The Holdovers

The Holdovers | 2023 | R | Dir. Alexander Payne | US | IMDb 7.9 | 133 mins 

This multi award-winning comedy drama atmospherically set in a school in New England over the Christmas period (1970) is a return to form of the director Alexander Payne as he re-teams with the actor Paul Giamatti (Sideways).

The ‘Holdovers’ are the pupils and staff held over at a private school (the fictional Barton College) over the Christmas holidays as they have nowhere else to go.  They are presided over by the ever-soulful Paul Giamatti playing an embittered teacher whom life has passed by.  He is entrenched in a limiting existence as an isolated bachelor taking out his anger and unhappiness on the privileged students in his care but ultimately also on himself by withdrawing from the world.  Da’Vine Joy Randal plays the rooted school cook, and mother figure, who is grieving the recent loss of her son in the Vietnam war.  And Daniel Sessa gives a strong performance as a troubled teen in his acting debut and is one to watch.

Unlikely bonds are forged as these outsiders are forced together at a time of year that is all about family and relationships.  As the story unfolds, the lead characters slowly let their armour down and start to reveal life’s deeper hurts to each other, and ultimately to us the audience.  This bonding leads to quiet transformations and propels them all forward in life.

This is a character piece with the three main leads all capable of reflecting the many shades of this film from despair, depth and poignancy to lighter touches.  The carefully observed period setting, with soundtrack to match, and the seasonal framing of a traditional snowy New England enhance the absorbing nature of the film. 

The Holdovers received 5 Oscar nominations including best picture, best actor (Paul Giamatti) and best supporting actress (Da’Vine Joy Randal) which she won.  A finely acted and evocative period piece this is a thoroughly engaging, sensitive and intelligent film about finding an alternative ‘family’ at Christmas.  The Holdovers is set to become a non-mainstream seasonal classic.

·       Screen 2 upstairs

·       Doors open 6.45pm

·       Pre Christmas season social so wine or soft drink included

·       Welcome from our chair Paula Stott @ 7.15pm

·       Free parking after 6pm if you DISPLAY an orange parking voucher, available from the Odeon lobby

·       Unreserved seating

·       We invite every viewer to score the film afterwards using a token system in the lobby