The Holdovers is the latest film from director Alexander Payne (Sideways, Election, Citizen Ruth) to mine the nitty gritty in human interaction, the small stuff that passes between people that mostly go unnoticed but can be life-altering. Payne’s films pride themselves on their low-key approach. There are no histrionics. Rarely are scenes of explosive emotions present in Payne’s film. The camera work feels almost like a stationary observer. The actors swallow their painful truths in favor of barely discernable reactions that are nonetheless potent and moving. It’s a masterful technique that reaffirms the power of movies to cast light on recessed emotions and to show us that drama is happening all around us whether visible or not.
The plot of the film is simple – three misfits – Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti) a curmudgeonly history teacher that no one likes, a smart but obnoxious student named Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa, and a cafeteria cook Mary Lamb (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) who is mourning the death of her adult son are “holding over” at a fancy New England bordering school over the winter holidays in 1970. The setup seems to scream three people with nothing in common will find the true meaning of Christmas.
Indeed, they do, but not in the treacly manner of a Hallmark movie. These characters don’t particularly like each other but are possessed of enough manners to just go along passing the time until the holidays have ended. Both Paul and Mary are fond of liquor and their gradual bonding comes from sharing a quiet drink and tidbits of personal information. They aren’t trying to be friends and neither of them is fond of the privileged, smarmy Angus, whose mother abandoned their planned trip to St. Moritz at the last moment to spend time with her new husband.
The script is by David Hemingson, an experienced writer of television sitcoms. This is his first credit as a writer on a feature film according to IMDB. It’s an assured debut that plays almost more like a stage play than a film, and certainly, you wouldn’t think that it came from a sitcom writer. The character’s inner lives and revelations about their personal histories are presented organically in service to the plot, building steam as the picture moves to its climax. Even more unlike a sitcom, the story isn’t neatly tied up at the end but full of loose ends, just like life. No doubt Hemingson will get more opportunities from the success of this film, and that’s a very good thing.
A lot of awards buzz surrounds this film. Giamatti and Randolph recently picked up Golden Globes. As a fan of Giamatti since his performance as Pig Vomit in Howard Stern’s Private Partshis star quality was undeniable. While every performance he gives is universally outstanding, I would call his work in Sideways and American Splendor the two roles for which he most deserved a trophy. His work here is among his best but is likely to be overshadowed by the over-hype surrounding the over-praised Oppenheimer, and Bradley Cooper’s transformative performance as Leonard Bernstein in Maestro. It’s a shame because he has given us so many indelible performances in the decades since Private Parts and his work ought to be recognized. Perhaps a Kennedy Center or a SAG Lifetime Achievement Award is due?
Randolph, on the other hand, is another character actor who has enjoyed a long and fruitful career supporting the performances of others, and this time seems poised to reach the awards circuit podiums. I love seeing someone who has worked on the sidelines step into the spotlight and receive her due. Her performance here is reflective of her skill at projecting honesty, emotional depth, and stalwartness without scenes of explosive emotions. It’s a master class of fine acting and is deserving of whatever flowers are coming her way.
Guest Contributor: James Judd is a freelance writer, a performer, a frequent contributor to NPR, and a Creativity Coach. He lives on Cape Cod.
