The Holdovers

"The Holdovers" is a captivating blend of comedy and drama that beautifully explores the complexities of human relationships.

Story is about a grumpy instructor (Paul Giamatti) at a New England prep school who forms an unexpected bond with a troubled student during the Christmas break. Because it is set in the 1970s, the film in a way is a nostalgic journey back in time, but with a narrative that is both engaging and thought-provoking.

The performances are exceptional, with Giamatti delivering a compelling portrayal of a man grappling with his own loneliness and the challenges of mentorship. The film's narrative is richly layered, exploring themes of loneliness, friendship, and personal growth. It's a story that resonates, offering a poignant reflection on the human condition. The film's setting in the 1970s adds a layer of nostalgia, further enhancing the emotional depth of the narrative. Despite its lengthy runtime, "The Holdovers" mostly maintains a steady pace, balancing its dramatic elements with moments of humor and warmth. The main plus of the movie is its dialogue-driven approach that adds to its charm, creating a sense of authenticity and depth in its character interactions.

Overall, this is a film that leaves a lasting impression, offering a thoughtful exploration of human relationships set against the backdrop of a bygone era. With its exceptional performances and engaging narrative, I'm giving it an 8 out of 10 rating. It's a must-watch for those seeking a film that combines drama, comedy, and a touch of nostalgia.

Quite possibly one of the best Christmas films ever? I first saw Payne & Giamatti's previous film together, "Sideways" during my screenwriting training class, and it is one that I would think of for a while. Their new film, "The Holdovers", is hilarious, beautifully shot and acted, heartwarming, and has a great sense of grief and joy meshed together. Definitely leaning towards Randolph for Best Supporting Actress; her performance BLEW me away.

Overall, I love these films. Light-hearted & comedic while also have a sense of darkness and a lot of heavy emotion to it. Definitely is one of the most heartfelt films of the year.

Finally......a GOOD movie. The story/script, although not a breakthrough idea, was heartfelt,full and real.

The settings were also real and gorgeous (not really a cgi fan) Camera, cinematography, lighting,sound,score....every level made my eyes and ears satisfyingly full.

Acting was oscarworthy across the board.

Directing was brilliant.

Only negative I can come up with is that the pace was a bit slow, but so much of the movie is so focused and so superbly and beautifully made I just sat back and enjoyed it.

A very thoughtful substantial and beautiful movie. A rare gem in today's superficial gimmicky movie making world.

Here is a film that feels and looks like something out of the early seventies. The Holdovers is a strong and warm-hearted piece that gives actors roles with powerful lines, without any reliance on flashy editing and being overwhelmed by special effects.

The story is simple three people get stuck for the Christmas holidays in a boarding school. It's cold, lonely, and boring for the parties involved. The adults drink to cope with whatever pressures they live with. The young man resorts to bad behavior and altercations with the teacher in charge.

Through the vacation period these people will get to interact and get to know each other, something that will prove to a challenge to say the least. As the story evolves, we get to understand what has made the people who they are. We get to feel their pain and frustration through the very insightful writing of the director.

It's a strong film with superb acting by the main leads. They have great chemistry together.

Most outstanding is Paul Giamatti who plays the tormented and defensive man with relish and speaks volumes with his eyes.

Hope the academy honors his performance as the best the year because no one else so far is coming close.

It's a comedy-drama set from December 16, 1970, to the first week of January 1971 in an exclusive boy's boarding school in New England and Boston, Massachusetts. It follows the experiences of the "holdovers," that is, the students who cannot go home over the Christmas holidays and the two Barton staff left to supervise them during the holidays.

There are five holdovers: Teddy Kountze (Brady Hepner), Jason Smith (Michael Provost), and Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa) are upper-class wealthy WASP students. Alex Ollerman (Ian Dolley) is a younger Mormon student whose parents are on a mission in South America. Ye-Joon Park (Jim Kaplan) is from South Korea.

Left to supervise is Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti), an unmarried ancient history teacher who was once a student at Barton and has taught there all his career. He's a demanding curmudgeon who almost everyone dislikes. African American Mary Lamb (Da'Vine Joy Randolph), the head cook, is also present; her son, a Barton grad, has just been killed in Vietnam.

The film follows the shared experiences of the holdovers, though four students leave after a week when a wealthy father takes them for a ski holiday. Paul cannot contact Angus's parents, so he must stay with Paul and Mary at Barton. We also meet the school's headmaster, Hardy Woodrup (Andrew Garman), his administrative assistant, Lydia Crane (Carrie Preston), and janitor Danny (Naheem Garcia).

"The Holdovers" is a delightful comedy leavened with wisdom as we learn the dark secrets that have shaped Paul Hunham and Angus Tully. Giamatti, Sessa, and Randolph are all excellent. The script unfolds the twists and turns superbly. "The Holdovers" is a great Christmas movie.