Review | ‘The Holdovers’ should be your new Christmas classic

Director Alexander Payne’s new film “The Holdovers” encapsulates the Christmas spirit through laugh-out-loud comedy and loveable characters. Photo collage by JACK SUNDBLAD, Staff Photographer

It’s not every day that I find myself alone, sitting in the middle of a movie theater for an 8 p.m. showing whilst digging through a container filled with a myriad of random snacks from my own pantry and drinking a large bottle of Pepsi Zero. But, I don’t think this could have been a more fitting experience for Alexander Payne’s new film, “The Holdovers.” 

“The Holdovers” premiered on Aug. 31 at Telluride Film Festival, followed by a theatrical wide release on Nov. 10. Not only has the film garnered a 92% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, but there is also talk about potential Academy Award nominations for the movie in early 2024. 

The film is set in 1970 and follows a grumpy, dictatorial teacher named Paul (Paul Giamatti), a troublemaking student called Angus (Dominic Sessa) and the school’s head cook, Mary (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), as the trio forms an unlikely bond over Christmas break because they have nowhere else to go.

Paul, known for his harsh teaching style and lack of empathy, is stuck with watching the holdovers, or the kids who have to stay at the academy over break. While, at first, he is responsible for a band of five students, it isn’t long before four of them leave to go on a parent-permitted ski trip. This leaves only one student behind: Angus. 

Despite his strict, nasty attitude toward the students, it’s clear Paul has a soft spot for friend and co-worker Mary, who recently lost her teenage son in the Vietnam War. Mary pushes Paul to be kinder to his students, especially Angus, who already feels abandoned after his mom and stepdad decide to go on a last-minute Christmas honeymoon without him.

What starts as a group of outcasts determined to put up emotional barriers, refusing to let the others in, turns into a heartwarming, dysfunctional dynamic of friends who find a way to overcome their own insecurities by leaning on one another.

The film is incredible because of the way it successfully relies on a simple narrative to convey a powerful message to its audience. Rather than exaggerated storylines or special effects sequences, the film is dictated by its ability to capture the audience’s attention through telling the story of three people who become extremely lovable, each in their own unique way.

What really makes this a stand-out film is the actors’ ability to perfectly become their characters. Within the first twenty minutes of the film, I was already entranced by the unusual characteristics of each individual and what they brought to the group. Their arcs left me misty-eyed, proud of the kind of new version of themselves they had become. It’s clear writer David Hemingson has taken his time with these characters, creating what I would consider to be the perfect band of misfits. It’s mystifying that Sessa, who plays Angus, is acting in his first film. He was a student at Deerfield Academy, one of the schools “The Holdovers” was filmed at before auditioning.

Additionally, the film truly is beautiful to look at. Set in New England during the holiday season, the ground is covered with snow, making every costume and set piece stand out in comparison. The focus on cinematography through faded scene transitions, insert shots and a retro-stylized set design set the movie up to be not only emotionally provoking but also visually stimulating. 

Although “The Holdovers” nearly hits the status of a perfect film for me, there is one thing holding it back: its length. With a run time of two hours and 13 minutes, this feel-good comedy had me checking my watch a time or two. I think it would ultimately benefit from a mere 25 minutes being cut. Which scenes though, I’m not entirely sure, as they did all feel important to the overall story.

Usually, it’s quite difficult for me to add a new Christmas movie into the yearly rotation, but “The Holdovers” has easily landed a spot on not only my list of favorite holiday films but also my favorite movies of 2023.

Do yourself a favor and take your family and friends, or just yourself, to the theater, grab some Raisinets and watch this movie before it undoubtedly gets the recognition it deserves during awards season. Don’t be afraid to laugh and cry out loud, even if you’re alone, just like I did.