Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- None
- witty
- self aware
- breezy
- christmas viewing
- date night
What critics said
Critics found the self-aware approach to romantic comedy conventions refreshing but undermined by a questionable premise, vulgar jokes, and uneven execution.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Sloane and Jackson meet as a designated couple during successive holidays, allowing their arrangement to evolve over repeated celebrations.
The characters scoff at romance clichés while gradually becoming participants in a familiar romantic arc.
Sloane’s meddling family and both characters’ nightmare dates motivate the holiday dating arrangement.
The couple initially pretends to be together during holidays to make family gatherings and dating pressures more tolerable.
Films like Holidate, and why
The Holiday
shared romantic comedy structure, holiday setting, and pressure around finding a partner
Love Actually
shared Christmas romance, family tension, and witty single-life anxieties
Friends with Benefits
shared friends-with-benefits premise, commitment anxiety, and gradual romantic realization
Someone Great
shared contemporary dating frustrations, self-aware romance conventions, and female-led emotional recovery
Movie Details
- Director
- John Whitesell
- Release Date
- 2020-10-27
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (2409)
Cast
- Emma Roberts
- Luke Bracey
- Kristin Chenoweth
- Frances Fisher
- Andrew Bachelor
- Manish Dayal
- Jessica Capshaw
- Alex Moffat
- Cynthy Wu
- Jake Manley
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Holidate about?
- Two holiday-weary singles turn a fake seasonal partnership into an unexpectedly sincere romance while navigating family pressure and dating fatigue.
- What is Holidate like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Holidate as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Holidate violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Holidate.
- What did critics think of Holidate?
- Critics found the self-aware approach to romantic comedy conventions refreshing but undermined by a questionable premise, vulgar jokes, and uneven execution.
- Which films are like Holidate?
- Films with a similar feel include The Holiday, Love Actually, Friends with Benefits, and Someone Great.
- How long is Holidate?
- Holidate runs 104 minutes.
- Where can I watch Holidate?
- In United States, Holidate streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
