By Eli Alderfer
Alexander Payne’s newest feature is his best work to date. The Holdovers (2023) is a true display of Payne’s eccentric style that brings irony, comedy, and drama to the big screen. Although being an independent film, The Holdovers caught the attention of many modern movie-goers but was ultimately shown down by The Marvels and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, seeing as The Holdovers was less accessible to common audiences. Alexander Payne has certainly had his ups and downs as a director, having achieved success with Election (1999), balanced by Downsizing, one of 2017’s biggest box office flops. The Holdovers won the hearts of the audience, and quickly placed Payne back on a high note.
Loosely based on Marcel Pagnol’s 1935 French film Merlusse, The Holdovers tells the charming tale of a teacher and a student, stuck at a boarding school over the holidays in the 1970s. Every year at Barton Academy, a handful of students stay on campus over Christmas break, as they have no home to return to. One of the unfortunate souls includes Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa), whose mother and stepfather are honeymooning over the holiday. With his guardians away, Angus is left with no choice but to stay at Barton, under the careful supervision of the most despised teacher, Mr. Hunham. At first, the two want nothing to do with each other, but over the weeks together, they come to realize that they aren’t so different from each other. The dysfunctional characters, matched with the nostalgic spirit of a 1970s holiday season, make for a heartwarming comedy.
Loosely based on Marcel Pagnol’s 1935 French film Merlusse, The Holdovers tells the charming tale of a teacher and a student, stuck at a boarding school over the holidays in the 1970s. Every year at Barton Academy, a handful of students stay on campus over Christmas break, as they have no home to return to. One of the unfortunate souls includes Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa), whose mother and stepfather are honeymooning over the holiday. With his guardians away, Angus is left with no choice but to stay at Barton, under the careful supervision of the most despised teacher, Mr. Hunham. At first, the two want nothing to do with each other, but over the weeks together, they come to realize that they aren’t so different from each other. The dysfunctional characters, matched with the nostalgic spirit of a 1970s holiday season, make for a heartwarming comedy.
To achieve the 70s-esque tender look to the film, The Holdovers was shot on a single ARRI Alexa Mini, paired with a variety of vintage lenses. Cinematographer Eigil Bryld served as the sole operator of the camera and utilized his creativity to deliver a 1970s vibe. The footage was then consistently overlaid with warm tones and digital grain. The direction from Payne and cinematography by Bryld make for a pleasing movie, but The Holdovers would not have had the same memorable effect without the writing from David Hemingson. The Holdovers is well written, and the jokes hit the bullseye with every line.
On the note of humor in The Holdovers, one of the reasons the film is so amusing is due to the comic delivery provided by the characters and their actors. Paul Giamatti plays a wall-eyed professor in his best role, adding to the visual comedy and verbal witticisms. The sarcastic portrayal of Mr. Hunham is a tailored role for Giamatti. Alongside Giamatti, the quick-witted film stars two rising actors, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Dominic Sessa. Randolph embodies Mary, a grieving mother and the head cook of the academy. Randolph’s bittersweet performance in The Holdovers is one to remember, as she made us feel the whole spectrum of emotions throughout the film. The Holdovers also serves as Dominic Sessa’s cinematic debut as the lead role of Angus Tully. Sessa performs exceptionally as Angus, providing a natural character through realistic expressions and emotions, offering great potential for future projects. The actors worked naturally together, pulling the story together into something that felt genuine and emotional.
On the note of humor in The Holdovers, one of the reasons the film is so amusing is due to the comic delivery provided by the characters and their actors. Paul Giamatti plays a wall-eyed professor in his best role, adding to the visual comedy and verbal witticisms. The sarcastic portrayal of Mr. Hunham is a tailored role for Giamatti. Alongside Giamatti, the quick-witted film stars two rising actors, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Dominic Sessa. Randolph embodies Mary, a grieving mother and the head cook of the academy. Randolph’s bittersweet performance in The Holdovers is one to remember, as she made us feel the whole spectrum of emotions throughout the film. The Holdovers also serves as Dominic Sessa’s cinematic debut as the lead role of Angus Tully. Sessa performs exceptionally as Angus, providing a natural character through realistic expressions and emotions, offering great potential for future projects. The actors worked naturally together, pulling the story together into something that felt genuine and emotional.
One of the most captivating elements of Payne’s dysfunctional comedies is the use of music. In the opening scene, the score playing above stunning winter landscapes is breathtaking. The score evokes a sense of reminiscent nostalgia. Mark Orton’s original score plays off the familiar Christmas hymns that are sung peacefully throughout the film. Not only does the film feature a cozy original score, but also holiday classics from The Temptations, Andy Williams, and Yusuf/Cat Stevens. The intentional selection of music accompanied both the bitterness and the warmth of the story.
As per the typical film by Alexander Payne, The Holdovers focuses on the characters and their expressions, rather than the actions and events in the film. The three main characters in the film are connected by the same feelings of grief and longing as they come to understand each other, despite their differences. The colors used on screen help to express how the characters are feeling, with the use of cool colors to express sadness or bitterness, and warm colors to express a sense of calm or belonging. The Holdovers takes us on a rollercoaster of emotions, seeing joy and sadness, but also sparks of romance, growth, and moving forward.
A touching film, The Holdovers sits at the top of the list for Christmas movies. The attention to detail ranging from the costumes and the music, all the way to the filmmaking techniques deserves applause on its own. Even for those who did not live through the 1970s, the film washes over you with sentimentality and a feeling of stillness. The Holdovers is an example of the passion that is often missing in modern films and tells us a familiar story in an original way. The Holdovers is full of heart, quickly becoming an instant classic and the perfect holiday movie.
As per the typical film by Alexander Payne, The Holdovers focuses on the characters and their expressions, rather than the actions and events in the film. The three main characters in the film are connected by the same feelings of grief and longing as they come to understand each other, despite their differences. The colors used on screen help to express how the characters are feeling, with the use of cool colors to express sadness or bitterness, and warm colors to express a sense of calm or belonging. The Holdovers takes us on a rollercoaster of emotions, seeing joy and sadness, but also sparks of romance, growth, and moving forward.
A touching film, The Holdovers sits at the top of the list for Christmas movies. The attention to detail ranging from the costumes and the music, all the way to the filmmaking techniques deserves applause on its own. Even for those who did not live through the 1970s, the film washes over you with sentimentality and a feeling of stillness. The Holdovers is an example of the passion that is often missing in modern films and tells us a familiar story in an original way. The Holdovers is full of heart, quickly becoming an instant classic and the perfect holiday movie.
