Jude Law: Momporn Star

I tricked my husband into seeing The Holiday. Cameron Diaz did There’s Something about Mary and Jack Black is a guy’s guy, right?

He rolled his eyes at the movie’s preoccupation with relationships. It’s a relatively new thing for my 60-something husband–this insight that the primary concern of young women is relationships–and, even though I spent four years writing a book about women, men, and love, he’s continually amazed by the extent of it.

He was particularly grossed out by Jude Law’s weird daddiness. Law and Diaz lying in the pink tent with his two little girls with the stuffed animals gazing at handmade stars hanging on strings. Please. Cameron Diaz shows at the door? A real man hits the grandparents on his cell in an instant. The little girls and tents can wait a day. They’ll survive.

Judith Warner, in her blog entry in the New York Times titled “Dad Envy,” describes the “perfect” dad character played by Jude Law an example of Mom porn. Great description.

I don’t have any problem with the perfect lead man in this movie. Cary Grant was always perfect. If not perfect in the beginning, he was in the end, especially for the right gal, which made him even more perfect. That’s the point of a romance.

But, really, The Holiday has all the makings of tragedy. The eye candy, the perfect Mom pornstar lives in England, at least a day from Heathrow through the very worst traffic, an 8 hour time zone difference, at least a 12 hour flight, the drive up to 2 hours, depending on the 405, to her place in B Hills. The blonde beach babe with pool, jacuzzi, and surround sound is going to give up her Hollywood career for mommying two little girls in a cottage in gray, cold (albeit lovely) England? He’s going to move away from his work and the grandparents who allow him the time to be so charming to expensive, competitive schools and life without pubs? Oh, I was so happy for them. They’re beautiful and in love. But the real romance plays out in the sequel. I want that movie.