From director Alexander Payne (Sideways, Nebraska), The Holdovers is an extremely well-acted drama with plenty of period flavor and emotional feeling.
It’s Christmas season, 1970, at Barton Academy, and Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti), a stern, middle-aged professor and disciplinarian, drinks a lot and has no family or close friends. He is assigned to watch over a few students including Angus (Dominic Sessa) who must stay at the closed school during the holidays. Angus is an angry young man who clashes with Hunham and is constantly breaking the rules and getting into trouble. Mary (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), the lone cafeteria worker remaining on campus, has suffered the loss of her son in Vietnam. As Christmas approaches, the trio spend time together and go on a road trip of shared experiences that serves as a catalyst for life changing moments.
The excellent screenplay (David Hemingson) is always engaging and sprinkled with humorous dialogue (backed by a good soundtrack). Paul and Angus both harbor deep secrets behind facades and lies, and gradually tiny cracks reveal their pasts as painful truths emerge. Eventually there is a semblance of mutual respect. The three principals form a makeshift family that learns to care and even sacrifice for one another, which culminates in a moving, realistic ending. Over the course of the film, you develop empathy for these broken people.
Despite
subplots that really don’t go anywhere, the film is so earnest and involving,
it doesn’t matter. With its depictions of personal loss and new beginnings, it’s
about real people facing life’s challenges and coming a bit closer to one
another. Impeccably directed, Payne elicits
heartfelt performances from Giamatti, Sessa, and Randolph. Filled with humanity
and goodwill, it’s a poignant film, a simple
tale told exceedingly well. Expect Oscar nominations.
****1/2 of ***** stars
No comments:
Post a Comment