“The Holdovers” (2023)
Directed by Alexander Payne, Written by David Hemingson, Produced by Mark Johnson,
Bill Block & David Hemingson, Music by Mark Orton, Cinematograph Eigil Bryld, Edited by Kevin Tent, Starring Paul Giamatti, Da'Vine Joy Randolph & Dominic Sessa.
An ageing curmudgeonly history professor at a New England prep school must remain on campus during the Christmas break to supervise students who have nowhere else to go. He forms an unlikely bond with an intelligent but rebellious student and the school's head cook who just lost a son in the Vietnam War.
The Holdovers is a period comedy-drama directed by Alexander Payne (Election, Sideways & Nebraska) Set in December 1970 into January 1971. The film Stars Paul Giamatti as Paul Hunham the strict teacher at a New England boarding school, Da'Vine Joy Randolph as Mary Lamb the school’s catering manager and Dominic Sessa as rebellious student Angus Tully.
Dominic Sessa is remarkable in this film considering it is his feature film debut. To me his performance was reminiscent of a young Dustin Hoffman (but a lot taller) I’m sure that young man has a bright future ahead of him.
Da'Vine Joy Randolph gives a masterful and nuanced performance as Mary who is negotiating the festive period while processing the grief of losing her son.
She has been Oscar-nominated for this role and she deserves to win it.
Paul Giamatti! Paul Giamatti! In my opinion, he truly is one of the most gifted American actors of his generation.
He crushes this role as if it was written for him… Mainly because it was written for him!
He is just so good, so emotive, aridly dry and just so funny.
Alexander Payne hasn't made a period film before but you can tell he was not going into this to half-ass it.
I have seen this film described as “An exercise in time travel”
Payne didn't just make a film set at the end of 1970 he made a film that looks like it was released in 1971.
Even though the project was shot digitally they chose to use the old school 1.66:1 aspect ratio and the footage was expertly colour-graded then film grain effect and the appearance of slight damage was added digitally in post-production.
Even the rating certificate, the logos used for production companies and the font used for the credits are all period correct. All are executed with skill and do not come across as gimmicky or cheesy along with the beautiful period actuate production design, costume, hair and make-up and pitch-perfect performances that never break the spell you could be forgiven for thinking you were getting to see some lost film from 1971.
So “An exercise in time travel” is a very apt description of this production and it is also a wonderful story brilliantly told. I highly recommend this movie.
