THE FILM
TITLE: The Holdovers
RELEASE DATE: 31 Aug 2023
WATCH DATE: 05 Mar 2024
TYPE: live-action feature film
ACCESS: streaming on Peacock, and available for rent on Amazon Prime
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
THE PEOPLE
DIRECTOR: Alexander Payne
PRODUCER: Mark Johnson, Bill Block, David Hemingson
ACTORS: Paul Giamatti, Dominic Sessa, Da'Vine Joy Randolph
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
THE STORY
RUNTIME: 2h 13m
STORYLINE: a boarding school history teacher gets stuck on campus with a junior student over the holiday break and they argue and clash, but also begin to open up to each other to share their pasts and who they really are underneath
GENRE/THEMES: drama, comedy, loss, boarding school, teacher-student
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
THE CRITIQUE
THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS
This original screenplay feels like a true story. The characters are relatable. The dialogue is natural. The unfolding of events that move the story along is engaging. Comedy and drama, emotion and conflict, tragedy and restoration are all woven together in a deeply human story.
The Holdovers is one of those, ‘peel back the layers of the characters’ movies. As the days of ‘holding-over’ progress, each character’s shell begins to crack and we begin seeing deeper into each of them. This is done masterfully in both writing and acting. The small cast enables the story to develop each of the three main characters, and you feel connected to them by the end of the film. This had to have been written based on some real-life experiences.
Paul Giamatti’s work in the development of Paul’s character is complex. Worthy of his Oscar nominee, Giamatti is skillful and carries the film on his shoulders. Dominic Sessa (Angus Tully) rises to the occasion, and alongside Da'Vine Joy Randolph (Mary Lamb) the trio makes a powerful cast.
The film stands out from the usual movies people go to watch. And that’s a good thing. We need more original stories like this one, that speak to the realities of life and the many layers underneath our masks that make us human. The Holdovers is a simple a solid film, not designed to keep you on the edge of your seat or in shock and awe… just a great film.
About an hour in, you suddenly realize how much you actually are enjoying this sort of obscure and random film. By the end, you are pleasantly surprised at the quality of filmmaking you experienced.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
THE RECEPTION
NOMINATIONS
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
THE IMPRESSION
IN A SINGLE WORD: heartfelt
MOST STRIKING ELEMENT: scriptwriting, dialogue
REWATCH: no
RATING: 4 // 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Follow me on LETTERBOXD for film reviews, movie lists, and more!
Comments