Posts
The Holdovers is a charming, if somewhat predictable film set at a prep school over winter break. Irascible professor Paul Dunham (Paul Giamatti) has drawn the short straw and is required to stay at the school with the handful of kids who are not joining their families at home or on vacation. His colleague and bereaved alumni parent Mary Lamb is there to feed the small but motley crew. She works in the kitchen, he drives the students with little caring that it is winter break so no sleeping in, no lazing about, no rest for the weary. Eventually, all of the holdover students are whisked away by helicopter by one of their fathers, all but Angus Tully whose parents can't be reached to sign a permission slip so he can leave too. Angus, Mary, and Paul stay behind together and share their woes, their personal lives, and their pain leading to a transformation for Paul from crank to kind soul.
I genuinely enjoyed the film primarily for the superb acting by all three of the leads, though Da'Vine Joy Randolph gives an emotional performance far beyond her years. She brings a depth of sorrow but also, a very real portrayal of what it is to grieve - which is not a straight line from sadness to happiness.
I'm not convinced that The Holdovers is really a Best Picture film, nor a best Original Screenplay. If not for the acting, I'm not sure this film would have been more than just another movie with some powerful moments like so many others who did not get any Oscars attention. Not only that, you can certainly wait until this film comes to a streaming service - the big screen is unnecessary for the viewing experience. Nonetheless, on a quiet night when you're looking for something nice to watch, this one is a winner.
No comments:
Post a Comment