The Holdovers

Director: Alexander Payne

Writer: David Hemingson

Stars: Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Dominic Sessa

Runtime: 2h 13m

MPAA: R

Released: November 10, 2023

Few films represent isolation during the Christmas holiday. The Holdovers does so in a way that manages to be filled with warmth. Alexander Payne has directed a poignant piece of holiday charm that is led by strong performances from its three central characters.

Paul Giamatti plays the lead as curmudgeon Paul Dunham. He is a tough teacher at a prep school called Barton Academy. Neither his students or fellow faculty like him all that much. Giamatti delivers what may be the best performance of his career. It is Christmas break of 1970 and he has been chosen to look over the “holdovers”, students who are unable to leave campus to be with family.

Not to be outdone, Da’Vine Joy Randolph is also incredible in the film. She’s Mary Lamb, the head cook at Barton and also staying over the holiday. She has recently lost her son, a Barton graduate who lost his life in the Vietnam War. Watching her deal with this trauma and loss is hauntingly real. She’s a heartfelt character and strong link between Paul and Angus.

Incredibly, newcomer Dominic Sessa holds his own as troubled student Angus Tully. The actor performs admirably in his debut. He’s a frustrated yet smart student, angry at almost everyone he knows. His chemistry with Paul Giamatti is essential to The Holdovers and the duo hit it well. It’s also important that he can pull off being a nuisance without putting off the audience. He skates this line well along with the smart script.

This script is written by David Hemingson. The dialogue of The Holdovers is good and punchy throughout. Strong emotional heft is developed through the course of the movie while also delivering plenty of solid laughs. The only weak spot is that the first act feels rather slow and is the least interesting part of the film. Subsequent acts build on this and improve on each other as it progresses, with the final act being the best part of the film.

A large part of the first act is devoted to building the characters. This is appropriate and works well for the main three. The problem is that there’s also several auxiliary characters that leave in the second act. They are decently acted and developed, but often more annoying than not. In the end a lot of time spent with them feels wasted. Once the film focuses on Paul, Mary, and Angus these side characters completely leave the mind.

Fortunately the production of The Holdovers is top notch. Alexander Payne and cinematographer Eigil Bryld have gone for a seventies look that matches the period depicted. From the opening titles the film lives and breathes this aesthetic. Real locations have been meticulously chosen to stand in as period appropriate settings. Despite being filmed digitally the movie has been given a warm look that is indistinguishable from a real film of the time. When combined with great costume work the movie really nails its setting while being beautiful to look at.

Also great is the soundtrack. It combines popular songs of the time period with new compositions from Mark Orton. These new pieces are solid and combine modern soundtrack sounds with some fitting notes of seventies style. These fit well with the selection of period appropriate songs. They all work to build from the warm aesthetic created by the visuals.

Perhaps the most impressive part of The Holdovers is that it manages to be a very touching film without falling into any sentimental trappings. There are no over the top emotional scenes. Everything feels grounded and real. Moments of heightened emotion are played straight. This makes it so that every piece of character growth is earned. Nothing here is cheap or unbelievable.

Alexander Payne has directed what could become a holiday classic. The Holdovers is a beautiful film in both look and heart. It is funny, sad, and a joy. It’s also a film built to represent loners over the holiday season. The incredible performances from Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Dominic Sessa are enough to recommend it on their own.

★★★★☆