A curmudgeonly instructor at a New England prep school remains on campus during Christmas break to babysit a handful of students with nowhere to go. He soon forms an unlikely bond with a brainy but damaged troublemaker, and with the school's head cook, a woman who just lost a son in the Vietnam War.
Director: Alexander Payne
Cast: Paul Giamatti, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Dominic Sessa, Carrie Preston, Gillian Vigman, Tate Donovan
Release Date: August 31, 2023
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Rated R for language, some drug use and brief sexual material.
Runtime: 2h 13m
Alexander Payne's newest film, The Holdovers, is a throwback on multiple levels from its character centered approach and methodical pacing which results in something nuanced, funny, and moving. Its old school approach is readily evident from the start as Payne uses a retro style rating announcement and title cards to establish a mood before we even meet our cast of loners. Once we do, there's a wonderful lived in, authenticity to each character that comes through the screen. Paul Giamatti carries the lion's share of the screen time as the acidic, oddball intellectual whose overblown sense of superiority is instantly evident. On first glance, it’s a fairly straightforward character which we've seen in these kind of films multiple times. However, once the story starts in earnest the film slowly starts to peel layers away, revealing a character with multiple layers of depth particularly when the film's central trio gets center stage. This is the kind of role that's tailormade for Giamatti since he can play an oddball in his sleep, but the latter moments lay bare how truly talented he is as he brings moments of rare but subtle emotions. His natural chemistry with Dominic Sessa and Da'Vine Joy Randolph, both of which turn in stellar, subtle performances, serves as the emotional center of the entire film. Their relationships evolve over the film's runtime, which gives it a more focused and adult styled The Breakfast Club as we experience each character's sense of isolation and loneliness. The script is wryly written, finding comedy and heartfelt truths through which gives the audience an impressive emotional connection to these characters. Its methodical pacing and understated style might not be for everyone but those still willing to engage with this kind of character study will find plenty to love in The Holdovers.
A-
