November 11, 2023
FILM: THE HOLDOVERS
DIRECTED BY: ALEXANDER PAYNE
STARRING: PAUL GIAMATTI, DA’VINE JOY RANDOLPH, DOMINIC SESSA
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
Let me first say that I’ve been a big fan of Alexander Payne’s films for more than two decades. I consider Election and Sideways, in particular, to be among my top 100 favorite films of all time. I even had the pleasure of sitting next to the director at a Telluride Film Festival screening a few years back. He couldn’t have been nicer. So, whenever he has a new film out I consider it an event. (Ok, so I never did see his much-maligned last film Downsizing but it is one that is considered a major outlier among his work.) His latest is The Holdovers starring Paul Giamatti, his lead in Sideways, as private boarding school teacher Paul Hunham who is forced to spend the holiday break on campus overseeing a few other students who have been left behind by their families during a Christmas season in the early 1970s. After only one viewing I’d say I liked the film but am not head over heels praising it the way other critics of the moment are.
One of the primary elements that go into the making of a great Alexander Payne film is, of course, his scripts. He’s won two Oscars for them (Sideways, The Descendants.) This time out the script is written by David Hemingson. It’s his first go around at a feature film. Most of his previous work has been on episodic television dating back to the 1990s. As such, some of Payne’s usual quick wit and story structure are missing here. Instead we get a LOT of obvious exposition, such as how long the private school has been in existence. These details are somewhat important but they do feel like they’re giving viewers a rather fast lesson in the background of this institution. It feels a bit obvious and a bit Screenwriting 101. There are also a few plot points that are a bit illogical. For instance, one of the students who has to stay during the holiday season, Angus Tully, is only informed the day all of the other students are leaving that his mother and step father have made other plans. Really?! That suddenly? It seems a bit too contrived given that his mother seems extra concerned about Angus’s well-being later in the film. There’s also an incident when the character is injured and heals rather quickly to advance the plot in other directions.
Also included in the “holdovers” group of the title is Da’Vine Joy Randolph as Mary Lamb who is in charge of the dining services the school offers. She is friendly but a bit guarded. We find out fairly early on that she lost a significant member of her family not long before the events of the film. As such, she’s a bit forlorn. She, Paul, and Angus end up spending Christmas together but then take a trip to Boston in which she visits her sister. Why hadn’t she planned some time with her on the actual holiday? Perhaps work was necessary but when the two get together it seems a bit odd that they would have originally been separated on that day.
All of this said, it is still an Alexander Payne film and any of his work is better than most of what’s out there today. (I know, that’s a BIG statement but I stand by it!) There are several of the usual Payne tropes such as events taking place at a school (Election), a road trip (Sideways, About Schmidt, Nebraska), a sweet waitress (Sideways) and essentially a lot of broken people (all of the above and including Citizen Ruth and The Descendants.)
Payne has said he admires the films of the 1970s and their focus on characters and relationships. The Holdovers attempts, in part, to capture that spirit. The music used is very much of the moment (I have to admit enjoying hearing Tony Orlando and Dawn’s number one hit “Knock Three Times” during one scene.) The settings look authentic for the period. Yet, there is a timeless quality to the film that makes it relatable to any era.
What’s surprising is how much of a Christmas movie this is. It takes place from December 17th until approximately the first week of January. There’s beautiful snow (if you like that…) and plenty of Christmas music played throughout. Even though at one point the Andy Williams song, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” is used rather ironically given the circumstances of a scene, I predict this will eventually become a holiday classic like Love, Actually, a film which is referenced to in the film and was never meant to be a “Christmas” film.
Paul Giamatti is great as Paul. He is the type of interpreter actor that one always knows is Giamatti. However, his character is lighter and more confident than Myles in Sideways. He moves differently and comes across as a strict teacher yet ultimately a warm, father-like figure. We can only hope for more Giamatti/Payne collaborations.
The Holdovers is a solid and heartwarming film. It may not be Payne’s best but it certainly offers some much-needed adult reflection.
The Holdovers is currently playing in theaters everywhere.
FILM: THE HOLDOVERS
DIRECTED BY: ALEXANDER PAYNE
STARRING: PAUL GIAMATTI, DA’VINE JOY RANDOLPH, DOMINIC SESSA
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
Let me first say that I’ve been a big fan of Alexander Payne’s films for more than two decades. I consider Election and Sideways, in particular, to be among my top 100 favorite films of all time. I even had the pleasure of sitting next to the director at a Telluride Film Festival screening a few years back. He couldn’t have been nicer. So, whenever he has a new film out I consider it an event. (Ok, so I never did see his much-maligned last film Downsizing but it is one that is considered a major outlier among his work.) His latest is The Holdovers starring Paul Giamatti, his lead in Sideways, as private boarding school teacher Paul Hunham who is forced to spend the holiday break on campus overseeing a few other students who have been left behind by their families during a Christmas season in the early 1970s. After only one viewing I’d say I liked the film but am not head over heels praising it the way other critics of the moment are.
One of the primary elements that go into the making of a great Alexander Payne film is, of course, his scripts. He’s won two Oscars for them (Sideways, The Descendants.) This time out the script is written by David Hemingson. It’s his first go around at a feature film. Most of his previous work has been on episodic television dating back to the 1990s. As such, some of Payne’s usual quick wit and story structure are missing here. Instead we get a LOT of obvious exposition, such as how long the private school has been in existence. These details are somewhat important but they do feel like they’re giving viewers a rather fast lesson in the background of this institution. It feels a bit obvious and a bit Screenwriting 101. There are also a few plot points that are a bit illogical. For instance, one of the students who has to stay during the holiday season, Angus Tully, is only informed the day all of the other students are leaving that his mother and step father have made other plans. Really?! That suddenly? It seems a bit too contrived given that his mother seems extra concerned about Angus’s well-being later in the film. There’s also an incident when the character is injured and heals rather quickly to advance the plot in other directions.
Also included in the “holdovers” group of the title is Da’Vine Joy Randolph as Mary Lamb who is in charge of the dining services the school offers. She is friendly but a bit guarded. We find out fairly early on that she lost a significant member of her family not long before the events of the film. As such, she’s a bit forlorn. She, Paul, and Angus end up spending Christmas together but then take a trip to Boston in which she visits her sister. Why hadn’t she planned some time with her on the actual holiday? Perhaps work was necessary but when the two get together it seems a bit odd that they would have originally been separated on that day.
All of this said, it is still an Alexander Payne film and any of his work is better than most of what’s out there today. (I know, that’s a BIG statement but I stand by it!) There are several of the usual Payne tropes such as events taking place at a school (Election), a road trip (Sideways, About Schmidt, Nebraska), a sweet waitress (Sideways) and essentially a lot of broken people (all of the above and including Citizen Ruth and The Descendants.)
Payne has said he admires the films of the 1970s and their focus on characters and relationships. The Holdovers attempts, in part, to capture that spirit. The music used is very much of the moment (I have to admit enjoying hearing Tony Orlando and Dawn’s number one hit “Knock Three Times” during one scene.) The settings look authentic for the period. Yet, there is a timeless quality to the film that makes it relatable to any era.
What’s surprising is how much of a Christmas movie this is. It takes place from December 17th until approximately the first week of January. There’s beautiful snow (if you like that…) and plenty of Christmas music played throughout. Even though at one point the Andy Williams song, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” is used rather ironically given the circumstances of a scene, I predict this will eventually become a holiday classic like Love, Actually, a film which is referenced to in the film and was never meant to be a “Christmas” film.
Paul Giamatti is great as Paul. He is the type of interpreter actor that one always knows is Giamatti. However, his character is lighter and more confident than Myles in Sideways. He moves differently and comes across as a strict teacher yet ultimately a warm, father-like figure. We can only hope for more Giamatti/Payne collaborations.
The Holdovers is a solid and heartwarming film. It may not be Payne’s best but it certainly offers some much-needed adult reflection.
The Holdovers is currently playing in theaters everywhere.