GamesRadar+ Verdict

A so-so Christmas romance undercut by some baffling choices, musically and narratively. A wasted opportunity.

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Loosely inspired by Wham!’s perennially popular 1984 hit, Last Christmas casts Emilia Clarke as a down-on-her-luck Christmas shop elf, with Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians) as her charming-stranger love interest. Their romance plays out in a twinkly London so Richard Curtis-esque you keep expecting it to cut to Hugh Grant in No 10.

Aspiring singer Kate (Clarke) has her ambitions constantly thwarted, often by self-sabotage. Luckily, Golding’s on hand to espouse the benefits of good deeds.

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For one thing, there are inescapable and unflattering parallels with TV’s superlative Fleabag, particularly in the sisterly relationship. It falls between stools musically, too: it’s not a full-on jukebox musical, but there’s too much George Michael for a standard Christmas romance. Sticking to the title track would’ve jarred less. Save your Christmas dosh for something special.

Matt Maytum is the former Editor of Total Film magazine. Over the past decade, Matt has worked in various roles for TF online and in print, including at GamesRadar+. Bucket-list-ticking career highlights have included reporting from the set of Tenet and Avengers: Infinity War, as well as covering Comic-Con, TIFF and the Sundance Film Festival.