#04: THE HOLDOVERS

 

STARRING: Paul Giamatti, Da'Vine Joy Randolph and Dominic Sessa. Written by David Hemingson. Directed by Alexander Payne. Budget $23.4 million. Running time 133 minutes.

Set in an exclusive New England boarding school at the tail end of 1970 as Christmas and New Years draw close, The Holdovers follows, bitter, vindictive and exceedingly strict classics professor, Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti) forced to skip his own Christmas vacation to look after four pupils of various ages left behind by their respective families while the rest of the school head off for the holidays. Joining them is Mary Lamb (Da'Vine Joy Randolph) the kitchen administrator, who is grieving for the death of her son, an ex-pupil killed in the Vietnam War. When a twist of faith leaves just one pupil Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa) behind, a strange friendship is struck between the three of them as Christmas grows ever closer. 

Emotions and relationships are explored as Paul's borderline alcoholic thick skin is slowly chipped away and Dominic's angry rebellious rage against life is tempered while Mary tries to come to terms with her devastating loss. 

This is a love letter to the movies of the 1970s, right down to the use of the old Universal logo, the opening credits, the soundtrack, and even the very look of it. It harkens back to that wonderful golden era of 1970's Hollywood and the films of Robert Altman, Hal Ashby and Mike Nichols to name but a few.
  
This is a delightful movie, which deeply satisfies, slow and sombre but never boring, the centre of it all is Paul Giamatti who mesmerising, it's his relationship with Dominic Sessa that gives the film its punch and yet without the measured performance of Ra'Vine Joy Randolph who grounds the film, it wouldn't be anything that special. 

It's a funny film, although a laugh out loud one, it's a film that finds its humour in the relationships and dialogue of the three leads. The burgeoning respect that the two male leads learn from each other is moving and subtle. And the setting of a snow bound New England at Christmas gives the film a further layer of emotional connection. 

Yet again January brings another nugget of gold, I hope and wish this continues throughout the year, but experience tells me this glorious period of cinema won't last long. 

Until then, if you fancy something not fantastical, not filled to the brim with special effects, superheroes, action or guff then give this a go. It's a truly charming and wonderful character study with a real heart and a life-affirming ending. 

9/10