Until very recently I was all in on Cillian Murphy taking home this year’s Best Actor Oscar. All of the nominees are deserving, but his is a once in a lifetime performance upon which Oppenheimer, one of the best movies ever made, rests. It’s a truly staggering piece of acting craft, created by an under-appreciated artist.
Buuuuuuuuuut then I saw The Holdovers, in which Paul Giamatti gives a once in a lifetime performance upon which ANOTHER one of the best movies ever made rests. It’s also a truly staggering piece of acting craft, created by another under-appreciated artist. Sure, some will say that Giamatti is just “doing his thing,” especially within the confines of an Alexander Payne movie, but the rebuttal to that is rather straightforward: “his thing” is something no one else can even come close to replicating. Giamatti is a one of a kind actor whose ability to elevate any and all material would come across as supernatural if not for the Herculean effort that we all know he puts into his craft. With his Everyman look, his gargly voice, and his almost cartoonish way of being, Paul Giamatti is the supporting guy who steals the scene without ever stealing the frame (unless called upon to do so). He’s the guy who can do herocism as well as villainy; who can be overstated as well as under. He is the bizarro Philip Seymour Hoffman, and goddamnit, if he gets this Oscar it will be one of the most deserved in history.
A testament to his oddball powers: After Sideways, his inaugural pairing with Alexander Payne, Merlot sales saw a dip. It has long been suspected that this is due to Giamatti’s role as a guy who steadfastly refuses to drink the perfectly delicious wine. Sure, we can credit the film’s excellent script (and the equally excellent source novel), but it really all comes down to Giamatti’s delivery of the film’s most iconic line: “I am NOT drinking any fucking Merlot!”
So I must send my apologies to Cillian Murphy, but I’ll say the same thing I said to Michelle Yeoh last year after I saw TÁR: You crushed it, but your fellow nominee’s performance is un-de-niable (although I was ultimately wrong — Yeoh took home well-deserved gold).
Anywho, onto the movie.
The Holdovers takes place in 1970, on the campus of a private New England high school. The students all come from privileged backgrounds, a fact not forgotten by Paul Hunham (Giamatti), a cranky professor who has recently upset his superiors by refusing to budge on the low grades he issued to a legacy student. As a form of unofficial punishment from the top brass, Hunham is tasked with keeping an eye on the handful of students who, for a variety of reasons, will not be leaving campus for Christmas break. The kids are not happy about this either, least of all Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa), whose family altered their vacation plans at the very last minute. Angus is a gifted student, albeit with all the baggage that comes with being 18 and from a broken family. And when said family is not reachable to grant him permission to join his fellow holdovers on an impromptu rich-kids skiing trip, he’s now the sole student trapped with Hunham for two cold, miserable weeks.
I had the unique privilege of watching this film at an age that places me almost dead center between the two leads. The adult in me wants to reach out to Angus and say “You’re not going to be young forever! You have the tools to do something great!” At the same time, the kid in me wants to reach out to Hunham and say “Just because you’re older doesn’t mean joy is behind you. Live your life! Be kind!” It’s almost as if these two men have plenty to teach one another — and hey, that sounds like the story of a movie!
Offering a third perspective to their circumstances is Mary Lamb (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), a mother in mourning who runs the school’s kitchen. She’s one of few Black people on campus, and as such, her presence draws the dismissive derision of much of the student body. In their minds Mary is “the help,” a notion that upsets Hunham more than it seems to upset her — at least insofar as causing visible anger. Mary’s heart is bigger and more forgiving than anyone around her deserves, and it’s her grace that threatens to shake Hunham out of his perpetual state of woe-is-me. Make no mistake, Mary is far from a placeholder or a trope. Randolph, in much the same fashion as Giamatti and Sessa, has imbued her character with a full life that is only partially drawn from the page. It’s remarkable, and it would be wonderful if she too brought home Oscar gold.
As has become the overall Brand of Alexander Payne films, The Holdovers could be categorized as both a drama and a comedy. With both modes coming from very human places (and shown through very human depictions), the film always spars at the correct weight. The drama is effective without being punishing. The humor is laugh-out-loud hilarious without ever feeling like a goof. The Holdovers, even with Paul Hunham’s lazy eye, sweaty hands, and uncontrollable body odor, takes place entirely in the real world. I suspect that few will find it inaccessible — there’s something here for everyone.
Add to that the fact that the film looks stunning, and you’ve got yourself a film as technically proficient as it is thematically resonant. While not shot on film, DP Eigil Bryld captures a genuine film stock look that initially fooled me. I’d have bet good money this wasn’t shot digitally, and I’d have lost that money. The faux-film grain, in conjunction with clever lens work, gives the film a 1970s vibe, which allows the period detail to shine, lending verisimilitude even to scenes that don’t have any outward time-setting markers. There’s one notable shot involving a fast outward zoom that makes an incredibly strong case for the use of lenses over post-production for such things. It’s a stunning shot that fuels a hilarious punchline, all while reminding us how different movies look these days simply as a result of an ever-changing set of filmmaking tools.
The highest praise I can offer The Holdovers is that I’m relieved I didn’t watch it until 2024. My “best of 2023” list was already hard enough to make, and this flick would’ve shaken things up in a big way. It’s truly a new American classic.
The Holdovers is currently available on blu-ray (with DVD and digital code). It’s not the most stacked disc but it does feature a smattering of worthwhile special features, including a behind the scenes featurette that consists mostly of the cast and crew rattling off praise for one another. It’s not terribly in-depth, but it extends the charm of the film, and showcases how positive an experience it was for all involved. It also highlights the story of Dominic Sessa, who was plucked from a high school drama department to make his big screen debut.
The deleted scenes reel is perhaps the best of the special features, even if Payne himself notes that the script was so tight upon shooting that very little had to be cut. Nonetheless, the clips commingled here do offer insight into the streamlining process of a final edit, while also offering just enough additional footage to feel substantial. Title cards between each clip explain the thought processes of the filmmakers. Light, to be sure, but no less fascinating! Same goes for the slightly extended ending which gives us just a bit more of Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s exceptional work, which is never a bad thing.
Yet the most special feature of all has to be the film itself. I may let the bonus materials play in the background while I do dishes at some point in the future, but I’ll be revisiting this film quite regularly to be sure. And since streaming is never a guarantee, I’m happy that I can utilize a disc to get the job done.
Go buy The Holdovers. I’d lend you my copy but I’m using it…and I don’t trust you to give it back anyway.
Directed by Alexander Payne
Written by David Hemingson
Starring Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Dominic Sessa, Carrie Preston
Rated R, 133 minutes
