Movie Review: "Last Christmas" Gives A Whole Lot of Heart

It'll probably be your new favourite Christmas movie. 

George Michael sang, "Last Christmas, I gave you my heart," and Paul Feig’s Last Christmas does exactly that. In fact, not only does the Bridesmaids director’s latest flick give a whole lot of heart, but it also encapsulates the kind of hope that every person wants to feel during the holiday season.

The film centres on Kate (Emilia Clarke), a young woman who is struggling to take care of herself after recovering from a major health issue. Before falling ill, she had dreams of becoming a singer, except she doesn’t feel like she’s any good at it anymore. So instead, she accepts a job as a department store elf for the holiday season in London. It is there that she meets Tom (Henry Golding) and starts to find joy in her life again.  

This journey is sensitively portrayed by Clarke, bringing the same endearing humour that we saw in Me Before You. However, her character in Last Christmas is a little more layered. This is largely because Kate is still processing her trauma, which Clarke conveys with great humanity. Kate is dissociated from her life, yet also quite self-aware, and Clarke nails this complex combination. Viewers might wonder if she drew on her own experiences while filming, considering she suffered two life-threatening strokes during the early seasons of Game of Thrones.

Henry Golding makes an ample love interest as the optimistic Tom, who consistently reminds Kate to engage in the world around her. There are times that Golding’s character feels solely built to guide Kate towards a better life. Still, their sweet dynamic works for the most part. Additionally, his Crazy Rich Asians co-star Michelle Yeoh is funny as the stern-yet-compassionate department store owner who pushes Kate to take responsibility for her actions. Nevertheless, it’s Emma Thompson who gets the most interesting character in Last Christmas. As Kate’s attention-seeking Yugoslavian mother, she steals every scene she's in while sporting an exotic accent. It sounds absolutely ridiculous, and it is, but it’s hilarious to watch.

Thompson, who co-wrote the story alongside Bryony Kimmings, gives herself the funniest lines, and you can hear Thompson's witty persona come through in Clarke's dialogue. Much of Thompson and Kimmings’ writing reinforces the film’s hopeful tone, but there are also moments of true gravity. Throughout the movie, we see Thompson’s character struggle to feel secure in the United Kingdom, after fleeing war-torn Yugoslavia. Understandably, this makes her incredibly frightened of Brexit, and raises issues surrounding diversity and multiculturalism. Although, the film only skims the surface of the political and social issues it presents, which can make it feel inattentive (and far less Christmassy) at times.

Fortunately, more than enough Christmas spirit is injected through the late George Michael’s music. "Heal the Pain", "Freedom" and "Faith" are all featured on the soundtrack and help propel the story forward, with many tracks feeling like they were specifically created for Last Christmas. Even though Clarke is hardly the world’s best vocalist, the film is particularly joyful when she’s singing.

At its core, Last Christmas is a film about appreciating your life, and holding onto hope. While the flick might not offer anything entirely new to the Christmas genre, it’s a less predictable and welcome addition. In fact, if you’re a fan of an obscene amount of fairy lights, romantic comedies and George Michael, it might even be your new favourite Christmas movie.

3.5/5.

Last Christmas arrives in Australian cinemas on 7 November. Rated PG for mild themes, sexual references and coarse language.

Header Image: Universal Pictures.