Review: The Holdovers

Sessa, Randolph and Giamatti in The Holdovers

This afternoon we went to a matinee show for US$6 per ticket. Some went to see Napoleon, but I opted for The Holdovers, Alexander Payne's latest film.

On the surface it seems like it will be a comedy that could be full of physical and verbal humour, but it's actually a contemplative deep dive into people's lives and how you may not know the full story of anyone you meet until you really get to know them.

Paul Giamatti plays erudite teacher Paul Hunham in ancient Greek and Roman history, but he is despised by students and colleagues alike at Barton Academy, a boarding school for boys in New England.

Hunham must look after students at Christmas

Even though Paul was a graduate of the school, he loathes the students he teaches, believing they are hardly smart and deserve to fail.

It's December 1970 and he is assigned the thankless task of looking after some boys whose parents aren't collecting them for the Christmas holidays. 

All but one manage to worm their way out of staying in the school much longer, leaving Paul with a student named Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa), and Mary Lamb (Da'Vine Joy Randolph), the African-American cafeteria administrator who makes their meals.

We soon discover Mary's son was a graduate of the school but had recently died fighting in Vietnam, and so this Christmas is a tough one for her.

The film also reveals bit by bit why Angus isn't spending the holidays with his family, and why is Paul so miserable.

Payne (left) and Hemingson

The characters in The Holdovers are very believable and makes the viewers think about people in their lives. Do they know what is really going on behind their facade? There is more than meets the eye.

Giamatti is so good as the curmudgeon Paul, a tight-ass teacher who is keen to show off his academic trivia that is of no interest to others. 

It's also interesting to note in the 1970s there was a lot of open drinking and smoking. But there was also a bit of diversity too, as one of the students is from Korea, another is a Mormon (aside from the other kids with trust funds).

As Mary, Randolph's character acts as a bridge between Paul and Angus, and brings compassion and empathy.

Sessa is fantastic with his screen debut as a lanky student whose life is more complicated than he lets on.

The Holdovers reminds us to be more empathetic towards others because you never know what they've been through before you met them.

The Holdovers

Directed by Alexander Payne

Written by David Hemingson

133 minutes