Script My Life: The Perfect Holiday

It's not selfish to want more!

Gabrielle Union and Morris Chestnut in The Perfect Holiday

It's actually the 25th of December! Oh, you thought that I would take a break from blogging. Not at all. Today, we watch a movie together. Let's find what holiday flick gets us into the spirit.

I guess you're wondering why I dialed back to an 'old' movie. Well, I haven’t properly watched this 2007 movie. Imagine it's taken me 13 whole years to watch this holiday flick starring Gabrielle Union-Wade, Morris Chestnut, and the late Charlie Murphy. For those who still haven't watched the movie 'The Perfect Holiday' - spoiler warning.

The movie follows two characters who will by the magic of Christmas meet. Before I go ahead, Queen Latifah plays mother Christmas who is the 'Christmas angel'. Terrence Howard is the 'Grinch-like' character named "Bah Humbug", who opposes the 'spirit of Christmas'. We meet Benjamin (Morris Chestnut) is an aspiring songwriter who attempts to break into the music business. According to Mother Christmas' narration, Benjamin is a really nice dude, but hard on his luck.

On the other side of town, there's Nancy (Gabrielle Union) a divorced mother of three, feels especially lonely during the holidays. Sensing her sadness, Nancy's youngest daughter, Emily (Khail Bryant), has a plan to make her mom happy again. She asks a department-store Santa Claus who is actually Benjamin, for a man to pay her mother Nancy a compliment. And Benjamin, looks up and is mesmerised by Nancy's beauty.

After his shift, Benjamin talks about Nancy with his friend Jamal, played by Faizon Love.

Later, while sitting in a Starbucks after his shift as Santa, Benjamin and his friend Jamal (Faizon Love) see Nancy go into a dry cleaner. Benjamin borrows Jamal's jacket, pretends to drop it off at the cleaners, tells Nancy that she's a very attractive woman (granting her wish), and leaves.

Nancy is is a custody battle with her ex-husband rap star, J-Jizzy played by the late Charlie Murphy. J-Jizzy is self centred and doesn't seem to care for his children. Right now his manager (Kate Williams) wants him to make a family oriented Christmas album.

Eventually, the two start to date and end up falling in love—without Ben realizing that Nancy's ex-husband is J-Jizzy.

Things take a turn for the worse, however, because Nancy's oldest son, John-John (Malik Hammond) is jealous of Benjamin going out with his mother and plots to break up the relationship. What follows is a series of funny and touching scenes that show viewers what "family" is really about.

Script my life, I am a little bit of Nancy and Benjamin. Okay, I have been Nancy and Benjamin! It's easy to feel underestimated and unappreciated after a breakup (or in this movie, divorce). I have felt overwhelmed with being a single mum, doing her best to be available for her child (ren). I have also yearned for male attention that wasn't intrusive, 'rapey', or downright douche bag. Imagine being complimented and finding a reason to put a little more effort into your appearance.

We all need love over the holidays! Get yourself some good loving and cherish what's most important.

Happy holiday to you and your loved ones!

P.S.: Always write your own love story!

Ciao!

Lady E

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