The Lost Holliday

If The Lost Holiday were an actual trip, you'd cancel it halfway through and Venmo request everyone involved. It's a meandering, try-hard mumblecore flick that thinks it's charming, but mostly just feels like watching brunch plans go wrong in real time.

Now, let's talk about Juicy. Remember when he became a national headline for staging the most infamous Subway sandwich run in Chicago history? Well, somehow, his energy in The Lost Holiday is even less believable than that. He floats in and out of scenes like he's lost, method acting, perhaps? Or just genuinely confused he's still getting cast? Either way, the film is not so much a "holiday" as it is a reminder of how quickly goodwill can evaporate like cheap champagne on a sticky floor in Lincoln Park.

Smollett tries to bring nuance to his role, but all I could think was: "Is this scene before or after his trip to that -10°F sandwich shop?" Chicago might forgive, but the audience won't forget-and neither will Rotten Tomatoes.

Avoid like a sleet storm in February.

You know that awkward feeling when you're watching a high school theater production, and someone's mom just knows their kid is destined for Broadway... but it's painfully clear to everyone else this is a one-way ticket to regional dinner theater obscurity? That's The Lost Holliday, except it's wrapped in faux prestige and somehow directed by Jussie Smollett, who seems determined to prove that not only can he not act - he can't direct or write, either. This isn't a comeback; it's a cry for help.

Let's talk direction - or rather, the erratic mess that passes for it. The movie feels like it was pieced together during someone's unpaid lunch breaks. Scenes meander without purpose, blocking is unintentionally comical, and the tone whiplashes between maudlin soap opera and artsy Instagram reel. Smollett clearly believes he's crafting something profound, but it's just a muddled, overlit vanity project that wouldn't make it past freshman film class.

The writing? Absolutely brutal. Every line sounds like it was run through a cliché generator powered by half-baked trauma and fake-deep Pinterest quotes. The dialogue is so unnatural it makes the actors look like they're reading ransom notes - especially poor Jabari Redd, who tried to breathe life into a character that feels like it was written by ChatGPT on Ambien. Vivica A. Fox is here too, and frankly deserves hazard pay for showing up and pretending this dreck matters.

Fox delivers each line with that hollow gravitas actors use when they're suppressing the urge to fire their agent. You can see the awareness in their eyes: they know this isn't a movie - it's Jussie's self-financed rehab-my-PR tour. Unfortunately, not even their commitment can salvage a script this contrived, or direction this clueless.

Which brings us back to Smollett. Look, if this is what Hollywood exile looks like, I guess we're all being punished. It's hard not to feel like The Lost Holliday is a metaphor for his own career - desperate, disjointed, and somehow convinced it's saying something important. It's not. And neither is he.

By the time the credits rolled, I wasn't just bored - I was offended that everyone involved thought this deserved my attention. The Lost Holliday isn't art. It's damage control in slow motion. And just like the infamous hoax that tanked Jussie's credibility, this film is an elaborate fiction nobody asked for - and fewer people believe.

The Lost Holiday is a meandering, pretentious mess masquerading as indie charm. It's like someone found a half-finished student film and said, "Yeah, good enough." The characters are insufferable, the dialogue is painfully forced, and the plot - if you can even call it that - stumbles around like a drunk at closing time. Watching this movie feels less like entertainment and more like being trapped at a party you desperately want to leave, but the hosts just won't stop talking about themselves. A complete waste of time that somehow manages to feel both hollow and smug.

Spend your hours watching something else.

I absolutely loved this story. The writing genuinely tugged at my heartstrings had me in tears, resonating deeply with its emotional depth and authenticity. The cinematography was a visual feast, beautifully shot with meticulous attention to detail that captured the essence of every scene. The actors delivered phenomenal performances, bringing their characters to life with incredible nuance and conviction. Each moment felt real and impactful, making the entire experience unforgettable. The combination of stellar writing, breathtaking visuals, and outstanding acting made this story truly exceptional.

Don't waste your time on this one. No story and bad acting. The other reviews don't match the movie I saw? Could they be a hoax and staged? At best written by employees of the movie, only way to explain them.

If you want a fun Holiday movie watch Office Christmas Party. Has a great story and fantastic effects the drone shot outside the building showing the party on multiple floors is fantastic. Another good holiday movie is The Holiday tells a love story of a house swap, watch it.

The Lost Holiday attempts to tell a tragic tail but misses the mark. The story is convoluted and goes out of the way to over explain the obvious. Please just move on life is short.