Holidate release date – Cast, plot and reviews for Netflix rom com

It features a good dose of festive cheer and will serve as a nice warm-up for the glut of new Christmas films still to appear on the platform this year – including sequels to The Princess Switch and The Christmas Chronicles and two new musical adventures starring Forest Whitaker and Dolly Parton respectively.

Read on for everything you need to know about the new Christmas film, including what's it about and whether it's any good.

Holidate release date

The film has already landed on the streamer well in advance of Christmas – having arrived on Netflix as early as Wednesday 28th October.

Holidate cast

The Holidate cast is led by American Horror Story star Emma Roberts as Sloane, while her 'holidate' Jackson is played by Australian actor Luke Bracey (Home and Away, Hacksaw Ridge).

Supporting cast members include Watchmen's Frances Fisher as Sloane's mother, as well as Jake Manley (The Order), Jessica Capshaw (Grey's Anatomy) and King Bach (To All the Boys I've Loved Before).

The Holidate reviews: Is it any good?

So far reviews haven't been all that promising for the film, with critics labelling it as predictable, and pointing out the lack of chemistry between the romantic leads.

In Polygon, the film is described as falling "in the bland no man's land between being sharp enough to appeal to adults (à la Bridesmaids) and tame enough to watch with the whole family" and The LA Times compares the film to "opening the same present again and again".

Meanwhile, The AV Club says it's, "broad, unsubtle, and seemingly designed to be half-watched, phone in hand" but confesses that, "it finds a unique comedic spark that keeps it zipping along".

Of course, a few poor reviews haven't necessarily put off viewers when it comes to previous Netflix festive fare – just look at the success of The Christmas Prince, for example.

What is Holidate about?

The film follows a young woman, Sloane, who hates the festive season in part because she is always single.

During the film she comes to an agreement with a man who is in a similar predicament, Jackson, that they will be each other's date for every festive occasion – only for them to begin falling for each other.

The official synopsis from Netflix reads: "Sloane and Jackson hate the holidays. They constantly find themselves single, sitting at the kids table, or stuck with awkward dates.

"But when these two strangers meet during one particularly bad Christmas, they make a pact to be each other’s “holidate” for every festive occasion throughout the next year. With a mutual disdain for the holidays, and assuring themselves that they have no romantic interest in the other, they become each other's perfect plus-one which leads to some hilarious and provocative hijinks.

"However, as a year of absurd celebrations come to an end, Sloane and Jackson find that sharing everything they hate may just prove to be something they unexpectedly love."

Holidate trailer

You can enjoy a preview of what's to come by checking out the below trailer – lots of the tropes of the Netflix Christmas movie are present in this one!

Holidate is available to stream on Netflix from Wednesday 28th October 2020. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix, or visit our TV Guide