Holidate on Netflix Exposes Women’s Struggles

The new film Holidate released by Netflix is the spitting image of what a lot of women endure from family and friends.

The main character Sloane played by Emma Roberts is a young woman who is focused on herself and her career. She is a single woman who finds no shame in being alone. However, her family makes her feel terrible about it, as if she shouldn’t be content without a male partner. Sloane can’t catch a break. Those closest to her are always trying to play matchmaker and hoping she will land in the arms of her knight in shining armor. As a result of constant pressure, she arranges to have a guy pose as her partner for an entire year.

While Sloane’s actual decisions in the beginning may not be relatable, her feelings of pressure to be with someone is. Working class women and even wealthy women from all over the globe have probably experienced being questioned about why they aren’t dating, why they aren’t married and even why they do not have or want children.

Some people may not know that their constant nagging is hurtful and annoying, while others do and just do not care. Either way, it can be very stressful and in most cases toxic. A single woman knows she is single, she doesn’t need to be reminded that she is. Children can be very active and rowdy, a woman knows this too. Stop reminding her that she doesn’t have children.

Even though Sloane and her fake partner Jackson later realize they’ve actually fallen in love, them faking it for a whole year closely represents the mistakes women and men make when trying to please others. The couple stumbled into many unnecessary issues like compatibility and dishonesty. Granted, these issues arise in a relationship generally, but when things are rushed and lack authenticity, it makes matters much worse.

Sloane also becomes a bit insecure when her ex and his new girlfriend are expecting their first child. If you are 30 and don’t have a child, the questions begin to increase. If you reach 40 and still have no children, you may as well be a foreign creature. The pressures put on women to have babies are absurd. Some women are waiting, while others simply don’t want kids. Either way, it is their decision alone and should never be questioned. The film illustrated this point nicely through the plot.

While the film was comical, the more serious themes were handled well and many will surely appreciate it.