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If the Academy Award for best picture was given to the film that received the most positive reception from moviegoers, the bookmakers would have closed their bets on “The Holdovers” a long time ago. Is there anyone who openly dislikes Alexander Payne’s movie about a boarding school? If there is, they are keeping it to themselves. It is a movie that, with its pleasant sense of nostalgia, appears to be immune to any potential backlash.
Critically speaking, the defining quality of The Holdovers may be the very reason why it may not be considered a worthy recipient of the best picture award by some. Throughout cinematic history, feelgood films have seldom received recognition. For instance, notable Oscar winners tend to be dark and pessimistic in nature – for example, The Godfather Part II, The Silence of the Lambs, and No Country for Old Men. In fact, movies that are deemed “nice” often face criticism for their pleasantness, as seen with past best picture winners such as Forrest Gump and more recently, Coda. While The Holdovers may be superior to these films, it is likely to be categorized as this year’s token upbeat indie contender in a lineup dominated by impactful and serious works.
It appears unjust because there is just as much talent required in creating something optimistic as there is in creating something pessimistic. Additionally, The Holdovers can be profound and serious when it chooses to be. There is a underlying sense of sadness throughout the film, as it slowly navigates complex themes such as social class, race, mourning, and its lingering effects. Its ability to accomplish this while also serving as a heartwarming Christmas movie is even more noteworthy.
The movie The Holdovers follows the tradition of the best Christmas movies, where characters view the holiday season with dread. For Paul Hunham, a strict classics teacher at Barton Academy, the season is a time of obligation as he is responsible for supervising students who are “held over” due to being abandoned by their families. For troubled student Angus Tully, Christmas represents rejection and boredom as his family has left him to vacation in Saint Kitts and Hunham has imposed strict rules of studying and exercise. For Mary Lamb, the cafeteria manager, the holiday season is a painful reminder of her son Curtis, a former student at Barton on scholarship, who died in the Vietnam war as he lacked the privileged connections to avoid being drafted.
Inevitably, the misfit trio will eventually create their own unconventional family as the film progresses. However, Payne enjoys taking a longer and more circuitous route. Along the way, there are entertaining detours to emergency rooms and dive bars, as well as a lengthy trip to Boston with a Salinger-esque vibe. However, he also embraces the space between these key plot points. Frequently, the movie avoids dramatic and obvious moments in favor of smaller, yet more powerful moments – for example, when Hunham catches Angus hiding his antidepressant pills and silently acknowledges his own antidepressants in his wash bag, rather than delivering a cliché speech about accepting one’s mental health struggles.
The success of this movie rests on the small but crucial actions of its characters, and the actors in The Holdovers are skilled enough to carry them out. Giamatti, who previously worked with Payne on Sideways, portrays his character with a similar sense of frustration but adds a touch of kindness. He is supported by Sessa, a newcomer to the screen who convincingly portrays the inexperienced, self-destructive, yet caring Angus in a nearly uncanny manner. And Randolph, who is the most likely of the trio to win an Oscar, brings a sense of warmth and humor to a character who is filled with pain.
This is just the second movie (following Nebraska) that Payne has directed without also writing, which may explain why it’s not as harsh as his previous ones. He still has the ability to add a little bit of vinegar to the mix, whether it be through moments of casual cruelty between roommates or a graphic scene where a dislocated joint is forcefully put back into place. He has also never ventured into making a period piece before, although even his modern films often feel frozen in time. When the opening credits of The Holdovers appear with their old-fashioned versions of studio logos, there is a concern that Payne may have delved too deeply into faithfully replicating the past, potentially spending months tracking down era-accurate school supplies instead of focusing on the core of the film.
However, it appears that by setting the film during a certain time period, Payne is able to add a gritty element to the story. It’s noteworthy that the majority of the film takes place not in the polished, pristine hallways of Barton’s school, but in the grimy and cramped spaces like the kitchens and narrow corridors. From haemorrhoid cream in the bathroom to dirty dorm cots to Hunham’s notorious fishy smell, Payne deliberately showcases the imperfections and authenticity of these environments.
This indicates that at the end of the film, when there is a touch of sentimentality, it feels deserved and completely captivating. It is very improbable that The Holdovers will be awarded best picture, but it could be the film we continue to revisit, repeatedly.
Source: theguardian.com
