Few Christmas movies get rewatched the way The Holiday does. Nancy Meyers’ 2006 romantic comedy has become a December ritual, queued up the moment the decorations come out, and this year it is headed back to the big screen. Variety reports the film returns to theaters on December 11 to celebrate its 20th anniversary. The announcement puts the spotlight on that date, so fans hoping to see it should keep an eye on local listings as December gets closer.
The premise is the kind that explains its own staying power. Amanda Woods (Cameron Diaz) lives in Los Angeles and has just learned the man she lives with has been unfaithful. An ocean away in England, Iris Simpkins (Kate Winslet) is in love with a man who is about to marry someone else. The two strangers meet through a home exchange website and impulsively swap lives for the holidays: Iris settles into Amanda’s sunny LA house while Amanda holes up in Iris’s snow-covered cottage in the English countryside. Each finds the last thing she expected, a new romance. Amanda is charmed by Iris’s brother Graham (Jude Law), and Iris, encouraged by legendary screenwriter Arthur (Eli Wallach), finds her footing again when she meets film composer Miles (Jack Black).
The film earned more than $200 million at the worldwide box office during its original run, and the years since have only raised its standing with fans. Its anniversary year now offers both ways to watch it: the movie began streaming on Hulu on October 1 for cozy nights in, and on December 11 it gets the full big-screen treatment. For a story built on the idea that a change of scenery can change everything, celebrating 20 years back in theaters feels exactly right.