This is one of best “feel good” holiday features to come out in a while. Not only does it feature an amazing soundtrack by George Michael, it’s also co-written by none other than Emma Thompson, who also appears in the film as the hilarious, Adelia.

Thompson conceived the idea and got the approval from George himself back in 2013, prior to his untimely death on (ironically) Christmas Day, 2016. Speaking of her meeting with George Michael that led to the making of the film, Emma Thompson said: “The wisdom and emotional scope of George’s lyrics have always amazed me. So many feel like they were written for the movie. After I met George and experienced his compassion and understanding up close, I realized that in fact the movie was written for those lyrics.”

Set in London during the 2017 holiday, Last Christmas features the music of George Michael and Wham!, including the holiday classic of the film’s title, and one brand-new unreleased track, This Is How (We Want You To Get High). Kate harrumphs around London, a bundle of bad decisions accompanied by the jangle of bells on her shoes, another irritating consequence from her job as an elf in a year-round Christmas shop. Tom seems too good to be true when he walks into her life and starts to see through so many of Kate’s barriers. As London transforms into the most wonderful time of the year, nothing should work for these two. But sometimes, you gotta let the snow fall where it may, you gotta listen to your heart … and you gotta have faith.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW

Right from the get go, there’s no second guessing that lead actor, Emilia Clarke, is going to be the star of this film. Her character, Kate, is so adorable that there’s no way to not like her. She struggles through life, in conflict with her parents, having trouble holding down jobs and a relationship, and as is revealed later, went through a health scare that happened over the holiday period last year.

She works as an elf in an Christmas store in London, owned by Santa (Michelle Yeoh), who also adds some hilarious moments throughout the movie, especially so during her interludes with The Dane (aka ‘Boy’), played by Peter Mygind. Raised in London to migrant parents who fled the former Yugoslavia during the conflict of the 1990s, Kate is a wanderer, forever restless, and would rather be homeless than have to live with her parents. Although, truth be known, they are pretty awesome. She also has one sister, who is living with her female partner, but hasn’t disclosed the relationship to her parents as yet. The family scenes around the dinner table are pure slapstick. 

Things start to turn around when Kate randomly meets Tom (Henry Golding), first outside the Christmas store, then several other places around the city. It’s random because Tom told her he put his cellphone (mobile) in the cupboard and hasn’t had use for it since. He’s always asking her to go for a walk, and to “look up” when out and about. She’s hesitant to succumb to his gentlemanly requests, but eventually caves, having no other recourse. They become good friends, but nothing more than that, which surprisingly is Kate that has issues with not taking it to the next level. She eventually divulges her past health issues with him, which resonates quite personally for him.

From here, the movie begins to wind down with more hilarity, some tender moments, and a surprise ending. If the movie wasn’t enough to make you leave feeling better than when you arrived, the soundtrack of Christmas classics and George Michael originals, will have you humming long after you’ve left the theatre. Go see this!

Approximately 10 years ago, producer David Livingstone began the development of a romantic comedy based on George Michael’s song “Last Christmas.” Livingstone says that it all originated with his obsession with a Jimmy Stewart classic: “I love It’s a Wonderful Life, and I was trying to think of a brand that would give me an opportunity to create something that had that everlasting charm and was a Christmas comedy.” It dawned on the filmmaker that the biggest holiday brand he could think of was the Wham! song “Last Christmas.” “It is played on repeat absolutely every year,” Livingstone says, “in every store—on every radio station—again and again. I thought it would be marvelous to turn that into a movie.”

This Is How (We Want You To Get High) (Extended) is one of only four finished, unheard and never-released masters by George Michael, “This Is How…” was recorded as part of his final studio sessions. The track was recorded in Studio Two at the famous Air Lindhurst Recording studios in London between 2012 and 2015. George had the studio on permanent lockout for many years and he would often referred to it as his home away from home. The song was co-written and co-produced by George Michael and James Jackman, a long-standing member of George’s studio team. George’s manager David Austin played Last Christmas screenwriter Emma Thompson the song in June 2018 and upon hearing it for the first time she was completely sold and knew that the song belonged in the film.

Emilia Clarke (HBO’s Game of Thrones), Henry Golding (A SIMPLE FAVOR, CRAZY RICH ASIANS), Michelle Yeoh and Emma Thompson star for director Paul Feig (A SIMPLE FAVOR, SPY, BRIDESMAIDS) in the romantic comedy LAST CHRISTMAS, with a screenplay by Academy Award® winner Thompson (SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, BRIDGET JONES’S BABY) and playwright Bryony Kimmings.

LAST CHRISTMAS SOUNDTRACK ALBUM AVAILABLE ON SONY MUSIC

“HEAL THE PAIN”

Written & Performed by George Michael

Courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment U.K. Limited

“LAST CHRISTMAS”

Written by George Michael

Performed by Wham!

Courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment U.K. Limited

“LAST CHRISTMAS”

Written by George Michael

Performed by Little Voices

Courtesy of Red Sauce Records

“TOO FUNKY”

Written & Performed by George Michael

Courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment U.K. Limited

“IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR”

Written by Edward Pola, George Wyle

Performed by Denver & The Mile High Orchestra

Courtesy of Ford Music Services

“SLEIGH RIDE”

Written by Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish

Performed by Empty Houses

Courtesy of Sargent House

By Arrangement with Bank Robber Music

“SHE DRIVES ME CRAZY”

Written by Roland Gift, David Steele

Performed by Fine Young Cannibals

Courtesy of London Music Stream Ltd.

“CHRISTMAS BRIDE”

Written by Ray Conniff

Performed by The Ray Conniff Singers

Courtesy of Columbia Records

By Arrangement with Sony Music Entertainment

“FANTASY”

Written & Performed by George Michael

Courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment U.K. Limited

“MY FAVORITE THINGS”

Written by Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II

“JINGLE BELL ROCK”

Written by Joe Beal, James Boothe

Performed by Bobby Helms

Courtesy of Geffen Records

Under License from Universal Music Enterprises

“LULLABY”

Written by Johannes Brahms

“MOVE ON”

Written & Performed by George Michael

Courtesy of G.K. Panayiotou

Under Exclusive License to Sony Music Entertainment U.K. Limited

“WAKE ME UP BEFORE YOU GO-GO”

Written by George Michael

Performed by Wham!

Courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment U.K. Limited

“FASTLOVE, PT. 1”

Written by George Michael, Theresa McFaddin, Patrice Rushen, Fred Washington

Performed by George Michael

Courtesy of G.K. Panayiotou

Under exclusive license to Sony Music Entertainment U.K. Limited

“JOY TO THE WORLD”

Written by Isaac Watts

“EVERYTHING SHE WANTS”

Written by George Michael

Performed by Wham!

Courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment U.K. Limited

“SPAVAJ DIJETE, SPAVAJ”

Traditional

“LAST CHRISTMAS (TWISTER TECHNO REMIX EDIT)”

Written by George Michael

Performed by X-mas Allstars Feat. Fab

Courtesy of World2Media

“PRAYING FOR TIME”

Written & Performed by George Michael

Courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment U.K. Limited

“A HOLLY JOLLY CHRISTMAS”

Written by Johnny Marks

“WHITE CHRISTMAS”

Written by Irving Berlin

Performed by Rosemary Clooney

Courtesy of Platinum Music Libraries & Ford Music Services

“SINOC NISI BILA TU”

Written by Kemal Monteno

Performed by Zdravko Čolić

Courtesy of JD Production Belgrade (Beograd Disk)

“WAITING FOR THAT DAY”

Written by George Michael, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards

Performed by George Michael

Courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment U.K. Limited

“JINGLE BELLS”

Written by James Lord Pierpont

“DECK THE HALLS”

Written by Thomas Oliphant

“FAITH”

Written & Performed by George Michael

Courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment U.K. Limited

“DONALD WHERE’S YOUR TROOSERS”

Written by Neil Grant, Andy Stewart

“BLUE CHRISTMAS”

Written by Billy Hayes, Jay W. Johnson

“GOD REST YE MERRY, GENTLEMEN”

Traditional

“LAND OF HOPE AND GLORY”

Written by Edward Elgar, Arthur Benson

“WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN”

Traditional

“ONE MORE TRY”

Written & Performed by George Michael

Courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment U.K. Limited

“ROCKIN’ AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE”

Written by Johnny Marks

Performed by Brenda Lee

Courtesy of Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC d/b/a Tree Productions

By arrangement with Ace Music Services LLC and Forman Bros.

“FREEDOM! ’90”

Written & Performed by George Michael

Courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment U.K. Limited

“PRAYING FOR TIME (LIVE)” from MTV Unplugged

Written & Performed by George Michael

Courtesy of Viacom Media Networks, a Division of Viacom International Inc.

“ZVONČIĆI”

Traditional

Translation by Miso Dolezal

Arranged by Bozo Potočnik

Performed by Krunoslav Kićo Slabinac

Courtesy of Croatia Records

“DOBAR VEČER, JAPICA”

Traditional

“THIS IS HOW (WE WANT YOU TO GET HIGH)”

Written by George Michael, James Philip Jackman

Performed by George Michael

Courtesy of Virgin EMI Records

Under license from Universal Music Operations Ltd.

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats.