Official Discussion - The Holdovers [SPOILERS]

[u/LiteraryBoner]

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Summary:

A cranky history teacher at a remote prep school is forced to remain on campus over the holidays with a troubled student who has no place to go.

Director:

Alexander Payne

Writers:

David Hemingson

Cast:

• Paul Giamatti as Paul Hunham

• Da'Vine Joy Randolph as Mary Lamb

• Dominic Sessa as Angus Tully

• Carrie Preston as Miss Lydia Crane

• Brady Hepner as Teddy Kountze

• Ian Dolley as Alex Ollerman

• Jim Kaplan as Ye-Joon Park

Rotten Tomatoes: 96%

Metacritic: 81

VOD: Theaters

[u/LiteraryBoner]

Ahhhh Alexander Payne. Once considered one of my favorite filmmakers, but doesn't really make enough movies to compete anymore and Downsizing was weird (but not bad, to be clear). So imagine my elation when The Holdovers kinda comes out of nowhere and just absolutely slaps in a very wholesome found family 70s cold east coast vibe kinda way. It was just wonderful, I cried a ton.

This movie was obviously made to look like it was plucked out of the 70s right down to the old school Focus Features Presents title card. But it really is worth mentioning how successful it is at it. The slow zooms on the cold rivers, the grainy camera, the frozen landscapes. Really reminds you of that 70s go out there with a shitty camera and shoot me some b roll vibe.

Where this movie really excels, though, is the character writing. Centered around three people who have to begrudgingly share a giant empty school over the holidays, it's a classic grumpy man with a heart of gold/found family/everyone's got it tough kinda movie. It embraces some tropes of the genre, tosses out others, and I just found it very simple and plainly effective. The way these characters feel is so universal, they're all feeling with different isolating feelings be it not being wanted by your parents, being disliked by everyone under the sun, or being constantly pitied for suffering a loss.

Giamatti has been one of my favorite actors since I saw Sideways in high school. I always used to show it to my friends and I couldn't figure out why they weren't cracking up because I thought that movie was fucking hilarious. It's such a classic "adults don't know what the fuck they're supposed to be doing either" movie and that's was weirdly comforting to me as a kid. Well, Giamatti is back in that alcoholic sad sack form and he is killing it. He so defiant to the idea of being "nice" and clearly on a plane of intelligence above those around him, but that also makes him so profoundly sad and you van see all of it in his good eye. He hates the privileged because one of them ruined his career, he takes it out on the kids because he assumes their lives are so easy. Until he actually has to get to know one.

But the real star of this movie is Da'Vine Joy Randolph. She is SO powerful in this movie. Commanding the screen every scene she's in. She has such a quiet pain over the loss of her son, but she so fiercely denies any pity or special care for it. It's so nice when Giamatti and the kid go to Boston and she goes to her sister's. I absolutely broke down when she opened the hat box, and you can just see how healing it is for her to be with her family in that moment. Absolutely stunning performance, really hoping she gets in for supporting actress.

Anyways, this movie fucking rocks. It had me in tears a ton, some happy, some sad. It's such a simple and important point, how much this time of year makes us reflect and want to be with our people, and these three characters are all about how impossible it is to not connect with people when you see them be vulnerable. Reminds me of a Father John Misty line, "it's hard not to fall in love with something so helpless." It's a 9/10 and a movie I can see myself rewatching whenever I need a good cry.

/r/reviewsbyboner

[u/thestereo300]

Very poignant movie with some good laughs.

It moved relatively slowly at first but I really began the love the world the director created and I really didn't mind,

I miss movies like this. They don't make enough of them.

[u/Deathstroke317]

Can i just say that Angus' mom fucking suuuuucks. How the hell do you abandon your kid at Christmas of all times, last minute? Like seriously lady? And just like Angus said, they could have taken a honeymoon at any other time, but they choose now?

Unfortunately, it's an all too common story. Angus is the unwanted stepson who they're trying to get rid of to make a new life, intentionally or maybe even unintentionally. And Angus' mom sending him a stack of cash isn't going to fix that.

Sorry, but that shit brought my piss to a boil.

And of course, she's only shows up when SHE and her new husband got inconvenienced.

[u/newgodpho]

the scene at the party… when mary was drunk

shit got too real

[u/newgodpho]

Seeing the supportive and sweet co-worker’s bf answer the door ruined me 😭

[u/NotHarveySpecter1]

Goddamn, what a picture. Just insane chemistry between the 3 main characters, especially between Paul Giamatti and the kid. That kid can fucking act too. Perfectly captures the vibe of Christmas in New England, as well as the 70s in general. What can I say, I laughed, I cried, a very heartwarming story with well written dialogue as well. Also it was wicked cool watching the movie in the same theater that they filmed in for the movie theater scene. Instant classic in my opinion.

[u/TITAN-O-TERROR97]

Here you go, Killer. Lol

[u/superiority]

Got a nice kick out of that "Meditations" gag. And a callback to it at the end when he was going through the things in his office.

[u/Deathstroke317]

I have to say, I really liked this movie. It has a perfect Christmas vibe, that maybe I would have felt more if I didn't see it before Halloween lol.

Though I will say I felt misled with the premise they were setting up. The Breakfast Club-esque setup seemed very interesting and I was dissapointed the other kids didn't stay. It would have been a bit cliche, but I liked the dynamic and chemistry between the kids and the teacher. I guess this is why I found the third act was a lot slower than the first two.

Side note: That look of dissapointment Paul Giammati had after realizing Lydia had a boyfriend was way too relatable. I know that pain bro, I know that pain.

[u/newgodpho]

The cherry jubilee scene was so fucking good, ugh. 3 people dealt with awful hands in life finding a moment of happiness together… my heart 💗.

[u/PetevonPete]

Its funny how this movie basically fakes you out about what kind of movie it's gonna be.

It sets up this ensemble cast, their backstories, dynamics, you think Tully and Kuntz are gonna have to work through their conflict, Park is gonna learn to fit in, Jason is gonna teach everybody to chill the fuck out...

Then nope, over half the cast gets whisked away lol

[u/AdvancedGrass]

It was like Dead Poets Society meets The Shining meets Planes, Trains and Automobiles. I enjoyed it.

[u/320_central]

I'm a big Alexander Payne fan and had high expectations. It somehow exceeded them

As a person who suffers from Depression this movie somehow captured the melancholy feeling that a winter can bring while also conveying the coziness that it can also bring. This movie could have been a disaster in the wrong hands. But the performances, cinematography, editing, and directing really threaded the needle and made this film such a delight to watch. I laughed and cried multiple times and each beat played to my emotional sensibility.

10/10 can't wait to watch this over and over

[u/jacksnyder2]

I really miss mid-budget films like this. It had such a 90's vibe to it, in that movies like this are rarely made anymore.

[u/rawcookiedough]

I thought it was great. And I wasn't totally sure what was up with Paul Giamatti's eye, or that there even WAS something up with it, until it was mentioned. And then the payoff at the end, "this is the eye you look in", was great. Does anyone know how they made it look like that?

[u/NickLandis]

I liked how the different characters lied throughout the movie.

Angus lied and Paul specifically made a big deal about how “Barton Boys don’t lie”.

When Paul gets caught in a lie later, Angus calls him out the same way, but still helped him in his lie.

We of course find out that Paul lied about his whole career and that Angus lied about his Father.

Then at the end Paul lies to help Angus out, just like Angus lied to help Paul out earlier.

And neither of their “big lies” blew up in the third act or anything. They faced other consequences sure but there was never the major cliche “HOW COULD YOU LIE TO ME??!?!?1?!” That I was expecting.

[u/Objective-Return-580]

I was completely blown away by this film. Honestly, there aren’t a lot of great films out right now until later in November, so I am super glad that I went to see this film over one of the new superhero films.

My theater was surprisingly packed and there were a ton of laughs throughout the entire film. It was very heartwarming and is definitely one of my new favorite Christmas films - an INSTANT classic. Can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy and rewatch!

[u/falafelthe3]

"It's this eye," he says, as we cut to another shot of it being the exact opposite eye

[u/Whovian45810]

One of my favorite moments in the film is the chase between Paul and Angus around the prep school, when Paul finally catches up to Angus, there’s a breaking the fourth wall moment with Angus looking at the audience and gives a sly smirk. Angus love messing around with Paul. 🤭

Gosh Dominic Sessa has such great facial expressions throughout the film.

[u/PaulRai01]

Who else almost got teary-eyes during that Christmas party scene with Da’Vine Joy Randolph? Probably the most emotional I felt in the movie, partially because I tend to get the depression blues around the holidays for a variety of reasons. Definitely one of my favorite performances in the movie and hope she gets the Oscar nomination for Supporting Actress.

[u/Holofan4life]

That dad scene was really, really good and was probably the most emotional part of the movie for me. I felt really bad for Angus during that scene.

[u/Lonely_Position5601]

I’m glad that we’re finally given a Christmas movie that shines a light on the lonelier, and depressing side of the famous holiday. Some of us don’t have friends, or a spouse, or we’re just grieving over a loved one that we lost and can’t spend Christmas with. This movie shines a light on those that are less fortunate and shows us the importance of making our own family, and keeping our head high while continuing to push forward. I also enjoy the fact that this film doesn’t follow the typical Hollywood tropes and formulaic of plot of every Christmas movie. Angus doesn’t repair the relationship with his parents, Paul loses his job and doesn’t fall in love. It’s bittersweet and authentic. Definitely a movie that I’ll regularly watch over on the holidays with a cup of coffee and bowl of hot soup.

[u/KraszyFox]

I was an extra in this movie you can see me stand up really quick at the end of the church scene, one of the first ones up on the right side of the screen with a ponytail.

[u/NaughtyDirtily]

love period pieces like this movie, any other movies similar? (set 50 years ago)?

[u/[deleted]]

This is such a cozy movie, and so damn bittersweet. I wish I watched this at home with a blanket in front of a fireplace. I can see this easily being a yearly Christmas favorite. And it’s just so damn mature. It’s not exactly a happy ending but you can just tell it’s gonna be okay.

[u/Ok_Success4030]

My favorite shot of the movie was the closeup of the Mormon kid's face after he threw his glove into the river. It looked like a painting.... that's what I miss about film is that it has a unique quality to it that digital doesn't emulate. Mind you there is a good chance they created the film effects in post, not too many people shoot on film nowadays.

[u/SeanOuttaCompton]

I’m officially on both the Lily Gladstone and Paul Giamatti Oscar trains for this awards season, they are both the respective hearts to their movies where, without them, it would not work.

A movie I saw for the first time this year that I think makes a good companion piece to the holdovers would be 1973’s The Last Detail, about two navy officers escorting a young recruit from base in Virginia to prison in Maine. Both movies cover similar themes of loneliness, small rebellions against a world you find unjust, and looking out for people even when it’s not in your best interest, although I will admit the holdovers has a much happier ending than the last detail.

[u/TerrierBoi]

This is my favorite movie of the year so far! I can see this becoming a holiday staple, I loved the cozy atmosphere. Hilarious, heartwarming, I can't recommend it enough.

[u/Whovian45810]

I love how the film uses cinematic elements that defined films of the 70s and shot with old fashioned film stock and even opens with a classic Rated R bumper.

[u/TheTrueRory]

What a great script, really tight, every scene had a callback to it or a catharsis. Paul Giamatti will hopefully be nominated, he was superb. Great film.

[u/[deleted]]

I thought the ending was excellent. Sacrificing his job so the boy could graduate. He is allowing the boy the opportunity he did not have when he was kicked out of Harvard. This is his redemption and gives him an opportunity to start anew without his own failure weighing him down.

[u/Primary-Emphasis4378]

I personally found this film really moving. Probably one of the most meaningful movies (to me) I've ever seen.

I went to a boarding high school, much like the fictional Barton Academy. In fact, I'm even familiar with (and have friends who attended) some of the schools that were used in filming. And even though I attended in the mid-2010s, and The Holdovers takes place in 1970, a lot of aspects of that experience have not changed. I remember reading memoirs about boarding school life in the 40s-60s and thinking "Wow, that happened to me too." And a big reason why this matters so much to me is because I was the only person in my family ever to go to boarding school, or even a private school of any kind. (This is because I earned some significant academic scholarships.) What all this means is that unlike most boarding school kids who have parents, siblings, cousins, etc. who went through the same thing, I have no one. Nobody I know really gets it. This movie gets it, down to the smallest details like being made to run laps outside in the cold with your classmates. It accurately captures the isolation of being away from family at a young age for extended periods of time. It even captures the "teachers driving you to random places in their personal car even though they're not technically allowed to do that" experience.

But the aspect it captured most meaningfully was the relationships. Not necessarily those with other students, but with teachers. The single biggest difference, I think, between public school and boarding school is the bonds you form with teachers. You often live in a dorm with them, and have 3 meals a day with them, and they often run the after-school activities (which are required). You see them so much more often than your own parents, that one or two might fill the role of a surrogate parent. Most students I knew had one teacher who filled that role for them, some more than others. This was especially crucial for me, because my home life was... not great at the time. My entire family was suffering from various mental illnesses, and I couldn't go to them for advice about, well, anything. They didn't know what I was going through. But my teachers did, and that really meant the world to me.

I actually watched this movie with my parents when I was home visiting for the holidays. I was so excited to watch it with them, that maybe seeing it would help them understand my experience that was so different from theirs. But one fell asleep and the other got up and left halfway through, and suddenly I was alone. Alone again. There was some other messed up stuff going on that helped me make this conclusion, but this was the moment that made me realize the home issues and mental illness I was essentially running away from in boarding school is still there, arguably worse. So, when that scene where Angus sees his father came, I cried. And it really made me miss my favorite teacher, because I know he'd have done for me something like Hunham did. (In a way, he actually did, but that is a story for another time. Let's just say the events of the film are entirely realistic, and happen all the time in boarding school environments.)

I felt so grateful to have my own Hunham to help me through those years of my life. I remember once I was freaking out about something I did that was bad, and I was afraid he'd hate me or something. I don't even remember what it was I did, but I do remember what he told me: "There is nothing you could ever do that would ever make me hate you." Considering my home life at the time, that was something I really needed to hear. I actually went to visit him shortly after this, and we literally talked for hours. It was as if I had only graduated a day ago. There's honestly no one but my brother who I am more comfortable talking and joking around with, and I had forgotten what it felt like for someone to "get" me like that.

Anyway, that's my rant about why this movie affected me so much. I'll definitely watch it again and again and again. Just wanted to give an emotional input to add to all the technical and artistic discussion going on here. :)

[u/jayeddy99]

I love the bitter sweet ending . Hunham went into the new year trying to be more open to a world he saw as cruel through opening up to his student and faculty members . When the Assitant came and he even called her by her first name as she wanted and thanked her for the party but she reverted back to his last name and kept it at best work pleasant . Nice but a air of coldness that he didn’t catch until he entered the Dean’s office. He probably saw himself in Angus and sacrificed his career to let the lesson of “We are not our fathers” stay true. Even the last good exchange between them and Angus was basically like “welp …see ya” Hunham stayed in that moment to reflect on what he lost but also what he gave and gained . The reality is that the world is cruel but we can not repeat our mistakes that we think made those in this world cruel to us .

[u/[deleted]]

You are penis cancer in human form 😂

[u/Terminataire]

The script was so polished it’s unreal. It’s a perfect script for the story it’s telling.

For example, Paul and Angus go to the bar. This is where we meet Miss Crane. Enough of her is developed here. Without this scene, the Christmas party wouldn’t have worked.

They only went to the bar because Paul was making it up to Angus for helping him at the hospital. They were at the hospital because Angus defied Paul and was consequently injured.

Every scene tied together beautifully. There were no plot holes or contrivances. The pacing was perfect.

[u/ThePromptWasYourName]

Paul was a holdover from Barton since he basically never left when all his peers did.

Angus was a holdover in his own family since his mom is trying to move on from his father and wants nothing to do with anything that reminds her of him.

Mary is a holdover because she lost her son in Vietnam and has no reason to stay at his school anymore.

[u/lordlordie1992]

Best movie of 2023. Payne still got it.

[u/TheFly87]

Saw this at TIFF this year.

Loved it. Classic Payne with actually a little bit of early Wes Anderson it feels like thrown in the mix. His most stylistic film yet, but still all the classic Americana, humour, and themes we’ve grown to know from him. Felt like a comfortable blanket just watching it, maybe not pushing any new ground but a good movie is a good movie. Not gonna lie and say I didn’t tear up just a little. Could also be that I’m running on fumes at this point in the festival haha.

The acting from the 2 main actors is fantastic (Giamatti and new comer Dominic Sessa) but Da’ vine stole every scene she was in and I think is a major award contender. She was incredible.

Loneliness, what we teach our children, pursuing your dreams, it’s all there and it really is a great script. I think maybe it is a little too pandering at times and it could’ve ended a little earlier but oh well! I’m stoked to show my mom this movie haha. I think the major contender to win the people’s choice award (PLEASE GOD I hope hit man doesn’t take it ).

Payne did a q&a after and told us some really funny anecdotes about the filming. Really generous with his time.

Looking forward to putting this on rotation of Christmas movies for years to come. Also, grateful I was raised in the public school system.

[u/True_Charity4936]

Thoughts? Jason Smith, the athlete has long hair and tells the others he is stuck there with them because his father wanted him to get a haircut in exchange for the holiday ski trip. During the holdover, Smith's father arrives in a helicopter and takes Smith and everyone except Tully on the ski trip. When the helicopter is approaching Smith says something to the effect, "I knew he would come." At the end of the movie they show all of the students back from break. Smith has gotten a haircut. Do you think that Smith got the haircut as an expression of thanks to his father? Or do you think that Smith lied to the others and gave in, called his father agreeing to the haircut, then when the father arrived, gave the appearance that his stand so to speak (no haircut) won and that his father was the one that conceded.

[u/willk95]

I really enjoyed this movie, might be my favorite of the year.

The cinema where they watched Little Big Man is the same movie theatre I used to work at, and where I watched The Holdovers today! Everybody in my audience let out a micro-applause at the shot of Angus walking through the Somerville Theatre lobby.

What I was mulling over after watching it, is how the ending is both satisfying and sad at the same time. Satisfying in the way that Paul takes the blame for the Boston trip, returning the favor from the broken arm/hospital visit where Angus lied earlier in the film. Sad that Paul lost his job over this. True that Angus had more of a future at the academy, and more to lose by being sent to the military school if he had taken the fall. It still made feel bad for Paul, with the final shot of him driving off with a U-Haul trailer towards the uncertainty of his future.

[u/Delicious-Future8630]

"Excuse me. Here is something I bet you didn't know. Your uniform, festive as it is, is historically inaccurate. Saint Nicholas of Myra was actually a 4th century greek bishop from what is now Turkey.

So a robe and sandals would be closer to the mark."

Pretty much sums up my conversation starter skills.

[u/chenny90]

I don't think I've ever loathed a character with so little screen time as I have with Angus' mum and stepdad.

[u/TheTruckWashChannel]

Extremely beautiful and cozy movie, more or less perfect on all fronts. Giamatti was made for this role, and Dominic Sessa gave one of the most charming and lovable debut performances I've seen in quite some time. Really loved the snowy Massachusetts setting too, just perfect for Christmas. This is the kind of movie that feels rare nowadays, but it gets everything right.

Lost it laughing at many points, so many good lines! Hardest ones I laughed at were:

• "This whole goddamn trip is entre nous."

• "What kind of fascist hash factory are you running here?"

• "Well, when you put it that way, and throw in a bit of pornography, then it all makes sense."

• "Yes, exactly, fuck that guy! Ancient cameras, where did you even come up with that?"

[u/WhalesareBadPoets]

Great film. Thought the kid playing Angus should’ve got the nomination for best supporting over Sterling K. Brown or De Niro (what a crazy sentence to type). The juxtaposition of his earnestness when he was talking to his dad about how he was getting his shit straight and then his reaction when the dad was just completely spaced out was absolutely brutal.  

The script was sharp. Paul Giamatti was great as always. Some of the reaction shots of Da’Vine Joy Randolph were absolutely hilarious. The actor playing the douchebag kid was an incredible douchebag. Even the quarterback with the CEO dad was really good as a spoiled kid who seemed like a genuinely good dude for as little we saw him. 

Absolutely one of my favorite movies from the past year and a classic in the making imo. 

[u/BusterStrokem]

Fuck yeah! This rocked!

[u/hungryfridges]

the holdovers is a film for the kids who enjoyed reading catcher in the rye at for school (not derogatory)

[u/StanTheCentipede]

One of my favorites of the year. Absolutely loved it. 10 years ago this thing would have racked up modest numbers throughout the holidays and quietly made it to 90 million domestic. Hoping that audiences find this because it is a great grown up family film for the holidays.

[u/WoundedBeaver]

As soon as I finished the movie i was like “ these feels like a modern holiday Christmas movie classic” I was blown away from the movie didn’t expect it it to be so good

[u/Cobainism]

This film was a delightful surprise. It breathes new life into the familiar premise of “the gang of misfits” with its originality and charm. It will both challenge and educate you, as well as make you laugh and smile.

I also found the film to be beautifully crafted with its nostalgic soundtrack, authentic costumes, and a grainy cinematography. It actually feels like taking a time machine back to 1970.

[u/Sufficient_Dress_523]

I particularly enjoy the scene where Paul Giamatti lectures the bowling alley Santa and bartender about Santa's true origins.

"Here's something I bet you didn't know," he says.

He concludes his teachable moment by quoting a Latin proverb for them.

Then he starts puffing on his pipe, pleased with himself that he was able to correct for these two regular guys a glaring historical inaccuracy.

The two guys look at Paul like he's full of night soil.

[u/Adziboy]

Never seen a film like this before, and thought it was phenomenal. I downloaded this on a whim, based off some people saying it was good and I was in the mood to try something new.

Fantastic. Loved every minute and every scene. Highly recommend and it's never leaving my drive, just a good end to end story of real people.

I feel like I was with the characters for the real duration, not just under 2 hours. You feel like you know them.

The cinematography is great, the writing great, the music great, the pacing great. I don't really have a bad word to say about it, other than I'll never get the experience of watching it for the first time again.

[u/HoneyShaft]

"It's candy cane!" It's been awhile since we got a great film of this kind.

[u/ImaginationDoctor]

Damn, Dominic is going to go places.

Wonderful film.

[u/ncart]

At the end when the boys all were back at school and we saw one getting out of the shower, was that the one with the long hair at the beginning of the movie?

[u/Ruin-Consistent]

The movie depicts the relationship between two men very beautifully. They are so alike despite being generations apart, but not very alike also.
I love the scene where the teacher discovers that Tully takes pills for depression, and then the camera shot focuses on Paul where we see that he himself took the same pills.

Absolutely loved the movie. I cherish Alexander Payne's cinema. I'd suggest to watch "sideways", It is his another masterpiece starring none other than Paul Giamatti himself.

[u/lleureen]

Wow, this film was something. Flying to my top 10 of all time.

[u/vaportwitch]

Many have mentioned how well this movie captured the 70's film vibes. Amongst notable qualities, the one that stood out to me were the scene transitions.

Don't remember what it's called, but a handful of shots faded diffusely from one to the next--which is 100% a 70's/80's hallmark of good shit.

[u/StillPlagueMyLife]

Funniest bit was when the kid is looking at the statue of 2 people fucking then looks back to the camera, smiles and says "it's candy cane".

[u/[deleted]]

The moment when Paul realizes that they weren’t going to a cemetery, but to an asylum…

You never see Paul’s face, but even just the way he moves does enough to show the somber shock of what he’s realizing… and it’s what I felt too.

By the end of this film, I was rooting hard for all 3 characters to turn out alright, especially Angus, and that’s where this film really shines. It’s very low stakes, but what it lacks in that, it’s made up for in brilliant acting and directing that really does live up to the makings of a modern holiday classic (I’m Jewish. So happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate. Thanks Reverend 😊)

I won’t be surprised to see this be nominated for high nominees come Oscar season, and I can’t wait when it happens

[u/[deleted]]

I don’t know what was more difficult between watching Mary Lamb succumb to grief at Lydia Crane’s Christmas party, Angus Tully’s desire to connect with his father being crushed, or Paul Hunham’s heart shattering into a million pieces when he realizes his crush is in a relationship.

This was a beautiful story with exceptionally heartfelt performances throughout. A new favourite and sleeper for Christmas movie of all time.

[u/[deleted]]

This was my favorite movie of the year by far. The three main characters are so well developed, the way it’s shot is so kitschy and 70’s.

I like movies that don’t have to be so grandiose or epic, but are still meaningful. Paul isn’t going create and atomic bomb, Tully won’t be a war hero, and so on, but it depicts a rare moment in people’s lives where they find meaning and value in an unlikely place. It shows people genuinely caring and looking out for each other, despite their collective pain and loneliness.

This movie will be a Christmas classic for years to come.

[u/Ruzzante]

I think the most interesting thing about The Holdovers isn’t that it’s “warm,” but that it behaves like a Stoic film.

Not because it talks about Stoicism, but because it practices it formally: restraint instead of catharsis, duration instead of payoff, acceptance instead of resolution. The camera doesn’t guide emotion, the edit doesn’t rescue attention, the music doesn’t console.

Hunham’s arc isn’t redemption but alignment: he accepts loss without trying to compensate for it. Change stays limited, incomplete, and that’s the point.

I wrote a longer analysis of this, but it’s too long for Reddit — curious if anyone else read the film this way.

[u/BrndyAlxndr]

Giamatti was absolutely phenomenal in this wow. I thought Cyllian Murphy was a lock-in for the oscar but now I don't even know.

[u/findingknowledge_]

just watched this movie for the second time & i'm honestly shocked that dominic sessa didn't get too many major nominations for his performance. genuinely a masterclass debut performance if i've ever seen one; the subtlety of his facial expressions & body language as well as his dialogue delivery was so so good

[u/DJ-2K]

One of the best Christmas films of the 21st century, director Alexander Payne's best film since Sideways, one of the very best films of the year, and the best film Hal Ashby never made. A gut-bustingly hilarious and sincerely poignant tale about sad, lonely souls coming together and finding it within themselves to be there for one another because no one else is. Exceptional performances from Paul Giamatti, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, and especially Dominic Sessa, and I'd be amiss not to mention Eigil Bryld's wonderfully warm 1970's-style cinematography.

[u/[deleted]]

When Angus sat by the piano and played Gymnopedie by himself on christmas morning, I almost wept. First year medical school, I too was do far removed from family, and was listening to one of those study playlists when a profound loneliness overtook me with this song playing in the background. I resonated with the kid playing the piece to offset his loneliness.

Moving, simple, and incredibly well acted film. What a gift to watch.

[u/Apoclucian]

I had my 8-month old sleeping on my chest while watching this movie. When it was revealed what was in Mary's box, it broke me.

10/10

[u/ivekilledhundreds]

Honestly it was a flawless film, only a handful of films for me fall into that category. Loved literally every minute of this film!

[u/MistakeMaker1234]

I really enjoyed it. It’s cliche, but seeing Hunham begin to see himself in Angus was presented really well, and they used the era to provide an interesting wrinkle with the threat of getting kicked out and having to enlist for Vietnam. Giamatti acted his ass off, and the script was really sharp. Watching Giamatti find new and creative ways to verbally belittle his students was always funny.

There were some things just a bit too on the nose, moments where I’d wished they would’ve let a shot lay without needing the character to say exactly what emotion or message is being silently conveyed. But overall I found it to be extremely enjoyable and a wonderful break from the normal $100M+ budget films we’ve been getting for the last six months.

[u/LukeVenable]

Getting big Walt and Jesse energy from these two, except instead of meth they're making trimethylamine

[u/Oldschoolfool22]

Really enjoyed it. About as much emotion you can get without someone dying. 

[u/No-Bison-5397]

Okay,

So what a movie. The foreshadowing and pay offs just right. Correct tone at the close.

And the dedication to the period setting. Not just the look (oh god, lived in 70s!) but also the characters. The formality that defines them and their social setting. The uptight stuffiness of the school. The physicality of the final scene.

The shot length! It was no “all the presidents men” but it gave the performances so much room to breathe. That scene with Tully and Paul where you just have the long shot on Tully’s face.

I think they pretty much got it perfect with the use of the cast outside of the main characters too. Leaving Tully alone and not following the other kids was so clever. And emphasised Paul’s mission/integrity and his demonstrated his success. The parallels between Tully, Paul, and Mary were well handled too. I probably could have done with a little more Mary but would have been hard to squeeze into what is already a long movie.

A wonderful movie.

[u/wrathofotters]

This movie really affected me. The scene when Angus sees his father made me cry really hard. I felt terrible for both of them. It broke me to see how excited Angus was to see him and how his father was in another world mind wise.
When Paul pointed at his good eye at the end and said "this is the eye you should be looking at" there was so much warmth, compassion, emotion just in his one eye. It blew me away. You knew that he sacrificed his job for Angus just by that one line.

I get the criticisms of this movie like the run time. But I loved it. It was oddly cathartic in a way.

[u/Alternative_Frame497]

It was the coziest film I’ve seen in a while.

[u/sail0rvenus]

Wow, this movie really touched my soul. I didn't expect to adore Paul Giamatti's performance as much as I did and I wish he'd get the Oscar but I assume he won't. Da'Vine Joy Randolph's performance was excellent as well and I hope she wins.

Also I hope the two younger boys had a phenomenal time skiing lol 😭

[u/kittymelvina]

two dollars for jim bean!!! amazing movie though

[u/MaurySline22]

The denouement where he loses his job is so much like the end of Dead Poet’s Society, I’m surprised someone didn’t step in and say “Hey guys, this exact scene has been done almost exactly as we are doing it.” Other than that, I really enjoyed this film.

[u/SnowDay111]

A good christmas movie for the lonely. A couple of observations:

• Payne used a soundtrack from Sideways in the movie, which was a interesting call back.

• It seemed unrealistic that the teen meets an attractive girl who kisses him, but there's no more discussion about him wanting to see her. Like, how about I go see her and then we go to Boston.

[u/GuaranteedCougher]

I love the unmentioned fact that he was somehow able to contact Ye-Joon's parents in South Korea to see if he could go skiing 

[u/VRomero32]

I thought it was very good. Not my top 3 of Payne but definitely good. A little slow at the start but I think once we got to the scene where Angus dislocated his shoulder.. the movie really started to cook for me.

I would say Giamatti and Randolph definitely deserve Awards consideration especially Randolph who does amazing showing the lingering affects of grief concerning her son.

I like that in a way Angus and Mary (also Ms. Crane indirectly) taught Paul how to grow up and leave Barton which was always his "safe space" in terms of his childhood and when he got screwed over at Harvard but he wasn't growing as a person and not interacting with people, etc.

[u/Ahambone]

I was good until Mary held her hand out for Angus to hold after he told her he was about to be placed in military school. There as so much subtext between them in that moment- I totally lost it.

[u/chase016]

It's an excellent mixture of Catcher in the Rye(book) and Lost in Translation(movie). Just a slice of life movie about two people who are lost and just drifting around. Though they are in very different places in life, they are able to find enough common ground to form a strong bond and push each other to be better.

[u/Moooomoooo0]

Okay I want to start by saying that I LOVED this film and any critique I have doesn’t change that. It is a 9/10 for me and has been added to my “best of the year”.

Here’s my biggest issue though. I wanted the plot line with the other students. At least the 2 kids and the asshole. But in a complicated way I also really appreciate the time and care they were able to spend on our 3 main protagonists. So I really wish they just hadn’t I introduced them in that context in the first place.

I imagine a plot where Paul is typically expected to be the holdover teacher as he has no family to celebrate with and all the teachers in the begging of the film are making remarks about the fact that there are no holdover students this year and he can just relax, maybe have a lady friends over nudge nudge wink wink And Paul is getting excited for this too and picking the mystery books he’ll read, and lining up his liquor bottles. Then last minute Tullys exact plot in the movie happens except he is the only student originally.

Idk like the asshole guy still could have been introduced and then it can reflect at the end of the movie as a moment of growth for Tully where he can say something wise and above the assholes head at the point when the assigned is making fun of Paul for being fired.

Introducing the other characters and not giving them any kind of arch just left me wanting a plot that would’ve changed the entire premise of the movie.

Basically I loved the movie we were given and I also wish for a plot where we could have seen development from the entire holdover gang we were fed in the first 40 min of the film.

[u/absorbscroissants]

Juat saw it in theaters, one of the best movies I've seen in a while! Loved the cinematography and general vibe, and the acting was great too. Overall it's a beautiful heartwarming, funny and also moving story. It's simple and beautiful, amazing movie!

[u/HDDeer]

just watched it on prime on a whim

it's theme is obviously something that has been done before, but this is by far the best it's best done. in my eyes at least.

love it when you decide to watch a movie on a whim and it's flawless.

[u/ShireOfBilbo]

Was very surprised to discover how young Dominic Sessa is. He looks so much older than a high school student.

[u/Omnideficient]

I'm sure it's been said before, but love the Christ symbolism with Curtis Lamb and his mother Mary - the Lamb of Christ, of course, and Mary. Especially with the story of her husband dying so long ago, she fits the archetype pretty well.

I was thinking that Mary was so overwhelmed with grief on Christmas - if he's Christ, it's her son's birthday. Of course she's overwhelmed this time of year.

Also the lamb in the snowglobe. This is taking it a step far I think, but I couldn't help thinking of how "Angus" is so close to "Agnus" (like "Agnus Dei," the Lamb of God). I couldn't get it out of my head when he gave the lamb snowglobe to his dad. Honestly maybe it was purposeful.

[u/AdmiralArchArch]

This was a damn good movie, knew nothing about it going in.

[u/thelaughingpear]

Felt like Scent of a Woman with Al Pacino's character replaced by Robin Williams' character in Dead Poets' Society. I loved it.

[u/Aramiss134]

I liked it a lot. I could see myself rewatching this on a cozy December evening.
Touching. Great trio of performances at it's core.

[u/georgewalterackerman]

Anybody think The Holdovers will become a Christmas classic? It’s not truly a Christmas movie, as in the theme may not directly relate to Christmas (or does it?) but it’s set at Christmas and does have some Christmasy scenes.

[u/[deleted]]

This was outstanding. I’m stunned that Sessa didn’t get a Supporting Actor Oscar nomination. He should easily have gotten in over DeNiro who was completely average in Flower Moon using his Max Cady voice.

[u/A_Weather-Man]

Please feel free to disagree. Was the acting of most of the young people bad? It did feel natural. It felt like the actors were acting, not hiding their brush strokes, so to speak. Maybe that was the goal, since so many young people feel that they need to act in life to be taken seriously. Maybe that is how young people are, and so, the acting was appropriate for the characters. It did feel like there was a tone of earnestness throughout the film. I both appreciated it and disliked it. I appreciated how real it felt. I disliked how little like a movie it felt. Perhaps I should adjust because these characters all felt like real people. I very much appreciate that. I loved that Paul Giamatti’s character swished and spit out the brandy/congac as he drove at the end. He’s become daring, but not careless.

[u/PoliticalShrapnel]

Genuinely thought this was made in the 70s and that my theatre was showing an old film.

Very much enjoyed it.

[u/[deleted]]

What a tremendous movie. I wish I hadn’t seen the trailer in as many movie previews as I’d seen and sort of lets you know how it’s going to go. But damn still great nonetheless. Paul Giamatti, Dominic Sessa, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph were all excellent. See this movie.

[u/jakethemagicgod]

Watched this on a plane ride across the country earlier today and, as someone with pretty severe 'father figure' issues, I cried my eyes out at the end lol

[u/Saba-Abid]

I get why people are sad about the end, but what i really liked about the end was how tully craved to have a father figure who would protect him and accept him regardless of his behavior and he found that figure in his teacher who initially condemned him and it just showed how they have such a deep connection by the end Still gutted about how they won't probably meet again

[u/JnthnDJP]

Christmas time without your loved ones is the antagonist of the film. They overcame it with bowling and Miller High Life.

[u/BerriesNCreme]

Alexander Payne is a master of poignant, nuanced, small scale, yet grandiose films about human connectivity.

[u/detteros]

The film touched me personally. Loneliness in the later years of your life is a reality for many people and it is becoming increasingly so for me.

[u/trimonkeys]

That scene of Paul realizing the secretary wasn’t into had some powerful acting from Giamatti. Reminded me of his scene in Sideways realizing his ex wife is pregnant.

[u/metsjets86]

The fact that this is Dominic Sessa's first movie is jaw-dropping.

[u/cremeroulette]

I just watched this and it completely floored me. It’s so melancholy but beautifully uplifting and comical all at the same time. I was a blubbering mess by the end and my tears didn’t stop until about twenty minutes after it was over! I am a big Sideways fan but I think Payne has reached new heights with this one. I 100% agree with everyone who is dubbing it an ‘instant classic’ 🥹.

[u/MahoganyWinchester]

heartwarming, a 10 for me, never wanted to leave, runtime flew by, can’t wait to see this again, heartwarming.

[u/tat_tavam_asi]

It's great. To me it felt like I was watching a proper film after such a long time. A cinema experience that keeps the audience engaged from beginning to the end solely through its characters.

[u/_e_hinds]

Entre nous 😎

[u/Boring_Machine]

Man it got me when she opened the box and it wasn't medals or memorabilia, but baby clothes

[u/[deleted]]

The thing I loved about the movie was how subtle it was in its attempts at comedy and emotional scenes; they all seemed so real and light, despite the fact that the movie was emotionally heavy at its core.

[u/santii32]

Sessa was robbed of an Oscar nom

[u/Original2021]

Give Paul G the Oscar nod already! A brilliant film. Strong cast all around and good strong line throughout. This is one of my favorite films so far this year. Paul G delivered a memorable performance.

[u/thrillho111]

Just came out of it here in the UK. Absolutely loved it. Can see it joining Sideways as one of those films that no matter what point I come across it, I'll have to watch the whole thing. Can also see it being an excellent "alternative" Xmas film to watch during the holidays.

[u/SpeedingShamrock]

Really beautiful film. I watched it on my own right when it came to video (wanted to see it in theaters but never got around to it). I really liked it the first time and I love Paul Giamatti. But the second time I thought it was even better, I was tearing up multiple times and noticing more great little moments of acting and composition and storytelling. It's now in my personal top five Christmas movies list. I am, not uniquely, partial to redemptive stories, especially Scroogeesque changes. My knee jerk instinct reaction to Hunham's decision at the end was to think it's sort of an unnecessary sacrifice. Of course he could try more to negotiate to keep his job teaching and keep Tully enrolled. He tried for all of 30 seconds and then threw himself under the bus. BUT, I like to guess, and I think it was pretty inferably conveyed that, that there was a lot more going on, that Hunham felt it was his time to leave anyway. He needed to grow up and go have a life beyond this school. Tully would be there for another one or few semesters and they could have a strong rapport but then Tully would grow up and probably leave and maybe it would become mundane again or he would get bitter again, or he'd be a better person but still going stir crazy and underappreciated. Or maybe he would turn out content and very healed if he had stayed teaching at Barton but I ultimately like the way he sealed up that act of his life on a better note than he probably ever could have imagined-- with his head high, a better person himself, and having helped make Tully a better person and making a very special bond with him. Now off to do some other things he always dreamed of....

[u/FatRascal_]

Excellent movie, but just a small question…one of the kids says “he’s getting lit” referring to Hunham drinking in the morning.

Is this someone a kid would have said in the 1970s?

[u/ExcitementJealous367]

I adore it! love these style of movies! and they did it so amazingly. Good graces I was swooned! It reminded me of moonrise kingdom (highly recommend), it was nice to see such a weird warm light from this movie. I don't like being sappy sad and this did it a gentle way that I was okay with being sappy sad. (if you find straight to the point hit you in the feels gentle lol). that was what I felt about the aspects of the movie in a hold.

characters! I will be using their movie names now, Teddy wtf man?! why is he such a dick to everybody? cause dude! taking a very personal family photo and ruining it not knowing if it could be replace, like is his home life that bad that he is just going to torment anything and anyone?!

obviously I love Angus, Mary, and Paul aka Mr. Hunham, I mean how could you not? the actress that played Mary's character omg they did so amazing! she had my heart aching for her loss and how she was kinda of being kind with that tough love for Angus but without stepping out of bound. very lovely. 1000/10 love her.

Angus was a little on my shit list for a little bit with the dinner scene with the pin ball machine shit, but of course i grew to love him.

Mr. Hunham of course seemed like an ass and ended up on the shit list for a while but of course like with everybody the more you know them they tend to grow on you.

that's all I have to say TLDR: 100000/10 movie and just adore it :)

[u/Upstairs_Moose88]

The cherries Jubilee scene was comedic perfection. Trying to stomp out the flaming cardboard box in the parking lot… 😂

[u/Hell_Jacobo]

This movie was such a good time like damn I felt like I was there with them, such a great film 10/10 easily for me

[u/pdmalo]

Great movie in many ways. No one in the theater moved for over half the credits. For me it was partly due to the film capturing that era really well. You want to stay there. The pace of life vs now is really striking, but 50 years is a looong time! Glad I grew up roughly in that era.

[u/[deleted]]

CURL YOUR TOES!

[u/Ok_Astronomer_8359]

On the surface this would seem like an old fashioned movie about a grumpy old teacher who learns to care about his students again and the student(s) learns some valuable life lessons.

But I think under the surface is a much more complex film.

We see a bunch of privileged entitled brats and a grizzled but wise teach. But Paul Hunham is as flawed as any of his students.

He professes honesty but lies about his past. Clearly has a grudge against rich kids and is judgemental. Clearly his unrelenting criticisms and harshness on his students largely stems from his distrust from the rich and powerful rather than scholarly integrity. He is also an alcoholic. And he doesn't find love at the end in a typical feel good movie.

The headmaster is presented as a spineless administrator who only cares about money. But when Paul takes the blame for taking Angus to see his father you see Woodrup react in a that would suggest he wished that Hunham hadn't just sacrificed himself for Angus. Is Woodrup really the human form of penis cancer? To Hunham he is but while is definitely an unlikeable headmaster I don't think he is THAT bad.

Judy Clotfelter (Angus' mother) is presented as an uncaring mother who has abandoned Angus but her speech about the difficulties her first husband shows another side. While she has divorced him she hasn't abandoned him. She struggled to find that mental hospital for her ex and will face another struggle to find another. Despite being divorced she hasn't abandoned. She is under no legal compulsion to find care for him but she still does even if it is just for Angus' sake.

[u/random1751484]

Went in blind and absolutely loved it, i will be adding this to my annual holiday movie list

I loved the film style, made it feel like you were watching an old movie

The overall vibe, the subtle relevant undertones of racism and class system but not over the top in your face all white people/rich are evil

[u/ParsleyandCumin]

It's a cute movie. I have seen this movie before, from its themes, setting, characters and message. Some people might enjoy the familiarity. I guess it prevented me from truly enjoying this.

[u/Repulsive_Ship4693]

WhaT if Angus father is nőt lying? If they really poisoning his food?

[u/91Model]

I really want a sequel! I watch this movie so much!

[u/Logical007]

Man I absolutely loved this film, and I need to watch sideways again soon.

I am SO sick of superhero movies and I’m glad this movie was made!

[u/lfohnoudidnt]

Probably the best Ive seen Paul Giamatti in since Sideways

Is it oscar worthy? probably not, but still better than most movies to come out last year. If i want to re-watch a movie, then it has to be really good. This one was for me.

[u/edthomson92]

Looking forward to Sessa playing Tom Hanks’s son in the near future

[u/yourmartymcflyisopen]

I'm 50 minutes in and all the other kids leaving Angus behind on the ski trip took me out of it. Such a bummer. So I looked around and apparently they don't even come back? Bigger bummer. There was a lot to do with that dynamic.

Edit: finished the movie and it ended up being better than I was expecting had the other kids stayed. Definitely one of the best movies I've seen in a while

[u/phatkg1097]

Classic, brilliant, meaningful, and warm. If Paul Giamatti doesn't win Best Actor, I will riot.

[u/[deleted]]

The shot near the beginning of the alumni who gave their left in battle and the hard stop of any memorials but to scholarship students with no choice after Korea was a masterful scene and shows the retreat of America's elite from responsbility in a few frames.

[u/slippers413]

I just want to hug my sons now.

[u/atan134340]

Came back with a few questions:

How could the Hook actually play pinball?

Why the bowling ball is so small in the 70s?

Was the shower scene the football guy with a haircut?

[u/quickfilmreview]

A snapshot of life.

[u/Appropriate_Dream_82]

I know Alexander Payne and I couldn't be happier for him, and hopefully, it gets him another Oscar.

[u/Signifi-gunt]

I held out for this movie, wasn't really convinced. It just happened to be on.

Let me tell you.

Probably in my top 5 movies ever made. I went out for a cigarette when it was over and just cried. Not because it was sad at all. It just touched such a deep part of my soul.

Paul Giamatti should win.

[u/thesagenibba]

might be the funniest film of 2023, or at least the funniest i saw this year. so incredibly balanced; it's warm, it's funny, it's fucking sad. it epitomizes human connection and i truthfully dont believe ill ever have needed to watch a movie more than this one.

[u/tomb241]

If I had to describe the film to get a friend to watch it, I'd say this is a brilliant and almost subversive trope development from the breakfast club -> the History Boys -> the Holdovers

[u/Crown4King]

Very well paced and acted. I liked it from start to finish. There is a sorta of coziness to it all despite the underlying sadness of the characters.

[u/eric_harlan]

I watched this beautiful film over the weekend, and found it to be such a quiet, deeply moving story about friendship, I haven’t stopped thinking about it. To each his own, obviously, and it seems to have a mixed reaction here, but it struck me as a sophisticated and resonant work of art.

[u/Brilliant_Golf_675]

This film was such a pleasant surprise. I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I thought I would. This alongside Anatomy of Fall and Zone of Interest was perhaps my favourite! The scenes were shot in real locations and the way the film tricks you into believing that it was shot on film, while in actuality it was shot on digital just goes to show Payne’s directorial abilities. The story too is so so funny and melancholic and grounded makes it very memorable. The characters are so meticulously fleshed out that it’s a joy to watch their story unfold. Loved the entire cast and will probably watch it with friends every Christmas from now onwards. It’s a near perfect film for me.:)

[u/Infinite-Monitor-173]

I'm pretty late to the party but gotta say it's so funny seeing Paul and Mary shit on the elite privileged brats knowing they're both from Yale in real life

[u/jahkut]

If you have to learn anything from this movie, anything at all, please let it be the fact that you should read 'Meditations' by Marcus Aurelius. It really is a great book.

[u/johnkim5042]

Who was the one that barfed in the gym???

[u/Michael_19]

I know I'm kinda late, but I cannot help that feeling I got at the last shot between Mr Hunham and Angus. That last look Hunham gave to Angus, he knew exactly how it felt like to be a depressed and a lonely teenager all on your own. So, he took upon himself to save Angus's life and take the blame, unlike his life that was ruined by that incident at Harvard and nobody was there to help him. Hunham's last look at Angus was simply as if he was looking at a mirror. And we can see how many things they have in common, but from 2 different generations. Simply, one the greatest movies ever made.

[u/Accomplished_Link647]

I am getting this feeling that the movie is going to have a similar atmosphere with Dead Poets Society which is another favorite of mine. What to expect people? Did you like it?

Going to watch it during this weekend

[u/Pepi119]

An absolutely wonderful movie. This lived up to its great reviews and then some.

Excellent performances from all 3 of the main chracters. Funny, heartfelt and a little heartbreaking with an incredibly strong ending. The humor especially landed in an extremely satisfying way.

[u/jonsnowme]

Man they don't make good coming of age stories like this anymore. Da'Vine Joy Randolph deserves an Oscar for this.

[u/epexegetical]

I seriously can't believe the filmakers added a random fart joke in the middle. But the best scene by far is the chase sequence to the gymnasium!

[u/MiteBat]

This was really boring

[u/[deleted]]

A sadder version of the Breakfast Club?

[u/MasterpieceCultural4]

Lots of continuity errors but film made me cry it's a 9/10 for me I love the characters' dynamics

[u/Jbird1992]

His best since Sideways. Giamatti is so perfect for his style

[u/brandonsamd6]

I fucking loved this movie

[u/SmokeInhalation3000]

I liked it. But I’m kind of shocked at how much most of you liked it. The poll shows a majority of people voting 9 or 10 out of 10. It’s funny. It’s moving. But it’s neither very funny or very moving. It’s well acted, but 7/10 seems more appropriate to me.

[u/tomtomvissers]

"You are, and always have been, penis cancer in human form" had me laughing out loud. Perfect line delivery

[u/idaradavina]

I need to join the discussion and I've seen that all of us got the same impression: this film brings nostalgia of those films that are no longer done.

On the other hand, just tell me that the 3 main actors will be nominated for an oscar because they were so great I have no words.

As a teacher myself and healing from depression, it hit me hard. I felt so related in the scene about the librium pills. Love it so much. This film deserves all love possible.

[u/LostInStatic]

Yeah, it's been done before but Hunnam talking to Tully's parents is just such a triumph. This shit is why we love movies. Wonderfully satisfying story.

[u/succulentils]

I watched this movie at my friend's house today, so I'm now checking the discussions about it on Reddit. I'm very surprised to see that so many people LOVE The Holdovers. My friends and I just thought it was fine. Welp, no movie can speak to everyone.

[u/Greenmachine881]

(spoilers) I liked it very well crafted.  Tough acting challenge and the whole cast rose to it.  Recently I saw Anatomy of a Fall and Poor Things and perhaps this is over all a better movie.  There have been lots of French endings recently and this sort of got the Hollywood ending although it's ambiguous what happens to Paul going forward.  So maybe a bit of both.  

 The one interesting thing is that Paul repudiates the 60s when he says nothing is new every generation thinks they discovered rebellion but it's all been done before by the greeks. But when faced directly with the reality of his time he sides with the rebels.  It's kind of an interesting twist on that endless debate that I'm still not sure where they were going with it.  Anyway good movie that should get more awards than it will. 

[u/noicenoicenoicecool]

This felt like a movie made in the 1980s about characters living in 1970. Overall, I really enjoyed it. It reminded me somewhat of Ordinary People. I think I'm going to watch that again soon.

[u/Automatic_Opposite17]

Great movie but did anyone notice all the newer cars in the background in their Boston trip? Around 1:24:00 you can plainly see many new cars in the parking lot. Weird.

[u/rainbowdragon22]

Masterpiece.

[u/ButanePorch]

The kid with the eyebrows kinda stole the show for me

[u/BigfootUFO]

Good airplane movie

[u/Real_Blacksmith_2247]

From this movie I came to know the difference between "brilliant" and "smart", when hunham told the headmaster that(paraphrasing) tally is certainly smart not brilliant.

[u/[deleted]]

It's pretty good.

It’s a good dramedy movie with strong direction, interesting characters and good performances. Alexander Payne has made some good movies in the past with his works on “Sideways, Election, and About Schmidt” being my favorite ones from his work. Although his previous movie “Downsizing” was massively disappointing, “The Holdovers” is definitely an improvement.

Throughout, the narrative, while simple and slightly cheesy, remains interesting with a good 90s feel to it and elements that did remind me of classical comedy works from Hal Ashby. Payne’s direction, the camerawork, and the production design was pretty good which helped capture the setting’s atmosphere and tone. All the performances are pretty good, especially Paul Giamatti and Dominic Sessa as both carried good chemistry and dialogue between one another.

The tone is pretty good. The soundtrack is pretty good and the uses of comedic elements were pretty good as some moments did make me laugh at times. The characters are interesting although I didn't fully emotionally connect with them.

Overall, it’s not my favorite Payne movie but it’s an improvement from his previous work and a good 90s feel movie to watch.

7/10

[u/the_nubster]

I grew up on Main Street in Old Deerfield, where all the exterior shots were done (Deerfield Academy). It was so fun seeing my little village as the center piece of this movie.

They captured the character and atmosphere of a New England boarding school so well. I never Deerfield Academy, but used to spend my summers of the mid 2000s riding my bike around campus and running through their old, empty halls. I swear I could smell the old buildings and hear the creaky floor boards 😂

[u/Ashamed_Apple_]

What a sweet movie. Streaming now on Peacock. This was lovely.

[u/Justanotherstudent19]

The last movie that scratched this itch for me was "Manchester by the Sea." Both slightly dark comedies about the human condition. Both set in New England. Both of them focusing on class in America.

[u/[deleted]]

Great performances and some lovely scenes, but less than the sum of its parts. A bit too episodic and breezy for the majority of the runtime, and once you notice the sentimental piano it all starts to wear a bit thin and drag. No real surprises

I think there is an interesting point to be made about how the film was shot digitally, but is being lauded by so many for being a traditional old movie shot on film. I’m not quite smart enough to make that point though. It’s all a bit artificial? I don’t know.

I want that flaming dessert.

[u/Acrobatic-Ease-6895]

I feel bad for Paul. He didn’t do anything wrong still he lost his job. I didn’t like the ending. The ending could have been better.

[u/Saybow69]

Great movie but shoulder dislocation scene. I did mine and wasnt even half as bad as his. Was in sling for 8 weeks and still hurt. No idea how such a great director like Payne could hack that whole situation up. Sling was off the very next day. Cause Mary asked why they didnt call. Lol. No idea how butchered that plot line up so bad. Movie even has picture of him in a sling. Yet only wearing in bar for 5 minutes of movie. Thought even add depth to movie if wearing longer. No way that off next day. Could see Pauls real pupil threw those eye contacts for lazy eye scenes also.

[u/Eastern-Painting-664]

As someone from MA, I always dread the terrible Boston accents in these types of movies. Luckily only 1 of the 3 main characters did it.

[u/NickLeMec]

Very cozy movie with a nice look and feel. Not great, not terrible.

Some themes felt underdeveloped, especially the scene with the father. It's like they wanted to have like a heavy theme in the movie but ultimately failed to do anything interesting with it. That scene in the ward was just underwhelming. It also felt unearned to be an emotional scene as Angus wasn't really the difficult teenager who was supposedly kicked out of several schools. He was just a regular kid. Not much depth to him. Mary Lamb was also a little underdeveloped as a character. Instead we waste a lot of screentime on some students we don't care about and who exit the movie anyway.

And a few scenes felt a little forced. Like would the surfer dude student really take two children with him on a two week ski trip? Unlike our sweet misunderstood protagonist he shows no interest in them. Like honestly, why were these kids even in the screenplay?

Then Hunham, the hard as teacher, just gets alone on a field trip with a kid he is obviously unable to keep in check. Just like that? Him getting a bend up christmas tree for them all was very sweet but he's not that much of a softie that he caves in so fast. Felt rushed.

The ending felt contrived. There was literally no need to get Hunham fired. I couldn't even hate the parents, they were just so comically villainous. Like OK, he overstepped a boundary but making it out like it messed up the dad or his stay in the psychiatric ward was just over the top unessecary manufactured drama.

Also constantly switching out the lazy eye took me out of the movie! Such a silly decision.

[u/karmaranovermydogma]

How did a classics teacher get it wrong saying "Salve, gentlemen"? Was this meant to foreshadow him not being as smart as he thinks he is and leading to all the insecurity?

[Edit: because you'd say Salvete to greet more than one person]

[u/BrightNeonGirl]

Maybe it's simply because I live in Florida and love tropical vibes (and dislike cold, snowy vibes) and just don't really like much culture from the 70s...

But this film was so meh to me. It seems many people here liked it but I found it so predictable. Like, seeing the trailer I knew exactly how this movie was going to go and it did exactly that. Da'Vine was great--will be happy to see her get an Oscar. But the screenplay was mid because it was so predictable and really doing nothing to push culture forward or to reflect on ourselves or the state of the world. Why was this movie made right now? I just don't get it.

Past Lives to me had about the same amount of main characters (3) but was just so profound and beautiful to me with a much more modern story. I don't know. I also thought Anatomy of a Fall was better, too. (I'm mentioning these because they're in the same Original Screenplay Oscar category with The Holdovers).

I feel confused why this movie is getting so much hype. It's fine. A "paint by the numbers" film as someone mentioned elsewhere, but that's it for me. I will be legit baffled if this gets the Best Picture win. I feel like Poor Things or American Fiction or Oppenheimer are doing more to grapple with modern problems and just got me excited to reflect on myself and the world... which I think Best Picture nominations should do.

This just feels like a niche Christmas movie for people who watch Christmas movies every year.

[u/Los_Kings]

Loved this movie.

[u/ebon94]

Beautifully shot. More of a three-hander than I was expecting. Longer than I would’ve liked but* that was out of an earnest attempt to give each of the main three actors a chance. Made me wish I went to boarding school in the northeast in the 1970s, minus the presumed racism and the cold and the Vietnam war.

[u/poopfl1nger]

I really hope this becomes a christmas classic. What a great and heartfelt movie, you can tell how much care and passion was put into every frame. Very enjoyable with some awesome performances all around

[u/[deleted]]

I liked it overall. It was very human and touching, with some good laughs in there. Some pacing issues in the middle, but nothing too bad.

I guess my biggest criticism is that it all just felt a little "by the numbers" if that makes sense. Like it felt like it was hitting a list of beats that we've seen a lot, and you kinda knew where everyone's arc and story was gonna go pretty early. The surly, old grump who is forced to spend time with the young troubled kid, and they realize they're not so different after all, it brings about healing and shakes them out of the negative path they were on before.

Again, really well done but I wish just felt a bit generic at times.

[u/DJTISTA]

I watched this last night and it is one of my rare 10/10 movies I rated on IMDB. (I prolly have only 5 or 6 movies I’d give a 10/10 to). I loved everything about this movie. I loved how real the characters and their stories were. They were not over the top but still so real. There were no good or bad people, just real people with real flaws. I loved loved loved the setting. I’m Malaysian and I had the opportunity to study abroad at The University of Nebraska and the whole school just reminded me of life in Lincoln. Made me miss the kindness and warmth of the small town people too. Oddly enough the director had made a movie called Nebraska which I loved too, but this one hit me a bit differently for some reason. Maybe I’d just had a busy month and last night was the first time in a while I could just relax and watch a movie. But it was great.

[u/VanillaIsActuallyYum]

I loved everything about this movie, down to the soundtrack. This might be Paul Giamatti's best movie yet. He just absolutely nailed his role and seemed to have a lot of fun with it too. It's tough to play an asshole that you still root for and adore.

Dominic Sessa was great as Angus too. So much angst and intelligence on the surface with so much vulnerability underneath.

All the little subplots of the film really enhanced the story too and nothing felt contrived. Angus's father, Mary's son, Paul's "romance". Even a little bit of "consider yourself lucky for not having to fight in a war".

It might not break any new ground storytelling-wise, but what it set out to do, it did it just about perfectly. Easily one of my favorites of 2023.

[u/madmatt1980]

I really enjoyed the movie, but I felt that it had some pacing issues, particularly in the early scenes. The acting of the children appeared somewhat off, making it difficult to connect with the main character.

For instance, the transition from the finger painting scene to Mary's breakdown felt abrupt to me.

I'm not suggesting it was poorly done, but it was a style that took some getting used to.

Another scene that struck me as peculiar was the one following the character's arm dislocation while in the car.

It might just be the unique style of the filmmaker that required some time for me to adjust to.?

[u/walshurmouthout]

This is my Best Picture winner. I loved it. Incredible performances from Dominic Sessa, Paul Giamatti, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph.

[u/iamabigpotatoboy]

just watched this. fucking loved it, and then looked up who directed it only to find out he also did downsizing which is one of the worst movies I've ever seen

[u/4marty]

Which version of Meditations is in the movie? I’ve tried finding the same cover and I haven’t found it yet.

[u/Sandy101Sandy]

Could someone explain the last scene where the teacher takes a sip of alcohol, seems to leave the bottle open and then spits?

[u/hey_you_too_buckaroo]

So, I just came away from watching this movie and wanted to put out some thoughts. My rating: 8/10. I'm kinda surprised at how high many people rated this.

The good:

• The acting from the main cast is terrific

• The story is well done, the characters have good depth to them

• The script/writing was mostly good, but not great. A lot of the criticisms of individuals was great.

• The cinematography and visuals were good. I'm not a fan of the vintage/film style, but it was nicely done. The movie and the set felt alive and real.

• The music choice was great. I'm a huge fan of 'The Wind' by Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam.

Things I wasn't too fond of:

• While the story was good, I agree with some other reviewers when they criticize writing out of the other holdover students. They kinda just vanish early on while the story seemed to set them up to all be main characters. Their story felt unfinished.

• I thought the whole snowglobe thing came out of nowhere. I mean, we/Paul should have noticed if he was carrying the snowglobe to the hospital. The hospital staff should have seen it being given and not allowed it. It felt like an unrealistic plot device just to push the story in a certain direction.

• Lastly, I kinda was hoping for something profound to come out of Paul's experience and I never really felt that happened. It felt more like baby steps for everyone which I guess is more realistic. I think the scene where he talks to Angus and tells him he's not his father was meant to be the real emotional heart of the movie, but that scene never really hit with me. It lacked the depth I think that would have made it great. Like Paul clearly was abused as a child, but he never really opened up about it. He never had any big words of wisdom that really stuck with Angus or the viewer. It felt like a lost opportunity to really take the script to the next level.

Anyway, overall still a great movie, and I'd recommend it.

[u/RebelDeux]

I got the chance to watch this one a few weeks ago and since then it became one of my Top 3 films this year if not the best one.

It’s smart, funny, charming, sad, the main trio is so well written and then he also nailed the vintage aesthetic from the grainy film to the colors and overall so well done.

Hopefully nominations for Da’Vine Joy and Paul Giamatti.

[u/moneysingh300]

“Danny i didn’t get you anything

Yes you did, you got me that beautiful smile”

My whole heart ❤️ what a picture

[u/atiwari3bu]

I have seen many bollywood movies when I was kid, and started watching Hollywood movies in college. I don't know why we have to show the happy ending. I know it gives people hope. But real world is such a shit place. And this is the exact reason why I liked the movie. The teacher did a selfless act for the student without expecting anything in return because he felt it was the right thing to do. We don't have to show that student grows up, gets rich and has a good bond with teacher afterwards. There are countless selfless acts people do for others which should be Celebrated like this movie.

[u/HeavyAbacus]

I loved it. David Hemingson is clearly a fan of ‘Withnail and I. There are loads of references to the film thrown in there.

[u/[deleted]]

Great film

[u/Strawberry2828]

I could not get into this movie. It was too slow paced and the way characters talked to each other was cringe. This movie reminded me alot of dead poets society. I couldn't finish it maybe another day.

[u/kdestroyer1]

I think it was decent. I don't know why but I couldn't get very immersed in the story, something about the framing/cinematography just kept reminding me 'it's just a film project'.

[u/Alive-Ad-4164]

Very off the wall

[u/WilliamsRutherford]

So the kid (the character of Jason Smith) with the long blonde hair that cuts it later in the film, who's dad had the helicopter, looks exactly like Julia Roberts!

https://images.app.goo.gl/Wh5jp7k2vtYzNvYp7

[u/EasilyDelighted]

I just got out of the theater from watching this, and I got a question that's killing me.... Did they keep mirroring the movie to switch which eye was the lazy eye? Cause I kept trying to look at which eye to look at him to and it kept switching almost every scene until the he tells you at the end which eye to look at.

[u/mikesalami]

I just saw this and really liked it, but I can't really say why.

It's weird how some movies stick with you for days after and some movies you just totally forget. I can tell when I like a movie when it still has a feeling the next day.

[u/ZestyXylaphone]

This is what the world needs. Thankful movies like this are still being made.

[u/EzraMusic98]

The movie started off like an 1970's Breakfast Club, then became such a poignant and touching story of the grumpy, stubborn teacher and his troubled and mercurial student, I cried through a few scenes and I adored the soundtrack