Movie Review: The Holdovers
Plot: Set in December 1970, acclaimed director Alexander Payne’s latest feature depicts the life of Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti), a strict and hidebound classics teacher at the prestigious New England boarding school, Barton Academy. When a last-second deception by a fellow teacher results in Hunham having to watch Barton’s holdovers (students with nowhere to go on Christmas break), he’s stuck with grief-stricken cafeteria administrator Mary (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) and his intelligent but recalcitrant student Angus (Dominic Sessa). As the days progress, the trio find themselves developing an unexpected bond. As deep pain and vulnerability reveal themselves on all sides, a stunning development threatens the futures of both Angus and Paul.
Review: Although he’s been an established and well-regarded director for going on thirty years, the films of Alexander Payne have always been hit or miss for me. I find Election supremely overrated and Nebraska a snore fest. However, Sideways was sensational and The Descendants proved to be a moving, complex, and nuanced family drama. So, it was with a degree of trepidation that I sat down to watch Payne’s latest, comedy/drama, The Holdovers. Thankfully, I need not have worried because The Holdovers proves to be Payne’s best film to date and one of my favorite movies of the year.
As hilarious and heartfelt as it is affecting and poignant, The Holdovers delivers as both a comedy and a drama about grief, pain, and regret. Superbly acted, with a career-best performance by Giamatti and a stunning film debut from Dominic Sessa, The Holdovers made me laugh uproariously and moved me to tears twice. After a movie year that’s delivered some excellent existential but heavy-themed entries into the film lexicon (Oppenheimer, The Zone of Interest), it’s nice to balance that fare out with a true crowd-pleaser like The Holdovers. Strangely, I’ve seen several critics compare this film to a Hallmark/Afterschool special, saying it’s melodramatic and cloying. With the caveat that everyone’s movie-going experience is subjective, you must possess deep-seated cynicism and be working overtime to actively dislike this movie.
Although I’ve said so in the past, one of the great joys of being a film critic is being unexpectedly gobsmacked by a story. I never would have expected David Hemingson, known for Kitchen Confidential and Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23C to craft such a heartfelt and authentic story about grief and unrealized potential, but here we are. I found myself profoundly connecting with both Paul and Angus, highly intelligent, sarcastic, and cynical characters who are hiding deep pain. Yet Hemingson imbues them with nuance and depth that makes both somehow likable. Angus can be willfully defiant and glib, such as when he disobeys Paul’s command to enter the gym that’s under construction. However, he can also be warm-hearted and empathetic, like when he comforts a young student feeling a bout of homesickness. Paul meanwhile seems to revel in his students’ failure and being a miserable bastard, but he’s also fiercely protective of the grieving Mary and sweet on Barton faculty member Lydia (Carrie Preston).
Furthermore, Hemingson’s script feels like a 1970s film written by Robert Towne or Buck Henry and director Alexander Payne runs with it. Indeed, Payne makes a game effort to shoot this like a movie from the 1970s right down to the opening credits. The 70s aesthetic reverberates throughout the film, with The Holdovers reflective of previous cinematic works like Peter Bogdanovich’s What’s Up Doc? or Hal Ashby’s The Last Detail. Cinematographer Eigil Bryld does a masterful job of dovetailing Payne’s vision with his shots, masterfully capturing the New England winters and intimate dinner scenes and Christmas parties. You can see the influences of greats like Laszlo Kovacs and Michael Chapman, cinematographers who did their best work during the 1970s. It’s all complemented by a bright, dynamic, and career-best score from Mark Orton.
At the end of the day, however, The Holdovers hinges on the strength of its core cast: Randolph, Sessa, and Giamatti. The Holdovers can be considered the anti-Oppenheimer when it comes to the cast. Rather than a who’s who of notable actors in the industry, The Holdovers sports three main characters. This makes the story much more intimate and personal. Empathy is all about “feeling with” people and all three characters exemplify this.
Sessa succeeds as the emotionally turbulent Angus, someone who’s able to deliver lines with impeccable comedic timing but also excels in emotionally devastating scenes, particularly one late in the film that I won’t spoil. I’m astonished this is his first movie and I sincerely hope this is just the start of a promising career.
As for Da’Vine Joy Randolph (for the love of God see Dolemite Is My Name if you haven’t already), she’s probably the frontrunner for the Best Supporting Actress award at next year’s Oscars. She delivered an emotionally devastating performance that left me shaken. Her character of Mary is struggling with the death of her only son in Vietnam, who also happened to attend Barton. Although extremely intelligent, his lack of funds for college prompted him to enlist. Mary’s obviously in deep pain but also bitterly resentful. Despite this, she’s able to consistently demonstrate extreme empathy, particularly toward Angus. Additionally, some of the funniest moments in the movie come from her interchanges with Giamatti’s Paul Hunham. The pair possess excellent chemistry.
Believe me when I say that this is a career-defining performance for Paul Giamatti. While the Academy may have snubbed him for Sideways, there’s no conceivable way they can overlook him this year. Hell, if it wasn’t for some of the dazzling lead acting performances we’ve already witnessed (Cillian Murphy and Leonardo DiCaprio among them) I’d say he’d be the frontrunner to win outright. Giamatti’s portrayal of Paul Hunham calls to mind such great works as Peter O’Toole in Goodbye Mr. Chips, Sidney Poitier in To Sir, With Love, and Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society.
Paul Hunham is hated by his students and saddled with a wandering eye as well as a condition that causes him to emit a foul odor. He’s cantankerous and often gleefully malicious. He’s also a borderline alcoholic and semi-agoraphobic, rarely leaving the school and not daring to visit the places he teaches about. It isn’t until his interaction with Angus and their growing relationship that Paul embarks on a journey of self-reflection where he realizes maybe it’s not too late to change. Giamatti’s character possesses a true character arc that’s easy to root for and deeply satisfying.
I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention how deeply personal The Holdovers felt to me. As someone who’s struggled with mental health issues for going on three decades, several scenes in Payne’s film really hit home. I cried at least twice and felt true empathy for Angus because I’ve been there. Additionally, as someone who lost their mother to cancer seven years ago, I wholeheartedly connected with Mary’s plight. Some of her moments had a rawness and authenticity that profoundly affected me.
A superb film in its own right, The Holdovers easily takes a firm place in the pantheon of great Christmas movies. It’s a movie that easily slips into my permanent holiday rotation and one I will enjoy revisiting for years to come.
1 God Awful Blind Yourself With Acid Bad
2 Straight Garbage
3 Bad
4 Sub Par
5 Average
6 Ok
7 Good
8 Great
9 Excellent
10 A Must See
The Holdovers: 10/10
