth of their relationship, and how hollow what she had with Jasper was.
I'd make Jasper more of a threat to her future happiness. Right now, Iris's realization about Jasper seems to be one of those lightbulb over the head moments. I'd have scenes where she and Miles (the Jack Black/Paul Rudd character) would really get to know each other. She'd tell him about Jasper, and he'd tell her that he sounds like a jerk, and that he'd once been like that himself. Really see the growth of their relationship, and how hollow what she had with Jasper was.
Right now, Iris sees how in love Miles is with his slutty actress girlfriend, and what a good boyfriend he is, but it just seems too cliched and trite that they are both in the same boat. Or if you are going to put them in similar situations, give them a drunken night where they commiserate with each other and talk about how they are going to give these people up. Have them kiss and realize their attraction, and then have either Jasper of the girlfriend call.
Iris would realize how free she is in Los Angeles, and decide to either look for a job with a paper in LA, or decide to write a book.
Well, that's my take on what I would have done , if I'd written Holiday.
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