Movie Review: The Holdovers

December 18, 2023

By Bessy ADUT

I would like to write a movie review on a very underrated movie at the end of this year. It’s called "The Holdovers, directed by Alexander Payne.

Some of the films he wrote, produced and directed in the past you may know are, 1996 Citizen Ruth, 1999 Election, 2002 About Schmidt, 2004 Sideways, 2011 The Descendants, 2013 Nebraska, 2017 Downsizing, and 2023 The Holdovers.

When I saw the trailers of this movie I thought it was interesting but when I saw it in the Laemmle Theaters, I thought this was one of the best movies I have seen this year. I do hope it gets an Academy Award for at least Best Original Screenplay and I hope each main and supporting actors get their well-deserved nominations and/or awards.

I see a potential in this film that it could become a classic easily. The Holdovers makes the audience laugh and cry at the same time in certain parts, so comedy-drama is the genre it fits in. It’s written not by Alexader Payne but by David Hemingson.

The film takes place in the 1970s, in a New England all-boys boarding school. A few students will need to stay at school during Christmas and a tough teacher will need to babysit them.

It was premiered at the 50th Telluride Film Festival, and released in the United States by Focus Features.

Most of the reviews were very positive about this movie on platforms such as Rotten Tomatoes. "Beautifully bittersweet, The Holdovers marks a satisfying return to form for director Alexander Payne.

Alexander Payne

Alexander Payne

Paul Hunham is a great character played by Paul Giamatti. He plays a very strict, hidebound classic professor at Batron Academy at the New England boarding school, which we later find out he once attended. He is not much liked either by the students or the Faculty.

In December 1970, Paul Hunham is a strict, conventional classics professor at Barton Academy, the New England boarding school he once attended. Disliked by students and fellow faculty, Hunham is pressured to supervise the "holdover" students left on campus for the holidays.

We are introduced to Angus Tully earlier a young, troubled student who was so very excited to go home for Christmas even coming to class with his luggage ready to go. He is also the one who gets the highest grades from this tough teacher. However, he rebels. Later on, he finds out his mom cancels their Christmas plans because she has a honeymoon with his new stepfather. He joins the other 4 kids and he already has problems with one of them bullying him.

It’s the first time I have seen Dominic Sesa in a feature movie but I can tell he is a very talented actor with this role and he is going to places.

One more person who is staying behind is cafeteria administrator Mary Lamb, definitely deserving a Best Supporting Actress nomination by Da'Vine Joy Randolph, she is a grieving mom after the loss of her son, a Barton alumnus killed serving in Vietnam. That also sets the tone for Angus Tally’s future.

As if the few students who are left behind for Christmas aren’t miserable enough, Hunham pressures them to study and exercise during their break. After a few days, one of the young rich kids’ father comes with a helicopter and takes most of them with him for the family’s sky trip. Of course, each kid’s parent is asked for permission but they can’t reach Angus’ parents and he ends up staying at Barton with Hunham and Mary. These 3 main characters form sort of a substitute family due to the circumstances and celebrate Christmas time together.

Paul Giamatti

Paul Giamatti

Angus tries to run away and go to a hotel room but Hunham catches him. As Angus is very upset and frustrated he starts to rebel. Hunham chases after Angus and tells him not to dare but he jumps on the gym equipment in the off-limits gymnasium and breaks his arm. The father-son relationship starts to evolve when Angus lies and stands up for Hunham and takes the blame. In a similar fashion, Hunham helps him out when Angus gets into a conflict with some war veterans at the restaurant.

Characters each fill a void for one another. Angus needs a father figure, Mary misses her lost son and feels motherly compassion, Hunham doesn’t seem to have a family at all and he confronts his demons during this time.

In a later scene, Angus insists that he would like to go to Boston. And when they go on a trip. Mary also has a chance to visit and catch up with her sister. Hunham sees an old friend from college and we find out that he was a Harvard University kick-out. Hunham is embarrassed so he lies that he is teaching in Europe, Angus comes to his rescue and adds that he is also writing a book. Another time they stand in solidarity with each other against all adversities.

On Christmas Eve, they get invited and go to a party by the school administrator. Angus gets a nice kiss from a young girl. Hunham is disappointed to find out Julie has a boyfriend. Mary has a breakdown in the kitchen over losing her son at such a young age.

Later on, Angus tries to escape to his father. Hunham thinks he is going to a cemetery to visit his father but it turns out he is actually in a Sanitarium and we understand it was his mental illness that put the family apart. Angus is afraid to become like his father but Hunham convinces him that he can become his own man and vouches for his intelligence.

When the break is over and life goes back to normal at school, Angus’s mom and stepfather come to the school. They are very upset because Angus went to visit his father against his mom’s wishes. He brought a snow globe with him and his father had a violent episode with it and hurt another person. As Angus is about to be sent to Military School, his teacher Hunham stands up for him and eats the bullet, he gets fired.

We are sad to see him get fired for standing up for this young man but we also it is time for him to really move on. Mary gives a notebook to Hunham as a Christmas Present and it hints, that he is going to start writing his book. Angus gets to stay at Barton. And Mary particularly because of the trauma of his dead son is very glad he is staying there. He is like a son to him and doesn’t want to lose another son. Angus and Hunham share a warm goodbye.

It’s most certainly a beautiful original screenplay however what makes the film so good is all the performances, arts and music making it watch while. I highly recommend watching this movie, it feels like you just read a wonderful book. It leaves a classic movie trace on your mind.

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Movie Review: The Holdovers

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