‘The Holdovers’ Movie Review [Philadelphia Film Festival 2023]: Paul Giamatti And Alexander Payne Have Both Never Been Better
Photo from the Philadelphia Film Festival
From Joe Peltzer
There are some movies that just feel like a warm hug, a cinematic comfort that puts a smile on your face and sends you out of the theater with a pep in your step. Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers is one of those films, exuding care and humanity from start to finish with three powerhouse performances from the best cast of the year.
Paul Giamatti plays Paul, a crotchety professor at a preppy New England boarding school left to look after students who are not traveling home for the holidays. They’re joined by the school’s cook, Mary (played by Da’Vine Joy Randolph), who is reeling from the recent loss of her son. Over the holiday, Paul and Mary further their connection while he and one of the students, Angus (newcomer Dominic Sessa), form an unexpected bond.
There is a familiar formula underlying David Hemingson’s script with broken people building unlikely relationships; Paul is an opinionated loner who nobody likes with an attitude, Mary has lost her son, and Angus is a rebellious teen who feels abandoned from a broken home. Hemingson’s script, his first feature, is full of humor and heart that explodes out of each performer. There is a strange charm to Giamatti’s grump Paul, his sarcastic and cagey replies amplified by his hilarious facial expressions. The layers to his character are pulled back piece by piece throughout the film as his connections to both Mary and Angus grow stronger. Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s Mary is the emotional anchor and strong hand of the bunch, often challenging Paul’s perspective when it comes to young Angus. She, too, delivers a multifaceted performance that at times leaves you I stitches before soon reducing you to a sobbing mess.
The breakout star of the film is Sessa, a confident young actor who wears his emotion on his sleeve. It’s hard to pick a better pairing in The Holdovers, Giamatti and Sessa or Giamatti and Joy Randolph. For Sessa to not only hold his own with such a seasoned actor, but to go toe for toe with him in emotionally-charged scenes is a testament to the talent of this young man; he’s certainly one to watch. Carrie Preston also deserves mention (especially as a huge fan of The Good Wife) as Miss Lydia Crane, an employee of the school who catches Paul’s eye. Though not in the film long, her presence is consistently endearing.
The costuming, set design, and behaviors of the characters immediately transports you back to a time where technology was scarce and cigarettes were everywhere. The music from Mark Orton, who has collaborated with Payne in the past, vacillates between joyous innocence and powerful seriousness, always pleasing and complimentary to the story being told.
This is by far Payne’s most authentic, complete film to date. Each of the main three characters are afforded the time to develop and flourish, their stories serving as necessary puzzle pieces for which each can help the others find their way. We are able to truly see the development of each of the characters from the interactions they are having with one another play out rather than being spoon-fed what the filmmaker wants us to feel. Instead, each calculated step of The Holdovers furthers the emotional investment of the audience and, though the destination is not hard to predict, it delivers a gratifying payoff.
The Holdovers ultimately showcases the value of our individual stories and how we can help one another at a time in society where our bona fide connections to others seem to be diminishing. Dare I say, it leaves even the most cynical of us with hope. It also is one of the best movies of the year, hands down, with countless other accolades to celebrate: a career-best performance from Giamatti, Payne’s best film to date, top-tier performances from Joy Randolph and Sessa, and a phenomenal script and first feature outing for Hemingson. The Holdovers is this holiday season’s must-see film.
Rating: 4.5/5
The Holdovers screened at the 2023 Philadelphia Film Festival and will release in limited theaters on October 27, 2023 before debuting nationwide on November 10th, 2023.
