The Holdovers review

THE HOLDOVERS: 

ALEXANDER PAYNE’S LATEST IS DESTINED TO BECOME A CYNICAL BUT TOUCHING NEW HOLIDAY CLASSIC! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

FOCUS FEATURES AND MIRAMAX

Paul Giamatti in Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers

 

            A cranky history teacher at a boys’ boarding school is forced to look after a brainy but troubled student over the Christmas holiday and forms an unlikely bond with him in The Holdovers, the latest film from director Alexander Payne (Election, Sideways, The Descendants) and his first movie since 2017’s Downsizing. I’ve enjoyed the majority of Payne’s filmography with Election, Sideways, and The Descendants being my favorites of his, but I also think About Schmidt and Nebraska are also good watches. 

            Really, the only movie of his I wasn’t a big fan of was Downsizing which had a unique concept and strong performances, but I found the execution of it to be rather sloppy and underwhelming. You can read more about my thoughts on that in my Downsizing review. 

            Anyway, I was interested in The Holdovers when it was announced especially since it reunites Payne with Paul Giamatti (American Splendor, Sideways, Straight Outta Compton) who had previously worked together on Sideways in 2004. Sideways is probably my favorite of Payne’s movies and is incredibly funny so I was very much looking forward to seeing what he and Giamatti were going to give next…another very funny movie that’s incredibly cynical but also has a good heart to it. 

            Set in 1970 at Barton Academy, the film follows Paul Hunham (Giamatti), a curmudgeonly history teacher who is forced to remain on campus over the Christmas break to look after a handful of students with nowhere to go. One of the students there is the smart but troubled, Angus Tully (Newcomer, Dominic Sessa) who is now stuck on campus after his mother scheduled a honeymoon with her new husband over the holiday break. 

            What starts off as a bitter circumstance eventually turns into an unexpected friendship between Paul, Angus, and the school’s cafeteria chef, Mary Lamb (Da’Vine Joy Randolph-The Lost City, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Rustin) who had just lost her son in Vietnam. 

            The film also stars Carrie Preston (True Blood, Duplicity, The Good Wife) as Miss Lydia Crane and Gillian Vigman (Step Brothers, The Hangover trilogy, The Kings of Summer) and Tate Donovan (Good Night and Good Luck, Argo, Hostages) as Judy and Stanley Clotfelter. 

            Overall, The Holdovers is a delightful holiday comedy-drama that’s wholesome and heartfelt, but also has a bit of an edge to it. It’s not Bad Santa level edgy, but you’ll have characters drop f-bombs and go on vulgar rants, it’s more along the lines of A Christmas Story if the characters were allowed to use the f-word instead of “fudge”. 

            Speaking of which, this film did remind me a lot of A Christmas Story especially with how it was shot and the production design. This is a beautiful-looking movie that embraces the winter season with lots of lovely shots of snowfall and pleasant winter colors everywhere, no other words to describe the production design except “Magical”. 

            The film also has this old-school filmmaking style to it that replicates movies that were shot on film including a classic “This Motion Picture Has Been Rated R” card from the 70s and retro variations of the Focus Features and Miramax logos in the beginning, dissolve transitions, graininess and gate weaving effects, and mono sound. It’s a movie that delivers the qualities and charms of cellular film without going full Christopher Nolan (It was shot digitally but made to look like film in post-production). 

            Despite its appealing technical aspects, it’s the cast that really shines in the film especially Paul Giamatti who gives one of his best performances here. He practically disappears into the role as this old man who had a difficult life and isn’t particularly liked by students or faculty staff due to his strict and uptight attitude, but also has a more humane and sensitive side that’s awakened through his time with Dominic Sessa’s Angus and Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s Mary. 

Giamatti does an excellent job selling both sides of the character and the chemistry he has with Sessa is the heart and soul of the film. Dominic Sessa is a massive standout as Angus who at first you’d think he’s going to be this angry, obnoxious brat throughout the film, but through the time he spends with Giamatti’s Paul (Hehe), he does start to appreciate what he’s doing for him and offers plenty of moments where the teacher learns from the student just as often as the student learns from the teacher, Sessa brings a sense of relatability for anyone who has ever had teenage angst and I hope to see him in future films. 

Da’Vine Joy Randolph also gives an amazing performance as the school cafeteria chef, Mary who is dealing with a loss in her family and hiding her pain when around other people. Randolph gives the film some extra emotional weight with her own little story arc and the chemistry she has with Giamatti and Sessa is very wholesome despite the tragic event in her character’s life. 

I thoroughly enjoyed The Holdovers and will gladly call it one of Alexander Payne’s and Paul Giamatti’s best films. Bursting with witty dialogue, stellar performances by the cast, and plenty of heart, it’s destined to become a new cynical but touching holiday classic that deserves to be cherished.