THE HOLDOVERS
2023 | Dir. Alexander Payne | 133 Minutes
"I find the world a bitter and complicated place, and it seems to feel the same way about me. I think you and I have this in common."
At a boarding school in New England, classics instructor and staunch loner Paul Hunham is charged with supervising the children unable to join their families during the winter holiday break. An unexpected change in plans leaves Mr. Hunham alone with Angus Tully, a clever and defiant teen determined to rebel against the irritable teacher. Through various shared mishaps and experiences, with encouragement from affable cafeteria manager Mary, Mr. Hunham and Angus form an unlikely bond.
Nearly two decades after their lauded collaboration on Sideways, Alexander Payne reteams with Paul Giamatti to deliver The Holdovers, a touching dramatic comedy that perfectly captures the mood and aesthetic of a 1970s coming-of-age picture. Written by David Hemingson, the screenplay is razor-sharp with excellent dialogue, nuanced characters, and themes of social alienation along with a sizable dose of Vietnam War angst, period-appropriate as a throwback to films of the era. At its heart, The Holdovers tells a moving story about a pair of resentful misfits forced to spend the holidays together and they both gradually learn to be more empathetic people. The more viewers learn about Mr. Hunham and Angus, the more invested they become in their respective personal journeys.
Though shot digitally, the post-production work on The Holdovers convincingly makes the picture resemble a film from the 1970s. Perfectly complementing the visual aesthetic are the inspired audio choices. The feature's mono sound mix immediately evokes a feeling of coziness and soundtrack includes memorable needle-drops such as Damien Jurado's "Silver Joy" playing halfway through opening title sequence, and Labi Siffre's "Crying, Laughing, Loving, Lying" prominently featured in a montage of Angus wandering the campus alone in the middle of the night and at the very end of the picture.
Playing mean old Mr. Hunham in a complete showcase of his full range as a seasoned character actor, Giamatti gives one of the best performances of his career - hilarious, tragic, and incredibly moving. Perhaps the cast's most impressive asset is breakout star Dominic Sessa as Angus, a soulful and charismatic young performer who more than matches both Giamatti's frantic energy and his pathos. In the prominent supporting role of Mary, a naturally amiable but amusingly straight-forward woman in the midst of grieving the loss of her son, Da'Vine Joy Randolph is truly excellent, bringing incredible warmth and subtlety to make the character completely her own.
Exploring loneliness, grief, and unlikely human connections, The Holdovers is a heartwarming picture that's authentic in setting, tone, and emotion. Featuring well-rounded, flawed, but immediately lovable characters, a snappy screenplay, and a superb story that promotes empathy but still carrying a humorous bit of an edge, it is a real gem of a film. There is a timeless quality to feature, and it may just become an offbeat holiday classic for many cinephiles.
FRAGMENTS
- Unquestionably my favorite film released in 2023, immediately one of my favorite films of all time
- The vintage Universal Studios logo, and the retro style Focus Features and Miramax logos opening the film are a nice touch
- I've been a big fan of Paul Giamatti's since American Splendor though I fully acknowledge that he sometimes ends up in some pretty bad roles (such as the rather embarrassing take on the Rhino in The Amazing Spider-Man 2) though the triumph of his role in this film more than makes up for those questionable parts
- The illusion of the 1970s setting was nearly perfect for me until the shot of the China Trade Gate at the entrance of Boston's Chinatown showing the Hot Pot Buffet restaurant which opened in 2010
- During the scene in which Angus explains his father's condition, a woman sitting one or two rows behind me at my screening started to weep which immediately made my eyes tear up
