Starring Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, and Jack Black. Rated PG.

Apparently, an awful lot can happen in two weeks. In The Holiday, a pair of heartbroken women from opposite sides of the planet connect on-line, swap houses, befriend the neighbours, fall madly in love with local men, face off with ex-boyfriends, and experience life-changing epiphanies.

Amanda (Cameron Diaz) is a workaholic movie-trailer editor from L.A. who has a breakdown after leaving her cheating boyfriend. She connects with British journalist Iris (Kate Winslet), who is also suffering from post-traumatic breakup disorder, on a home-exchange Web site. They trade places to escape the men in their lives, but the plan goes awry when they arrive and find—uh-oh, more men. But these guys (played by Jude Law and Jack Black) are different. These guys are dream guys.

The Holiday is designed for the single, Bridget Jones–lovin’ type of gal who hopes to meet her soul mate seated next to her on an airplane. You can just hear the studio execs’ logic: “It’s Christmas and there are lonely women out there losing hope! They want a feel-good movie that will warm their hearts, and it’s our job to give them one!”

In other words, this film is made for girls like me, which is why I was so excited to see it.

Unfortunately, candy-hearted director and writer Nancy Meyers (the woman behind such sticky chick flicks as Father of the Bride and Something’s Gotta Give) takes it too far with lines like, “It’s Christmas Eve and we’re going to celebrate being young and alive,” and then expects Jack Black, of all people, to deliver them without a shred of irony. Throughout the movie, Black seems uncomfortable in his role, his facial expressions suggesting a man masking immense pain.

Winslet does her best not to trigger your gag reflex with her lines, and she succeeds, but Diaz hides her shame by overacting. She cranks up the histrionics to a pitch that only dogs could react to. Jude Law is, on the other hand, well, Jude Law—gorgeous, charming, the kind of man whom any woman could forgive for his sins, whether they be sleeping with the babysitter or acting in a movie like this.

But even with the beautiful view, this is one holiday I wish I hadn’t taken.