Grade: 3 stars.
Directed by Wayne Wang.

Starring Queen Latifah, LL Cool J, Timothy Hutton, Giancarlo Esposito, Alicia Witt and Grard Depardieu.


Queen Latifah has finally proven herself. In this remake of the classic Last Holiday (1950), taking on the role originally played by Alec Guinness, the sassy rapper-turned-actress has shown she can do more than simply belt out jazz ballads and advertise Wal-Mart gift cards.

Director Wayne Wang brings the story into the 21st century, using New Orleans and the Czech Republic as gorgeous backdrops for this lighthearted film. Last Holiday, while predictable from the first 10 minutes, is the epitome of a mindless feel-good comedy. Queen Latifah leads a less-than-stellar cast as Georgia Byrd, a department store clerk who leads a mundane life full of microwave dinners and clipped coupons. To compensate for the tedium, Georgia keeps a book of "Possibilities," highlighting various passions upon which she is too shy to act: gourmet cooking, traveling and fellow clerk Sean Matthews (LL Cool J, back and as bland as ever).

However, after experiencing a traumatic run-in with a cabinet and receiving a CAT scan, Georgia learns she has a terminal illness, leaving her with only three weeks to live. This discovery propels Georgia to begin making her "Possibilities" into "Realities," in order to live her last few weeks to the fullest.

At times, the movie can be too predictable and frustratingly simple, complete with cinematic clichs like the typical, comic relief-providing "crazy foreigner" and the easy-to-hate villain to contrast with Georgia's saintliness. Although much of the plotline is fairly implausible and a wee bit over the top, Queen Latifah brings an element of excitement and fun to Georgia's journey. Contrary to the many romantic comedies that stress the drive for companionship, this film reminds us that the most important thing is to live for oneself and one's own happiness.

Apart from its predictability, Last Holiday is a great escape from the trivialities of our busy lives. While cheesy, it nonetheless serves as a good reminder of the importance of living life to the fullest. In the words of the film itself, "It's not how you start, but how you end.