Last Holiday
2006 — 1h 52min — PG-13 — Comedy
Director
Wayne Wang
Writers
Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman
Actors
Queen Latifah, LL Cool J, Timothy Hutton, Gerard Depardieu
Intro
When Georgia Byrd (Queen Latifah) finds out she has three weeks to live she decides to pursue her dreams with the time she has left. She breaks free from her quiet life and takes her dream European vacation. Along the way, she inspires everyone she meets with her straightforward wisdom and kindness.
Redemptive Analogy
What would you do if you only had three weeks to live? Georgia Byrd’s answer is to finally take her long-desired European vacation. And, instead of becoming bitter or angry, she approaches her death with wisdom, grace, and kindness toward everyone she meets. In this story, we watch a Jesus-follower with nothing to lose embody Him in her interactions with everyone she encounters.
Conversation Starters
In your own words, ask a few of these questions during the natural conversation after the movie.
Possibilities
Georgia has many unfulfilled dreams at the start of the movie. Have you ever put together anything like Georgia’s “Possibilities” book?
Possible Response
“May God grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans!” (Ps. 20:4) Scripture encourages us to bring our plans before the Lord and trust in His good plans for us. (Prov. 16:9, Matt. 6:33, Jer. 29:11, Rom. 8:28)
Three Weeks to Live
Early in the movie, Georgia’s doctor tells her she has three weeks to live. What would you do if you received the same news?
Possible Response
The Bible speaks of living fully in faith, trusting in God’s promises, and the brevity of life. Reflect on how your faith shapes your responseand consider sharing transparently how this news would influence your priorities. (Rom. 14:8, John 14:1-3, James 4:14)
Unnoticed Beauty
In the hotel lobby, Georgia asks the clerk, “Don’t that ceiling ever just make you want to cry?” Why do we overlook beauty?
Possible Response
In the Parable of the Sower, we see why we often overlook beauty: the hard-packed path shows a lack of understanding. The rocky ground reflects fleeting attention, and the thorns represent life’s distractions. These conditions prevent us from noticing beauty. (Matt. 13:3-9, 18-23)
Good or Bad
While giving advice to Ms. Burns (Kragen’s assistant), Georgia has this insightinto people like Kragen, “They’re never bad people. They’re greedy people. They want a little bit of this, a little bit of that…” Are people inherently good or bad?
Possible Response
In the Parable of the Sower, we see why we often overlook beauty: the hard-packed path shows a lack of understanding. The rocky ground reflects fleeting attention, and the thorns represent life’s distractions. These conditions prevent us from noticing beauty. (Matt. 13:3-9, 18-23)