The Holdovers (2023)
“I find the world a bitter and complicated place, and it seems to feel the same way about me. I think you and I have this in common.” Right from the opening titles emulating independent films of the 1970’s, you just know you are in for a slow, but comfy ride.
The plot of The Holdovers follows a Greek classics teacher named Paul Hunham (portrayed by Paul Giamatti) employed at a New England boarding school who draws the short stick and has to stay at the school over winter break to supervise the students that were “held over”. There, he bonds with a problematic student named Angus Tully (played by Dominic Sessa), and helps comfort the lunch lady Mary Lamb (played by Da’vine Joy Randolph) whose son recently passed away in Việtnam.
The performances are subtle, but engrossing, leaving the viewer with a deep understanding of who these people are by the end. The film is set during the early 70’s, and the production design and filming techniques seek to successfully capture the feeling of movies from that era, and I think they really pulled it off. There were quite a few laugh out loud moments, and while it may not be the next Christmas classic, I think that it is still a really great time.
Erik’s rating: 8/10.
–The Holdovers is currently playing in theaters, and available for purchase and rental on demand.
