Set in December 1970, "The Holdovers" follows a small group of students who have to stay on campus over the Christmas break at Barton Academy (a prestigious boarding school in Massachusetts,) alongside a curmudgeonly ancient history teacher (Paul Giamatti.) That sounds like a potentially amusing premise for a breezy comedy-drama, especially when Alexander Payne is directing. Having greatly enjoyed and admired several of Payne's previous films such as "Sideways," "The Descendants," and "Nebraska," I was looking forward to this film. Overall, I found it to be simply fine and not up to par with the level of quality of most of Payne's films. There's nothing too wrong with it by any stretch of the imagination, but it's often generic and forgettable compared to Payne's other films.
An indie dramedy like this film would generally be expected to be defined by being character- and writing-driven. Unfortunately, neither the characters nor the writing here are especially unique enough to structure a compelling plot around. Paul (Giamatti's character) is very generic, as is the rebellious student Angus, whose relationship with Paul is a pivotal part of the film. On a better note, Da'Vine Joy Randolph gives a strong and impactful performance as Mary, a cafeteria worker dealing with bereavement; her character is interestingly more dynamic and multi-dimensional than either Paul or Angus. The writing and humor is less unique, funny, or engaging than many of Payne's films, as the attempts at plot devices, character development, and humor often boil down to insult comedy between Paul and Angus--which, ultimately, wears out its welcome a bit, and actually causes a bit of collateral damage in making the film's tone and story feel less sincere. Regardless of the sincerity of the story, another thing that is clear here is that there needed to be a stronger and less predictable core to the plot in order for the film to remain engaging for its 133-minute runtime.
The film's retro, 1970s-aesthetic is commendable and helps contribute to the atmosphere of the film, and there still are some sporadic sweet moments of Paul and Mary hanging out around the television and a few decent jokes here and there. So "The Holdovers" is a fine enough film, but it won't be a new holiday classic for me. 6/10.
An indie dramedy like this film would generally be expected to be defined by being character- and writing-driven. Unfortunately, neither the characters nor the writing here are especially unique enough to structure a compelling plot around. Paul (Giamatti's character) is very generic, as is the rebellious student Angus, whose relationship with Paul is a pivotal part of the film. On a better note, Da'Vine Joy Randolph gives a strong and impactful performance as Mary, a cafeteria worker dealing with bereavement; her character is interestingly more dynamic and multi-dimensional than either Paul or Angus. The writing and humor is less unique, funny, or engaging than many of Payne's films, as the attempts at plot devices, character development, and humor often boil down to insult comedy between Paul and Angus--which, ultimately, wears out its welcome a bit, and actually causes a bit of collateral damage in making the film's tone and story feel less sincere. Regardless of the sincerity of the story, another thing that is clear here is that there needed to be a stronger and less predictable core to the plot in order for the film to remain engaging for its 133-minute runtime.
The film's retro, 1970s-aesthetic is commendable and helps contribute to the atmosphere of the film, and there still are some sporadic sweet moments of Paul and Mary hanging out around the television and a few decent jokes here and there. So "The Holdovers" is a fine enough film, but it won't be a new holiday classic for me. 6/10.