Written by: David Hemingson
Starring: Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Dominic Sessa, Carrie Preston, Gillian Vigman
Rating: [4.5/5]
Through various stories told in all forms of media, the impact a teacher can have on the lives of students has been well cataloged. This positive impact essentially keeps teachers in these underpaid positions for so long as even in the smallest ways these kids could have been better off by having the care of one teacher who decides to put in the time and effort. The Holdovers presents a film that seeks to live in this warmth of a positive impact but does even more with how it unites those left behind.
At a pricey and prestigious boarding school in New England, Paul (Paul Giamatti) teaches the classics but certainly does not go easy on his students as he demands aplenty from them, therefore not building the best reputation. As he does not have much going for him in his personal life, he takes on the role of watching over the kids when Christmas vacation comes around and the students who do not have a place to go home to for the holidays.
Set in the 1970s and very much wanting to evoke the feeling of a 70s film, The Holdovers seeks to bring the warm and fuzzies with its heartwarming story of connection during the holidays but does so by providing the perspective of three characters in their journey that contains plenty of melancholy as well. It makes their coming together under these unexpected circumstances that much sweeter overall that displays Alexander Payne moving away from his cynicism and with age finding more interest in crafting something much more touching while also incisive.
From the onset of the film, we follow Paul and how he operates as a teacher where pretty much no one likes him from the students to his fellow teachers. Heck, the principal does not either because Paul refuses to give any leeway to these students, even if their parents donate a hefty sum to the school. He presents a level of integrity that does not bend as he cares for these students to actually succeed as opposed to pass just because their parents can pay for it. This, obviously, presents him as a hard teacher, but as we dig into him more and what makes him tick, we delve into a deeply sad character that learns plenty about himself through this holiday season. Tasked with caring for these kids, he connects with them in ways here in their collection of grief, as they all find themselves in this circumstance together during a time when everyone else spends time with their loved ones.
From the perspective of the students, we primarily see this through Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa) who has to spend his Christmas season at the school not because he has no family to go but rather because his mother decided to go on a vacation with her new husband and will be away from home leaving him with nowhere to go. Certainly not the ideal circumstance for him, but as we learn more about him and this particular journey he goes on, his connection to Paul only grows firmer in what they share and how they can relate to each other.
Finishing out the triumvirate, we have Mary (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), the school cafeteria manager, who must stay behind in order to provide the meals for these holdovers with what remains in the cupboards and refrigerator. She deals with the loss of her son, who attended the school but died during military service not too long ago. The holidays ring completely different for her since his passing, which makes this work situation not as disconcerting. Her grief hits the hardest and seeing how she navigates this story truly tugs at the heartstrings, especially in the way she serves as the lifeline to ensure Paul and Angus do not kill each other throughout all the shenanigans.
All three of these characters have undergone their own form of hardship that makes the holidays particularly difficult but the beauty of this film exhibits just how individuals with nothing really to tether to can find some meaning amongst each other. In a time when others celebrate coming together, they can do that with each other. This remains the heart and soul of this movie and through all the quips and pieces of drama that transpire, this feel-good approach makes all the difference in further ingratiating us to these characters and we can feel for them as they try to survive this particular period of time.
The three characters of this film received some incredible performances to bring them to life. Paul Giamatti always delivers as expected but even he ratchets it up to another level. Very much fitting within the types of characters Giamatti likes to play, he delivers all the thinly veiled anger and disappointment that flows through Paul with his circumstances in life. Giamatti knows how to portray sadness, but in this film he infuses it with this larger loneliness, which makes those devastating moments that transpire hit much harder than anticipated. Dominic Sessa portrays Angus in his very first acting role and it’s quite the debut where he channels the raw teen angst of someone his age who does not necessarily have everything figured out. He feels like quite the natural and took exactly what the screenplay asked of him and delivered. With all that said, the true star of this feature shined brightest in her performance, Da’Vine Joy Randolph. Playing a grieving mother but one that still had so much to offer in ways of advice and joy even though the effort of concealing her pain. Randolph just nails this character of Mary where she can still bring the humor but also devastate as we navigate this journey of incomplete grief. What a trio of actors who all come together and ensure this film’s success.
Surely to enter the Christmas rotation for many, especially those who enjoy some melancholy thrown in with the films that bring nothing but joy, The Holdovers stands firm as top-tier Alexander Payne film. With this feature he does not work off his own screenplay and you can tell with the softer touches with these characters and the decisions they make. Each of these characters gets a thorough character arc as they navigate this painful time, but the Christmas elements still find their way through in creating something that may cause some water works but will still definitely accompany it with some laughs.
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