The Holdovers Is a 21st Century Christmas Classic
This Bittersweet Boarding School Dramedy Proves Hollywood Really Can Make ‘Em Like They Used To
More zealously completionist film-bro Reedies than myself may already be familiar with the work of Alexander Payne, a director that I’ve found myself sadly ignorant of up until now. I remember hearing about his movie Nebraska from ten years ago about a guy who … walks to Nebraska. I heard tell of his latest film, The Holdovers, primarily from word of mouth, and found myself in the throes of utter delight sitting in the theater over Thanksgiving break last weekend watching a holiday movie that finally feels like an honorable attempt at being a successor to It’s a Wonderful Life. Not only that, but after twenty-odd years of bad animation and even worse screwball comedies sinking the Christmas movie genre, we at long last have a film that can rightfully dethrone Elf as the 21st century’s premiere annual holiday must-watch.
The Holdovers is primarily set in perhaps the most idyllically appropriate place imaginable for this kind of story: the cozy confines of an elite boarding school in rural New England during the winter of 1970. Practically dripping in cottage-core ambiance so relaxing as to put you into a coma or induce chronic bradycardia. This is only heightened by Payne’s meticulous period-accurate craftsmanship. Everything from the largely static camerawork to the slight wobble of the fuzzy title cards – and celluloid so textured you can almost count the film grains – makes The Holdovers actually look like it was made back then, like an old print was miraculously unearthed from someone’s attic, just begging to be converted to VHS so that families all across America can stick it into their cassette players.
Payne is no doubt playing with some reasonably worn tropes here. The Holdovers finds a group of Barton Academy students, namely the smart-but-troublemaking Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa), left at school over winter break by their parents, in the care of their cockeyed and amazingly curmudgeonly ancient civilizations teacher Mr. Hunham (Paul Giamatti). Think of this as a kind of inversion of Peter Weir’s Dead Poets Society with a strong dash of Robert Altman-esque emotional dryness and long panning shots of inanimate objects and landscapes while a warm acoustic folk song plays. Instead of the late, great Robin Williams’ Mr. Keating, who delighted his students with mutual respect and passion, we have Mr. Hunham, more content with sarcastically quoting Cicero and handing out failing grades to what he views as the stupid offspring of overly privileged parents.
I never once considered Giamatti to be a particularly great actor until I saw that John Adams HBO show from 15 years ago. Even so, this is undoubtedly Giamatti’s best work, perfectly pulling off the grumpy, old-fashioned, introverted teacher while also making his inevitable heart of gold less of a surprise and more of a satisfying self-revelation; like seeing an embittered old friend return to the kindness and warmth they once embodied. Giamatti and Sessa are a sensational pair, both pushing the other out of their comfort zone and delivering the film’s most devastating gut punches and hysterical antics alike. Sessa gives a kind of young Adam Driver energy, both sulky and quirky, emotionally rich and stomach-bustingly funny. This is his first film, and I have no doubt he’s going places.
Yet most would agree the film’s heart lies with Mary (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), the school’s head cook, mourning the recent death of her son (also a Barton student) in the Vietnam War. Despite the film’s otherwise retro feel, this is the one aspect that could have been a disaster if not handled with the kind of sensitivity allowed by today’s Hollywood. And far from a caricature of a black working-class Bostonian woman, Randolph’s Mary carries the soul of The Holdovers, which through more than Mr. Hunham and Angus’ respective loneliness, preaches a simple message of empathy and kindness that so refreshingly cuts against today’s cynical stories. Believe me, you’ll want to call your mom or hug your best friend after this one.
Thanks to a few brave studios like Focus Features, real stories about real people with real problems aren’t dead yet in Hollywood. Payne takes Christmas movies back to basics and delivers a stick-to-you-ribs movie that embodies the spirit of the holiday in ways few stories do nowadays. Even Mr. Hunham eventually has to crack a smile. Go catch it in theaters and let Hollywood know we want more of this. Happy holidays.