College Holiday: A musical nightmare or just weird?

Is this thing worth your time?

Honestly, only if you enjoy watching 1930s studio logic collapse under its own weight. If you like classic musicals with a side of genuinely unsettling social engineering, you might find something here. But if you want a plot that makes sense, skip this one.

The whole thing starts with these college students descending on a hotel, expecting a performance space. Instead, they are treated like lab rats in a Greek-themed eugenics experiment. Yes, you read that right. It's supposed to be lighthearted comedy, but the premise feels like it crawled out of a horror movie.

The musical numbers are fine, I guess. They have that jittery, caffeinated energy that was all the rage back then. Still, every time someone stops singing to talk about 'perfecting the human race,' the air just leaves the room. It's a jarring shift in tone that never really settles.

Oddly Specific Notes

• The hotel looks like it’s held together by paint and good intentions.
• Martha Raye is doing heavy lifting here, bless her heart.
• The transition between the tap dancing and the science lectures is... jarring.
• I swear the background actors look more confused than the audience.

It reminds me a bit of the frantic energy in All Dolled Up, though that one managed its chaos with a bit more grace. Here, everything feels like it’s about to tip over. One scene in the lobby goes on for what feels like an eternity, mostly just people walking in circles.

Maybe it’s the lack of focus, or maybe it’s just the sheer insanity of the plot. I spent half the runtime wondering if the writers just threw words into a hat and picked 'eugenics' by accident. Probably not, but it feels like it.

It’s not a total disaster, but it’s definitely one of those movies you watch while doing laundry. You won't miss much if you zone out for ten minutes. And trust me, you will zone out. 🥱