The Holdovers (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
'The Holdovers' (directed by Alexander Payne, Election, About Schmidt, Sideways, Nebraska) is a frequently humorous, yet poignant slice-of-life story set in a rural New England boarding school during the Christmas holidays. It's the waning days of 1970 on the sheltered, snowbound campus of the Barton Academy, where boys contend for the kind of grades that Ivy League colleges are looking for. With December nearing its end, everyone is heading home for a few weeks. That is, everyone except for 5 'holdovers'. When the father of one of the holdovers swings by on his helicopter to pick up his son {and 3 other holdovers} for a skiing getaway, the last-standing holdover, Angus Tully (newcomer Dominic Sessa), hopes to go, as well.
Unfortunately for Angus, his aloof mother & icy stepfather - who made him stay at school while they vacation in sunny St. Kitts - aren't available to give permission for their son to join the other holdovers for the skiing trip. Since Angus can't remain unchaperoned, a teacher must also stay behind and, the teacher with this distinction is Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti), a whip smart, cantankerous professor of ancient history who is disliked by both students & faculty. Prof. Hunham is as unenthused about babysitting Angus as Angus is about having his professor to answer to. Also staying on campus is Mary Lamb (Da'Vine Joy Randolph), the school's main cook, who is working through immense grief after having lost her 19 yr. old son in the Vietnam War. We watch as these 3 very different personalities must find common ground and navigate the emotional ups & downs of the holiday fortnight together.
Boy, did I enjoy this movie. I think it takes some time to find its footing in the opening 30 minutes or so; a bit chaotic & unrefined with what it wants to do. But after the point in which Angus becomes the lone holdover, the film takes hold. David Hemingson's script tackles topics of loneliness, bullying, & loss. But don't fret; the screenplay is also quite funny. The dialogue may not be quite as barbed as some other Payne films, but the humor & wit is no less in evidence. This film contains just the right combination of heart, laughs & nostalgia for the holidays to match the sadder aspects. I loved the 1970s look & vibe of the film; credit to cinematographer Eigil Bryld + Ryan Warren Smith's lived-in period detail. And the main actors are superb.
I first became enamored with Paul Giamatti in Payne's exceptional Sideways (2004) and, I fell in love with the guy all over again with his turn here as the solemn, inherently prickly Prof. Hunham. Giamatti's Hunham changes over the course of the 2 weeks; exhibiting the requisite empathy necessary to see his subtle, but effective changes from curmudgeon to more humane; particularly towards Angus. Some might say: oh, this is just Giamatti doing his usual sad-sack schtick. And sure, his asocial, stick-up-his-butt-ness is evident. But like the best actors can do, Giamatti makes you feel for him; his loneliness, & his unconscious need for friendship. And a certain "eye" comment late in the film just may bring a tear to your own eye.
Dominic Sessa grew on me as Angus, the troubled teen who is emotionally beaten down by what he must deal with at home & at school. Sessa ably captures the raw energy & subtle nuances of all those troubles. For someone in their film debut, Sessa is noteworthy. And Da'Vine Joy Randolph steals scenes. Mary's pain is so raw and, Randolph is masterful at allowing jussssst enough emotion to punch through when needed. It is Mary's 1st Christmas without her son, so managing her feelings {all while being a genuinely calm, relatively optimistic person} is tricky; particularly in one poignant scene at a Christmas party. Fueled by alcohol, Mary just can't keep it bottled up anymore as her glistening eyes & quivering lip gives way to a turbulent, yet cathartic release. I also enjoyed turns by Carrie Preston as a kind, but edgy fellow professor & Naheem Garcia as a janitor sweet on Mary.
Although components of the plot basks in familiarity, the crisp writing, precision of the performances, & the exceedingly well-honed relationships make 'The Holdovers' as stellar as it is. This film celebrates how very different people at different stages of life can intertwine at just the right time to impact each other in incalculable ways. And I really admired this film's exploration of loneliness & its impact on the 3 main characters. Though they each will continue their diverging personal journeys alone ... the moments of levity & kinship that they experienced during those 2 life-affirming weeks should help them long after the credits roll. The mix of melancholy, humor, bittersweet sentimentality & uplift gives 'The Holdovers' a potent and lingering touch.
Unfortunately for Angus, his aloof mother & icy stepfather - who made him stay at school while they vacation in sunny St. Kitts - aren't available to give permission for their son to join the other holdovers for the skiing trip. Since Angus can't remain unchaperoned, a teacher must also stay behind and, the teacher with this distinction is Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti), a whip smart, cantankerous professor of ancient history who is disliked by both students & faculty. Prof. Hunham is as unenthused about babysitting Angus as Angus is about having his professor to answer to. Also staying on campus is Mary Lamb (Da'Vine Joy Randolph), the school's main cook, who is working through immense grief after having lost her 19 yr. old son in the Vietnam War. We watch as these 3 very different personalities must find common ground and navigate the emotional ups & downs of the holiday fortnight together.
Boy, did I enjoy this movie. I think it takes some time to find its footing in the opening 30 minutes or so; a bit chaotic & unrefined with what it wants to do. But after the point in which Angus becomes the lone holdover, the film takes hold. David Hemingson's script tackles topics of loneliness, bullying, & loss. But don't fret; the screenplay is also quite funny. The dialogue may not be quite as barbed as some other Payne films, but the humor & wit is no less in evidence. This film contains just the right combination of heart, laughs & nostalgia for the holidays to match the sadder aspects. I loved the 1970s look & vibe of the film; credit to cinematographer Eigil Bryld + Ryan Warren Smith's lived-in period detail. And the main actors are superb.
I first became enamored with Paul Giamatti in Payne's exceptional Sideways (2004) and, I fell in love with the guy all over again with his turn here as the solemn, inherently prickly Prof. Hunham. Giamatti's Hunham changes over the course of the 2 weeks; exhibiting the requisite empathy necessary to see his subtle, but effective changes from curmudgeon to more humane; particularly towards Angus. Some might say: oh, this is just Giamatti doing his usual sad-sack schtick. And sure, his asocial, stick-up-his-butt-ness is evident. But like the best actors can do, Giamatti makes you feel for him; his loneliness, & his unconscious need for friendship. And a certain "eye" comment late in the film just may bring a tear to your own eye.
Dominic Sessa grew on me as Angus, the troubled teen who is emotionally beaten down by what he must deal with at home & at school. Sessa ably captures the raw energy & subtle nuances of all those troubles. For someone in their film debut, Sessa is noteworthy. And Da'Vine Joy Randolph steals scenes. Mary's pain is so raw and, Randolph is masterful at allowing jussssst enough emotion to punch through when needed. It is Mary's 1st Christmas without her son, so managing her feelings {all while being a genuinely calm, relatively optimistic person} is tricky; particularly in one poignant scene at a Christmas party. Fueled by alcohol, Mary just can't keep it bottled up anymore as her glistening eyes & quivering lip gives way to a turbulent, yet cathartic release. I also enjoyed turns by Carrie Preston as a kind, but edgy fellow professor & Naheem Garcia as a janitor sweet on Mary.
Although components of the plot basks in familiarity, the crisp writing, precision of the performances, & the exceedingly well-honed relationships make 'The Holdovers' as stellar as it is. This film celebrates how very different people at different stages of life can intertwine at just the right time to impact each other in incalculable ways. And I really admired this film's exploration of loneliness & its impact on the 3 main characters. Though they each will continue their diverging personal journeys alone ... the moments of levity & kinship that they experienced during those 2 life-affirming weeks should help them long after the credits roll. The mix of melancholy, humor, bittersweet sentimentality & uplift gives 'The Holdovers' a potent and lingering touch.