As Kate tries to improve her life during the holiday season, she has a hard time enjoying herself after major heart surgery and a lackluster love life. The movie begins as she awkwardly walks through London’s West End to her job at the nearby quintessential Christmas store, wearing her whimsical green elf dress and boot covers to match. All the while, the beloved song Last Christmas by George Michael is playing as the background music.

The newly released film Last Christmas (2019) is a “feel good” movie to see in a theater near you. Starring Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding, these two help each other through life. Clarke, who plays Kate, begins to develop feelings for Golding’s character Tom throughout the movie. The two meet at the Christmas shop where Kate works and although they remain mutual friends, Kate eventually realizes that Tom means more to her than she ever expected. As Kate spends more time with Tom, he begins to teach her how to live her life independently, to give back to others, and overcome her difficulties with her family, as her main character flaw is not having positive relationships.

Born into a Yugoslavian family who lives in London, Kate is challenged with getting along with her sister along with living with her parents. Emma Thompson, who wrote the movie, plays Kate’s mother, Petra, a strong-minded woman with a powerful love of her family. Kate’s mother’s overprotectiveness is a result of Kate’s heart transplant. As a result, Kate is challenged by her living situation with her parents and decides to leave home, but eventually finds herself in desperate times as she becomes a bit of a nomad staying with friends and new acquaintances every night.

An aspiring singer, Kate would rather struggle to be on time for theater auditions than focus on taking care of her body after many doctors and her mother have pleaded for her to do so. Instead, she is out drinking at English pubs with friends and strangers after work. Due to her drinking, wild personality, and clumsy irresponsible manner, she ends up electrocuting a friend’s fish while using a blow dryer. After getting scolded by her mother and medical professor at her monthly check ins at the hospital, Kate realizes she must do a better job of taking care of herself. With Tom’s help, she becomes a kinder and healthier person.

The movie’s theme of teaching others to be grateful for what you have and be true to yourself is well is communicated throughout the movie. Kate does a complete 180-degree turn in the right direction that allows her to have her first Christmas where she is truly fulfilled with a sense of hope.