The Holiday Opening Two Minutes Review.

The Holiday is a romantic comedy both produced and direted by Nancy Meyers. Main actors, Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz as two women who live on the opposite sides of the world, who temporarily exchange homes during holiday season. Jack Black and Jude Law co -star with Eli Wallach, Shannyn Sssamon, Edward Burns and Rufus Sewell which all play supporting roles within the film. From the opening two minutes it is already suggested that it is a romantic film, therfore the genre is romance. The music is very mellow and quite classical, a convention of a romantic film. The music and characters link very well and especially so as the characters are being introduced on screen. Rufus Sewell is the first to be introduced, along with his fiancee. Next we are introduced to cameron diaz and her husband. We can tell that she isn't happy with him and that they have had problems before. Thirdly, we are introduced to Jude Law where he is in a club locking eye contact with a girl. Following that we are then introduced to his sister (Kate Winslet) who we see by herself wrapping a present in some sort of office. Where her introduction was different from the others it can be suggested that she doesnt have any sort of love life as she is completely on her own in this scene. Having this particualar character in a romantic comedy, is one of many cliches. Having so manny characters been intoduced so early on can only suggest one thing, that they are very significant to the film.

Mise En Scene (clothing, props, setting, location, and sound/dialogue) are all included in this first scene. For example starting with clothing. The costumes of the characters are shown to be casual for their specific parts in the film. Cameron Diaz is wearing expensive clothes and looks rather sophisticated in her clothes unlike the others. inferring she has enough money backed from a good and well payed job. Where as Kate Winslet is shown to not look as wealthy as Cameron Diaz even though she still looks middle class.
The setting of the opening two minutes of the film shows an idealistic gardern scene where a couple are kissing which again relates back to why it is a romantic film.


To summarise, the audience know that this is a romantic comedy from all that is suggested throughout, cliches, and conventions.