The Holdovers - Review | LFF 2023
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© 2023 FOCUS FEATURES LLC
Directed by: Alexander Payne
Written by: David Hemingson
Starring: Paul Giamatti, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Dominic Sessa
Runtime: 133 min
Synopsis: A curmudgeonly instructor (Paul Giamatti) at a New England prep school is forced to remain on campus during Christmas break to babysit the handful of students with nowhere to go. Eventually he forms an unlikely bond with one of them - a damaged, brainy troublemaker (Dominic Sessa) - and with the school's head cook, who has just lost a son in Vietnam (Da'Vine Joy Randolph).
© 2023 FOCUS FEATURES LLC
Editor's Note: Original review was written for FandomWire. Full article can be found below.
REVIEW SUMMARY
The Holdovers left me in complete disbelief at how complete, thought-provoking, hilarious, and emotionally powerful it becomes with each extraordinarily captivating minute that passes by. A shockingly faultless screenplay from David Hemingson exponentially attacks the viewers' hearts through a truly profound yet bittersweet study of the vital need for human connection. Protagonists are brilliantly written as real people, and superbly portrayed by an award-worthy cast. Add an immaculate tonal balance and outstanding execution by Alexander Payne, and a new Christmas classic is born.
