One of the standout features of The Holiday is the fantastic chemistry between the characters, which leads to a lot of great lines said throughout the movie. Whether it be hilarious one-liners, witty comebacks, or more emotional and heartfelt moments, this festive movie has a little something for everyone.
It's a Christmas-themed romantic comedy and with its two storylines intertwining, there are a lot of connections between the main characters. This opens up great possibilities for conversations and with some fantastic, emotional storylines, there's also some really smart dialogue between them that audiences will remember even after the movie is done.
Romantic comedies are notorious for their slightly cheesy, but also heartwarming lines about romance, which is exactly what this is. When Iris goes to pick up Arthur for his award ceremony, he presents her with a flower, which he worries isn't what people do anymore.
However, she quickly stops him from worrying and makes it clear that she's very happy with things being a little corny. It sums up Iris as a character, as she's not interested in things being overly fancy, but overall, it's just a really nice line.
While Iris' storyline is a little more slow-paced when it comes to the romantic moments, that isn't the case over in England with Amanda and Graham. They don't waste much time before getting into the bedroom, and of course, that does lead to complications.
It's a great line because it's something that all adults can relate to and understand. Normally, movies like this romanticize sexual encounters and while The Holiday is guilty of that stereotype as well, it at least addresses the fact that things aren't always as simple as they might seem.
This is another line from the relationship between Graham and Amanda, and it's one of the funnier moments from the movie. Throughout the story, it's clear that Amanda is a worrier and she always takes a look at the worst possible outcome.
Even during the moment when they're discussing possibly entering a relationship and making things work, despite living in different countries, Amanda sees all the negatives. This leads to Graham pointing out how depressing she is, in a lighthearted and funny manner.
One of the reasons that Jude Law's character, Graham, is such a hit in this movie is the fact that he's not afraid to show his emotions. This movie flips the stereotype on its head when it comes to emotions by having Amanda struggle to show hers, while Graham has no problem being emotional.
When they first go on a 'date' together, Graham speaks openly about being an emotional person, and while Amanda initially shoots that idea down, he starts listing things that make him cry. It's a funny line as he goes quite over the top with the situation.
Full quote: "I'm a full-time dad. I'm a working parent. I'm a mother and a father. I'm a guy who reads parenting books and cookbooks before I go to sleep. I spend my weekends buying tutus. I'm learning to sew. I'm Mr. Napkin Head!"
This quote is an amazing one because it really sums up how Graham is as a person. The reason he's so relatable is that his biggest achievement is being a father, and as a single-dad, he really puts in the effort. This quote showcases how much he has to work in all aspects of his life to make things work.
One of the brilliant parts of Jack Black's character, Miles, is the fact he always positive when he's around Iris. While he has slight dips when he finds out he's being cheated on by his partner, the fact he turns the negative into a positive and demands that they celebrate, says a lot about him.
It's a great moment from the movie, with Miles just taking the bull by its horns as he tries to make the best of a situation. That's what he's great at doing and is why he's the perfect yang to Iris' ying.
This is one of the most romantic moments in the movie, as Amanda tries to say goodbye to Graham, being sensible, despite not wanting to break things off with him. It's a touching moment as they attempt to say goodbye in the nicest way possible.
Of course, things don't work out that way, but the romantic idea behind it is very classy, calm, and sophisticated, which makes it one of the most memorable lines from the entire movie.
The storyline between Jasper and Iris is one that leaves audiences incredibly frustrated because everyone knows he is wrong for her and doesn't respect her, but it takes her a long time to work that out herself. However, the moment that the penny finally drops is a brilliant one.
It's one of the best scenes in the entire movie when Iris finally steps up, believes in herself and shuts Jasper down. She brings their 'relationship' to a screeching halt and this quote is one that leaves audiences fist-pumping in happiness as it happens.
Miles' passion and skill are all related to the world of music, being a composer, and that's what makes this quote so perfect. It's something that can only really work in a romantic comedy setting, but Jack Black pulls it off perfectly in this movie.
It's a really sweet moment that shows his true feelings for Iris, showcasing what he thinks about her as a person and giving her a moment of positivity, which is deserved. It just works perfectly with the characters and provides the warm, fuzzy feeling that a romantic Christmas movie should give.
This is another really smartly written line, which plays on Arthur Abbott's career as a screenwriter and perfectly explains how Iris is behaving when he first meets her. It's a sweet line that just perfectly sums up Arthur as a character, someone who is incredibly kind and caring.
It also explains Iris in a really simple, but effective manner. She is a leading lady character, in that she deserves so much more than she gets. But she starts out with such little confidence due to Jasper, and because this line is what really brings them close together as friends, it is an important moment.