Last Holiday

This afternoon we went to see the new version of Last Holiday. In the original Alec Guinness did a fine and understated job. In this one Queen Latifah does the same. I am constantly amazed at her versatility as an actress. In a bunch of different movies she seems to rise to the part. In the two movies out of Barber Shop, she played one character. In Bringing Down the House, a slightly different one. In Chicago she showed off both her singing and acting ability. In this one she is a bit frumpy at the start, a lonely, shy, single woman. As in the original - she gets diagnosed with a rare but fatal disease. If I remember Guinness' portrayal he dies in the end - but she does not. In all of her movies she has a graceful way of interacting with other people in the movie and in this one she does that well. The critics, for some reason, have not given this a strong response - but I liked it because the characters were engaging - the supporting cast is interesting (if a bit stylized) and the message is uplifting. It is an affirmation of good behavior. But not in a preachy way - it is very entertaining.