‘The Holdovers’ Review

Stars: Paul Giamatti, Dominic Sessa, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Carrie Preston, Brady Hepner, Ian Dolley, Jim Kaplan, Michael Provost, Tate Donovan | Written by David Hemingson | Directed by Alexander Payne

Having not released a film since 2017’s Downsizing, director Alexander Payne follows up what is considered the weakest film of his career with an absolutely wonderful work. At the Barton boarding school, bad-tempered professor Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti) is forced to remain on campus during the Christmas break to look after a handful of students with nowhere to go – collectively known as The Holdovers. Across the break, he forms a bond with student Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa) and head cook Mary (Da’Vine Joy Randolph).

From the opening moments where the studio logos and ratings title card appear in retro styles, Payne recreates the feel of a ‘70s feature throughout his latest work. The combination of aesthetic and story brings to mind a Hal Ashby film, such as The Last Detail, for this tale where bonds develop between seemingly mismatched characters before flourishing to deliver on the emotional beats.

Largely disliked by students and faculty, Paul is infamous for having a difficult personality and being brutally honest with his grading. He believes that the supervision duties are a punishment from Barton’s headmaster, due to an incident where he gave a failing grade to the son of an important donor. Giamatti effectively conveys Paul’s stubborn frustrations which stem from a disdain for the wealthy, bursting forth in sharp lines delivered with expert comedic timing, while also capturing a vulnerability lurking beneath the hardened exterior. While he may judge the students by their privilege, it is clear that he does not truly know the people that they are.

Challenging Paul’s biases is Angus, who misses his father while feeling bitter at being left behind by his mother. Sessa makes a phenomenal impression in his first feature role, capturing the character’s frustrations through a cheeky wit which masks his inner turmoil. Also remaining at the school is Mary, who is grieving the loss of her son. He was the only Barton alumnus who served in the Vietnam War due to being unable to afford college, and Randolph exceptionally captures the sadness as she spends her first Christmas without her son.

As they spend more time in shared company, often in front of an episode of The Newlywed Game, the characters gain a better understanding of each other and offer support throughout the holidays. Their individual loneliness unites them into a makeshift family, forging hopeful paths towards the promise of a better future. As it exceptionally touches upon themes of class and privilege in heartfelt and humorous ways, The Holdovers is a stand-out which deserves the accolades it is receiving.

****½  4.5/5

The Holdovers is in cinemas now.