This Christmas Movie Is So Much Better Than 'The Holiday' and 'Love Actually'

For nearly two decades, Love Actually (2003) and The Holiday (2006) have dominated December Christmas rom-com viewing. Richard Curtis’ A-list ensemble juggernaut, which stars Alan Rickman, Keira Knightley, and Liam Neeson, to name a few, and Nancy Meyers’ festive romantic house-swap with Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Cameron Diaz, and Jack Black, have become true staples of the winter season, endlessly replayed and celebrated by many.

But buried beneath these two films is a more recent festive flick that has quietly earned its place alongside them — and arguably surpasses them in emotional impact and storytelling.

An Underrated Christmas Classic

Released in 2019, Last Christmas came and went without much fuss. Directed by Paul Feig (Bridesmaids), it stars Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) as Kate, a drifting Londoner working at a year-round Christmas shop, and Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians) as Tom, a stranger whose optimism begins to pull her out of a long rut following a life-changing illness.

On the surface, the film appears to follow those ever-so-familiar rom-com rhythms, but it’s anything but. It is, after all, based on the bittersweet classic song “Last Christmas” by Wham!

Related: These 7 Christmas Movies Are Now Streaming on Disney Plus!

The Film’s Success and Critical Reception

The film opened to a global box office haul of $123.4 million worldwide against a budget of $25-30 million, a solid commercial success. Responses were mixed at the time, although critics praised Clarke’s and Golding’s performances and the film’s emotional ambition.

In the six years since, however, some audiences have gotten kinder. Perhaps this is because Last Christmas is just one of those films that needs a little time to become truly appreciated.

The Subtle Messages of Last Christmas

Feig directs from a story by Emma Thompson and Bryony Kimmings, with Thompson also appearing onscreen as Kate’s mother. In her writing and performance, Thompson, who also appears in Love Actually, grounds the film in family tensions, generational trauma, and the immigrant experience in London that touches upon the then-topical “Brexit” controversy.

The city of London itself is central, where both the viewer and Kate are frequently reminded by Tom to “look up”, so as to appreciate the otherwise overlooked everyday beauties and treasures all around.

But music is the film’s true backbone. Built around the catalog of George Michael and Wham!, Last Christmas uses classic songs to underline its emotional story. The late, legendary Michael himself collaborated with co-writer Thompson on the script, and his involvement helped to shape the film’s overall identity and tone. There are also hints of Charles Dickens’ timeless tale A Christmas Carol, with a subplot centering on destitution.

What truly sets Last Christmas apart is its sincerity toward the season. It’s openly sentimental, frequently funny, and increasingly poignant as it moves toward its final act.

Six years on, Last Christmas stands as a rare modern holiday film with genuine staying power. It may not have entered the pop culture sphere with the same force as The Holiday or Love Actually, but its heart, ambition, and emotional resonance ensure it won’t be forgotten.

Where Can I Watch Last Christmas (2019)?

Last Christmas is streaming on Netflix (availability may depend on your region).

Per Universal Pictures, here’s the official synopsis:

Kate (Emilia Clarke) harumphs around London, a bundle of bad decisions accompanied by the jangle of bells on her shoes, another irritating consequence from her job as an elf in a year-round Christmas shop. Tom (Henry Golding) seems too good to be true when he walks into her life and starts to see through so many of Kate’s barriers.

As London transforms into the most wonderful time of the year, nothing should work for these two. But sometimes, you gotta let the snow fall where it may, you gotta listen to your heart… and you gotta have faith.

Last Christmas stars Emilia Clarke (Katarina “Kate” Andrich), Henry Golding (Tom Webster), Emma Thompson (Petra Andrich), and Michelle Yeoh (Santa), and features songs by George Michael and Wham!

Have you seen this underrated Christmas classic? Let us know what you think in the comments down below!