• Release year: 2023
• Director: Alexander Payne.
• Producers: Bill Block, David Hemingson and Mark Johnson.
• Screenplay by: David Hemingson.
• Cinematographer: Eigil Bryld.
• Music by: Mark Orton.

Shotgun Commentary: bittersweet story, not very original, but endearing and delivered with talent. Good for the holiday season.

Review

The Holdovers give a Christmas twist to the “rebel kid-grumpy teacher/carer” trope features in films such as Good Will Hunting (1997), The Fundamentals of Caring (2016) or The Pacifier (2005). It is a charming story with plenty of sadness, cringe and laughter. An emotional ride very much on brand for the holiday season.

Precise and clear

The editing is simple, yet it communicates as much as the characters themselves. This is mainly due to the camera work. There are some very expressive shots, and angles that emphasise a specific part of the action. The camera directs the audience’s eye like a conductor in an orchestra. It doesn’t omit anything relevant, and it highlights the exact information it wants you to pay attention to whenever it deems necessary. As a spectator, you feel safe in the hands of that silent narrator that guides you through the narrative.

Fiction with its feet on the ground

The three main characters find themselves in small adventures with twists and turns that bring them closer to each other. While there is some Yule magic in those, everything that happens is very much grounded in reality. This commitment to the functioning of the real world is what makes the movie hit the audience so hard. It shows the “miracles” that rarely happen, but also the endless injustices that all humans go through on a daily basis just because of their family structure, personality, or lack of economic power.

As far as Christmas features go, it is refreshing to see one that doesn’t include an unlikely couple falling in love, ludicrous adventures that are shown as casual but require a huge amount of money in reality, or Santa Claus and his elves. The use of the season as a conduit rather than the reason why everything happens makes this a perfect film for people who are not especially keen on this celebration, but enjoy it in small doses nonetheless.

Slow unwrapping

In The Holdovers, the Yuletide is the reason during which the unlikely trio are forced to live together. Through this experience, they get to know each other past their appearances and the preconceptions they had of one another. It is fun and interesting to see this enemies-to-friends relationship develop since the audience also knows very little about any of them and discovers their true selves drop by drop, and at the same time the other characters do.

The creation of this beautiful dynamic could not have been possible without an incredible cast that supports the weight of the story without any apparent struggle.

Talent’s all around us

Paul Giamatti’s portrayal of a teacher from a high school for trust fund kids is masterful. He reminds very much of an actual tutor, the one we have all had, rough but caring. There is always this one instructor who is actually interested about your well-being as a person and not only your productivity as a student. Giamatti’s portrayal is really nostalgic in that way. He nails that educator that meant something in your life.

Additionally, he represents all introverts for whom being alone reading books is the best plan possible and having to endure the company of others is draining. However, people with this type of personality are always seen as the weirdos that everybody hates or fears. This is terribly unfair since it reinforces society’s mistreatment towards them. Sadly, The Holdovers does little to break with the stereotype.

Nevertheless, Giamatti’s performance also gives a big shoutout to everyone who is stuck in a job with a douchebag for a boss and a bunch of jerks for coworkers, and everyone who is different and punished for it. He is an example of resilience and staying true to oneself and one’s beliefs even when the whole world is saying otherwise. Giamatti has delivered a complex, imperfect and lovable character that will be remembered for many holiday seasons to come.

Merry and bright

Da’Vine Joy Randolph portrays the kitchen manager of the high school, a woman who recently lost her son in the war. Her work is raw and heartbreaking, but somehow also funny and carefree. It is a delicate balance that she achieves effortlessly. You suffer for her and the next minute she will make you laugh. This is a talent that only a handful of artists have, and it is an absolute delight to watch it. Her character is complex and pure, honest and loving. It is a really likeable character and very much in the repertoire of Christmas archetypes, yet Da’Vine Joy brings it to life in a new way. She makes Mary the cook interesting and incredibly charismatic.

As for the newcomer Dominic Sessa, he delivers a superb character, especially considering that this is his first feature. He portrays Angus, a rich, entitled teenager with deeply buried feelings and issues, and he does so flawlessly. It is a very exciting performance that promises a bright future in cinema. Moreover, the choice of Sessa for Angus is spot-on, since his co-protagonists are already quite well known. Being free from the constant thought of “oh, it’s that guy” helps empathise with his struggles and immerse yourself in the story better.

All in all, The Holdovers has that snug vibe that is perfect for a Christmas movie. It is an engaging tale full of emotional ups and downs, perfectly complemented by incredibly talented acting. A great choice to watch during the festive season.

Advice to take from this movie:

• A couple of noes from time to time work wonders with kids, don’t be afraid to use that word.
• While it is not OK to judge people, 99 out of 100 times a trust-fund prick is, indeed, nothing more than a prick.
• “Penis cancer in human form” might be the best insult ever created.

What’s your take? Have you watched The Holdovers? What’s your favourite Christmas movie? Are you more of a Grinch? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀

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