Where I Watched it: Peacock

English Audio Description?: Yes

Cast: Paul Giamatti, Dominic Sessa, Da’vine Joy Randolph, and Carrie Preston.

Written By: David Hemingson

Directed By Alexander Payne

What would be fun would be to start each year, try and find some grand master list of all the projected titles for the year, and predict my top 10. if I had done that, I would have predicted The Holdovers. It feels like something that was made for me. Not that films like this don’t disappoint me, or that I’ve been let down before, but ever since i heard about The Holdovers when it first premiered at a buyers screening in 2022, I knew it was for me.

I’m a fan of Paul Giamatti. Yes, he has some stinkers. he collects a paycheck from time to time. Even in those stinkers though, he is still usually good. Alexander Payne may have directed one of my favorite films with Sideways, but he’s got films I’m very lukewarm on, including Nebraska and Downsizing. So, it’s not like this was a guarantee.

Sure, it feels like in 2023, we are moving away from rich kid prep school movies of days of yore. No more Captain My Captain, flaunting that lifestyle in its traditional sense feels so thirty years ago, when the 90’s gave us films like School Ties, and even sent the Mighty Ducks to a private prep school in the third installment in their franchise. Here we are. And it’s a great film.

the holdovers is one of a few of films that interchangeably is my favorite of the year. Trying to pick just one right now is hard. The story of three very different personalities, with very unique backgrounds and stories, being stuck together over Christmas break is incredibly effective. A lot of that is due to the stunning debut performance from Dominic Sessa. Everyone went nuts for Lucas Hedges a few years ago, but Sessa feels like the second coming on an A-lister. He has the same kind of smarmy charisma and charm that 80’s stars Tom Cruise, Robert Downey Jr, and to some extent even Michael J Fox all possessed. he doesn’t just remind you of another solid actor, he reminds you of the greats. that’s possibly the best compliment I can give him, is whether or not he manages an Oscar nomination his first time out, he feels like the next big thing.

Of course, Paul Giamatti is tremendous here. The role feels crafted just for him, and Payne, who got an excellent performance out of him in sideways, knows just what to do to pull even more out of him this time around. He had his moments in Sideways, but he’s utterly heartbreaking in some moments in The Holdovers, and if he misses out on yet another Leading Actor nomination, I’m going to start writing angry letters and tweets to voters. It’s not even about the win so much as it is recognizing that someone, a character actor like Giamatti, can stand as a lead in a film against the pretty faces and box office gold.

Since I first noticed Da’vine Joy Randolph, I knew she was special. Her body of work is exceptional. Even in things you wouldn’t expect, she’s great. She was hilarious in High Fidelity for Hulu, and gave a strong performance in Sanaa Lathan’s directorial debut, on The Come Up. I’m so glad she seems to be running away with it here. I’m not sure she’s my absolute favorite supporting actress, as this year has turned out some really surprising turns.

but, no matter what, this isn’t just a run of the mill rich kid drama. Three people have very different stories to tell. one, is the Holdover himself, played by Sessa, who is abandoned at Christmas, but has a far more complicated and human story to tell than one might initially expect. Giamatti plays a teacher who not only went to this school, but has been teaching here so long that his boss was a former student. he’s a hard ass, but once you get past the shell, there’s a character there. And Randolph’s head cook has the tragic backstory you’ve likely heard of already, and she absolutely makes the most of every minute.

Alexander Payne goes to great lengths to frame this as if we were watching this older film from years ago. The opening has the MPAA rating, like we used to do, and the way he chose to shoot the film looks like a 70’s films. you won’t get that in the audio description, but it’s something I’ve been pushing for. when a director is making a lot of clear choices that are stunning for the visual audience, they aren’t always science fiction creatures or big explosions, sometimes it’s the craft and the intention that define the art in motion.

Aside from not truly being able to capture Payne’s choices, the description does a nice job of describing the actors, their looks, and even the somewhat limited space they are in. This film is a true charmer, and I cannot rave enough about it. Payne has said he doesn’t want this viewed as another Christmas classic, but for many it will be. There are those who like their Christmas films to be different, and not just the cheerful stuff aimed at families. For people who don’t have a family at Christmas, and are looking for a holiday alternative to remind them that life is what you make of it, The Holdovers is that film.

Final Grade: A