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The Holdovers

I usually like to build up to such statements, but I’m going to go ahead and let you know right now that I absolutely loved everything about Alexander Payne’s latest film, THE HOLDOVERS. An instant Christmas classic set over the holiday break at a prestigious prep school in New England, it features a snappy script, deft direction, and pitch-perfect performances.

Cantankerous professor Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti) isn’t exactly what you’d call a “people person.” He’s the type of fella who gives homework over the holidays and whistles as he hands out failing grades to his students. He acts annoyed to be given the assignment of staying behind with students who have nowhere to go over the holiday, but really, it doesn’t impact his life in the slightest. He already lives at the school, has no family, and if he has the opportunity to make a student’s life miserable, then Christmas won’t be all bad.

One of the students left behind is Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa). Originally, he was going to be joining his mother in St. Kitts, but at the last minute, she bails on him to take a much-needed vacation with her new husband. This leaves the disillusioned Tully stuck at school, where he is one step away from expulsion. This isn’t exactly a new thing for the intelligent yet defiant young man, and one more misstep means that he will be on his way to military school and inevitably, Vietnam.

Mary Lamb (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) also remains on the grounds over the break. The head cook has suffered a terrible tragedy, with her son losing his life in Vietnam. She certainly doesn’t relish the fact that she is forced to feed entitled, self-centered spawns of socialites while coming to terms with her grief and loss, but it at least provides a mild escape from her misery.

Payne’s film is beautiful, hilarious, tender, and delightfully entertaining. Capturing the look and feel of a 70’s production, it never feels gimmicky or self-serving, but merely an authentic snapshot of a bygone era. The soundtrack is breezy and seamless, complimenting each scene without overshadowing the action at hand. The fact that the story is somewhat predictable makes the movie’s success even more remarkable. Though it boasts conventions we have seen countless times before, it never dissolves into the type of overtly cheesy that befalls so many of its contemporaries. It absolutely leaves the viewer longing for a happily ever after, yet never loses its edge on the journey towards its conclusion.

The performances by its three leads rank amongst the best of the year. Giamatti (who won a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy) and Randolph (who won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress) are both nominated for Academy Awards, and Sessa (making his film debut) easily could have been nominated as well. Giamatti’s innate ability to take a curmudgeonly character that you would despise in reality and mold him into an endearing leading man is nothing short of astounding. His timing is masterful and his delivery is flawless. The trio have superb chemistry working alongside one another, and each bring a depth and relatability to their character that make you care for each one of them deeply. They are fundamentally broken in their own unique way, projecting a steely exterior that most in their lives find rankling. Yet together, they form a particularly endearing bond, one that evolves and blossoms fortuitously throughout the running time. That running time, by the way, clocks in at just over 2 hours and 10 minutes, and I was utterly shocked by that as the end credits began to roll. I was so ingrained and lost within their world that it felt as if no time had passed at all. That’s when you know you have something special on your hands.