Right it’s been while since I’ve done a film review.

Because I am low on funds (broke) I haven’t been able to watch as many movies this year as I would have liked. Then there was a lull when there wasn’t anything on that I wanted to see but this winter period has been popping out gems and luckily I got to watch one! Last Christmas! Since I saw the trailer I wanted to see it and I did, so here are my non spoiler thoughts.

I really like rom coms and so I thought this movie would scratch my rom com itch. In a way it did. It was romantic but not too cheesy. It built steadily and the main characters were relatable. Actually Katarina “Kate” (Emilia Clarke) was relatable Tom (Henry Golding) was not. Maybe it’s the jaded side of me but he was too good to be true. I sat there thinking either he’s going to kill her or he has a dark history and that’s why he’s doing so much.

Yep, definitely jaded.

So I sat on the edge of my seat during their romance moments as I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. When it did drop it was… I can’t really say without spoiling so if you want to know read the spoiler section of this review.

Moving on I liked the other aspects of the plot too, like to do with Katarina’s family and her personal struggles. I was rooting for her to make up with her family and I was wondering what was so bad about her mother, Petra. I was invested in their problems being fixed and them making a connection.

I wanted  Kate to start living again, to start trying and to just have that spark. It’s cliche but that’s the only word I can think of. It was like she was missing something. In the movie they say it’s because of her heart transplant which I found interesting.

I don’t know anyone who’s had a heart transplant so I’m just going to ask here, does it feel weird? As do you feel like a different person? Or like something is missing or weird?

I never thought about a heart transplant having that effect to the point where it affected her singing. So it was food for thought.

I also liked how the film was an honest portrayal of London and England right now. They showed a diverse London which they don’t always do and I never understand why when London is so diverse. They didn’t just show diversity in people of colour but for white people too. They showed the story of Europeans who have moved to England for work or family or to escape a bad regime as is the case of Kate’s family.

I liked how they didn’t shy away from Brexit and how they were honest in their portrayals of what Brexit is like for immigrants and how people are treating immigrants now that some people feel they can comfortably be racist because the government is racist (my own point of view tbh). It didn’t feel like it was too much or forced but rather just honest.

So all in all, it was a nice movie with a lot of personal growth in Katarina and a lot of comedic moments. I know I’ve just finished talking about politics but that was a small section of the movie.  It is a Christmas movie after all so there was laughter, light and festive cheer thrown in. That part was quite nice actually.

Now onto the SPOILER section of my review. So stop reading if you haven’t watched the movie yet.

 

 

 

In the end I didn’t love it. I thought I would love it but I didn’t.

There was something off about Tom as I said earlier so me and my friend kept trying to figure out what it was. We had our murderer theory as a joke (because really who goes down alleys with a stranger?) and then the theory that he had a dark past and that’s what he was hiding from her. Then offhandedly I said half way, “I hope he’s not an angel because then there won’t be romance”… guess what that’s exactly what happened!

Ok not exactly, he a ghost not an angel. But I hate such story lines I mean… really? He had to be dead? I was so disappointed. I did not go to the cinema to cry I went to have a good time and I ended up crying. I mean it was sweet and all that jazz but honestly it wasn’t what I was looking for.

In reference to the title of this blog post it is the most literal interpretation of a song I have ever seen! Man literally gave her his heart… when she started singing that at the end I was like, “Aw shit here we go again” as I barely held tears back.

These emotional movies should come with a warning.

If you’re into movies like this you’re probably like, “What’s wrong with you Gift? It was amazing.” I hear you but your girl was just not into it.

So all in all I give it a three out of five.

Oh and there could have been more George Michael. I think Rocketman spoiled me. I was expecting more, I mean they didn’t even have Careless Whisper… I mean… what?