Set in the cold New England winter of 1970, Paul Giamatti portrays Paul Hunham, a long-time professor at an all-boys boarding school. As Paul gives a perfunctory lecture, his audience of entitled twerps and trust fund babies scarcely pay attention. It is evident that the students do not have a high opinion of Mr. Hunham. However, when the Dean assigns him the responsibility of taking care of the students staying at the school during the winter break, it becomes apparent that he doesn't have much respect from the faculty either.

One of Hunham's students, Angus, was looking forward to going home for the holidays. However, at the last minute, his mother informed him that she and her new husband were going on vacation alone, leaving Angus stuck at his school over the break. Angus, played by newcomer Dominic Sessa, is a bright student but one who has a history of disruptive behavior and getting expelled from each of his previous schools. When Hunham finds out that Angus is one of his winter break holdovers, he seems determined to make Angus's life miserable.

Hunham and Angus are not the only ones staying during the school break. Mary Lamb (Da'Vine Joy Randolph), the head cook, also stays to provide meals for those who remain. Unfortunately, Mary has recently lost her son in the Vietnam War. Each of them, Paul, Angus, and Mary, feel lonely and isolated in their own way. However, as the cold winter sets in, perhaps they will find warmth in each other's company.

I cannot emphasize enough how much I admire this cast. Paul Giamatti's portrayal of the grumpy old curmudgeon is genuinely outstanding. At the film's start, Giamatti's character appears one-dimensional. However, as the story progresses, more of Mr. Hunham's past is revealed, and his gruff exterior softens, giving Giamatti a chance to display his range.

Similarly, Dominic Sessa's Angus is introduced as the entitled smartass, and he plays the part to a T. Still, as the layers pull back to reveal Angus's feelings of abandonment and loneliness, Sessa's performance shines in those emotional beats. 

But hands down, my favorite performance is Da'Vine Joy Randolph's. While her character is the easiest to sympathize with from the outset because of her recent tragedy, she provides the most warmth, delivering humorous and heartbreaking moments in nearly every frame she occupies. While Giamatti is a shoe for a Best Actor nomination, I will be rooting the hardest for Da'Vine Joy in the supporting actress race. 

"The Holdovers" is an incredibly heartwarming holiday feature crafted with precision and care by Alexander Payne. From the moment the studio logos appear on screen, the opening credits sequence begins, and the title drops, you are transported back to a time when movies were just different than they are now. The 70's aesthetic evokes that warm, nostalgic glow. Each lead is given a meaningful and rewarding character arc. It is, without a doubt, one of the most satisfying films of the year. 

— 5 / 5 ⭐