Holidate

If you are after a comedy that actually makes you laugh out loud, Holidate is available in Australia on Netflix, and in the US on Netflix right now. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. With 2,378 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Emma Roberts sets the tone, and the rest of the cast matches it scene for scene. Start it on Netflix whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Holidate arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. Sharp writing and a well-matched ensemble are what separate Holidate from the crowd. Fed up with being single on holidays, two strangers agree to be each other's platonic plus-ones all year long, only to catch real feelings along the way. Emma Roberts and Luke Bracey lead a cast that never overplays a joke. Holidate came out in 2020. Holidate earns its laughs from character rather than situation, which is why it does not wear thin the way pure farce tends to. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

If you need a comedy that actually makes you laugh, Holidate is a strong candidate. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Emma Roberts's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.