mobanmarketHOLLYWOOD, CA — An irascible classics professor known for his outbursts of acerbic pontifical retorts. A troubled young man fraught with angst masked in a bravado of belligerence and insolence. A head cook living with grief over the loss of a loved one. On the surface, all of them —professor Hunham (Paul Giamatti), teenaged Angus (Dominic Sessa) and chef Mary (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) — are disparate characters, but deep inside, they are much alike. All three are suffering from deep-seated pain, and they are the anchors to “The Holdovers.”
Alexander Payne’s new directorial outing will resonate more with his longtime fans in terms of the filmmaker’s directorial style, vision and execution. Indeed, he has pivoted back to his outstanding form, six years after his last film, the disquieting and lumbering “Downsizing.” Instead, think of the critically acclaimed 2004 “Sideways” — the last collaborative effort between Giamatti and Payne — and you will know exactly what we mean.
“The Holdovers” posits a 1970 Christmas season, and a remote New England prep school is preparing for the holidays. But for varied reasons, not every student can return home for the school break, meaning one of the instructors will have to babysit. Who gets the lucky job? Paul Hunham (Giamatti), the professor who makes everyone’s upper lip curl in disdain, thanks to his caustic wit.
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Hunham’s interactions pivot toward the young Angus (Sessa), a student known for his arrogance and rebelliousness. As the duo spend time together, we get to learn more about Hunham’s trials and tribulations as well as the boy’s abandonment issues. Meanwhile, we see glimpses of chef Mary (Randolph) whose son has recently been killed in Vietnam. Her screen time is often short but impactful. Eventually, all three see a ray of hope and optimism as they confront their misery.
See it.
“The Holdovers” meanders every now and then during the first two acts but rest assured that these lapses are short and hardly noticeable, averting any tonal clashes along the way.
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The leads’ acting performances are paramount to the screenplay; and unequivocally, Giamatti, Sessa and Randolph handle their respective character arcs with much gusto, nuance and naturalism. Giamatti, particularly as the main lead, deconstructs the complexity of the curmudgeon with fervor and natural ease. Ultimately, his razor-sharp interpretation serves up a winning smile for audiences to enjoy.
In all, what emerges in the end is a solid and delightful story of three people who find connection over thwarted lives.
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