The Holdovers (2023) | Dir. Alexander Payne
Courtesy of Focus Features
Written by: Belle McIntyre
The premise of this film in my estimation was not compelling enough for me to see it, until a dear friend who was visiting, really did want to. The anticipation of seeing a reliably convincing Paul Giametti portraying Paul Hunham, an unappealing curmudgeonly sad sack of a professor of ancient civilization in a posh New England boys school in the 1970s, was rewarded. His character is so arrogant and condescending to his thoroughly disengaged students as to have created a mutually antagonistic atmosphere in his classroom. To be fair, the students are an equally obnoxious bunch of entitled rich kids or sons of important politicians, donors or legacies.
Courtesy of Focus Features
The first third of the film takes place in the claustrophobic environs of the school (rumored to have been fashioned after Hotchkiss). As exam time comes just prior to Christmas break, Professor Hunham metes out devastatingly low grades to a large segment of his students. In a gesture from him, which passes for compassion, he allows them to re-take the exam. The snag: it is on a new topic requiring new research and new writing. The professor justifies his practices as necessary to show due deference to the importance of his course work.
Courtesy of Focus Features
In a slightly awkward plot device, the students who were not going to be able to leave school for the holidays, were rescued from that fate by a wealthy parent who takes them all to join his family. The exception is Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa), whose parents cannot be reached for permission. Angus is a standout among the more active troublemakers in the professor’s class. He is a tall, gawky, smart-ass troublemaker. The fact that these two are forced to be together for the whole 10 days of holidays is where things get interesting. The school is empty but for the cook Mary Lamb (stunningly portrayed by ‘Da’Vine Joy Randolph). She smokes, drinks, and cracks wise.
Courtesy of Focus Features
As forced togetherness, which now includes Mary, draws the three out of their shells, we realize that the professor is a serious tippler, who insists on drinking in front of Angus while not allowing him so much as a beer. Things leak out from all three hostages of the school. Mary Lamb, an articulate, whip-smart, outspoken large black woman with a quick wit and a wry sense of humor, is also the mother of a son who was given a scholarship to the school. She is grieving over the recent news of his death in Viet Nam. The presence of Mary really amps up the action.
Courtesy of Focus Features
When the three leave the campus out of desperation from boredom, their sojourns create the opportunity to broaden their characters and to introduce their backstories. Out of their comfort zone in the strictly regulated school they can interact more naturally without the ever-present hierarchy. The two male characters are able to develop an appreciation of each other, which is redemptive. For me the single best reason to see this film is seeing Da’Vine Joy, who could not have a more appropriate name. She is a revelation and has received the highest well-deserved accolades, including an Academy Award for this film.
