“The Holdovers” is a wonderful movie. It plays with our expectations, giving both Hunham and Angus as unpleasant a first impression as one can get. But the more time we spend with both characters, the more we get to know them, understand them, and love them. That’s also true of Mary (a sensational Da’Vine Joy Randolph), the head cook at Barton whose son was recently killed in the Vietnam War, just one year after graduating. Granted, Mary doesn’t leave a negative first impression, and Randolph does such intricate work with her character that you are deeply invested in her journey.
The script, written by David Hemingson, is brilliantly layered, smartly building our understanding of these characters, while also being one of the funniest films in some time. Hunham has laser-sharp insults that are impressive in their creativity and curt nastiness. The film is delicate in its handling of sensitive subjects while maintaining a warm sense of humor, and it never stops being interested in probing the humanity of the characters.
Nobody peels back a**holes quite like Payne, and I found myself loving every second spent with these difficult people. I felt what they felt, and was overcome by emotions on multiple occasions, impressed by how natural and realistic every interaction and moment felt. Mark Orton’s score is lovely and never cloying, assisting emotional beats without being overbearing. And the soundtrack perfectly evokes the era, especially the use of “The Wind” by Cat Stevens.
With the wrong actors, “The Holdovers” would not be the magnificent film it is. Giamatti may be the best he’s ever been — ever reliable, Giamatti is outstanding as a hardened professor with a softness hidden within a labyrinth. He carries much of the film through his charm (or lack thereof), and that’s nothing short of magnetizing. Sessa may be the find of the year — in a rather serendipitous twist, Sessa is a senior at the school where the film was shot. He provides a perfect emotional and comedic foil to the hardened Hunham. And both are brilliant alongside Randolph, who balances humor and heartache with gusto.
“The Holdovers” breezes through its considerable 135-minute runtime with ease, and it would be easy to imagine spending another few hours with this fascinating bunch of characters. Not enough movies are made like this anymore, and “The Holdovers” is proof that we need more thoughtful, studied, loving, and irresistible human stories on screen. It certainly helps, however, when Alexander Payne is at the helm.
/Film Rating: 9.5 out of 10