Story: From acclaimed director Alexander Payne, THE HOLDOVERS follows a curmudgeonly instructor (Paul Giamatti) at a New England prep school who is forced to remain on campus during Christmas break to babysit the handful of students with nowhere to go. Eventually he forms an unlikely bond with one of them — a damaged, brainy troublemaker (newcomer Dominic Sessa) — and with the school’s head cook, who has just lost a son in Vietnam (Da’Vine Joy Randolph).
What We Thought:
The Holdovers is a nice, little gem from Alexander Payne. I was looking forward to the film because I’ve enjoyed most of Payne’s filmography. It also stars Paul Giamatti as a cantankerous school teacher in early 1970s New England and I’m from New England so it seemed right up my alley. It did not disappoint.
Giamatti plays a by-the-book teacher of privileged young men at a prep school who gets forced into watching the boys who aren’t heading home over Christmas break, aka the holdovers. It was another teacher’s year to do it, but he made up an excuse and Giamatti gets stuck staying there with a small group of kids and a cook who must cook for those staying the winter. At first it’s a handful of kids, but it ends up just being Giamatti, the cook and one student played by newcomer Dominic Sessa.
This is where the film really takes off for me. Sure there are scenes in the beginning that get laughs, but when it’s just this threesome the film develops its heart along with the comedy. Each character is fleshed out giving just enough backstory into why all three are who they are. The cook (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) is grief stricken after losing her son fighting in Vietnam. The student’s mother has remarried and pretty much leaves him there. Giamatti being so hard-nosed is explained throughout. Not one of them feels out of place or under developed.
Plus you can see why all three start showing the softer sides of themselves. On a trip to Boston Giamatti and Sessa’s characters bond over shared trauma. You see Da’Vine’s family along with her grief of missing her son. It’s all set around Christmas which always brings emotions to the table. But don’t think it’s just a heavy handed drama, there are laugh out loud moments with all of them which really highlights the humanity of these people.
The Holdovers won me over with its charm, comedy and drama. The three lead actors are fantastic especially newcomer Sessa. I can see the cast getting some award buzz especially the independent film awards. Payne captures an era and location brilliantly making a film that has the drama of Dead Poets Society with the comedy of Outside Providence. If you like dark comedies starring Paul Giamatti like Win Win or Sideways, you’ll enjoy this.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Director: Alexander Payne
Writer: David Hemingson
Producers: Mark Johnson p.g.a, Bill Block, David Hemingson
Executive Producers: Andrew Golov, Thom Zadra, Chris Stinson
Cast: Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, introducing Dominic Sessa
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