“The Holdovers,” released Friday, Nov. 10, is an amazing, must-see movie. The setting, the acting and the plot all combine to make a spectacular film. In my opinion, it is definitely one of the best movies of 2023.
The movie is about a winter break at a boarding school, where the protagonist, Angus Tully, finds out he will be forced to stay over the break instead of going home. He is there with a professor, Mr. Hunham, whom most students have a distaste for and Mary Lamb, a lunch lady who is grieving the loss of her son who went to the school. This unlikely trio is forced to stay together and, of course, hijinks ensue.
This movie is directed by Alexander Payne and though he may be a bit of an unknown figure, his new movie, “The Holdovers” is one of the best I’ve seen. The way the scenes are shot provides comedic timing, while other scenes pull at your heartstrings and make you feel as the characters do in the moment. Though it’s not his first movie, it has definitely surpassed his other films, such as “Nebraska” and “The Descendants.”
Taking place at a boarding school, Barton Academy, in a cold New England winter in 1970, the setting is very luxurious and was filmed at five schools which include Groton, Northfield Mount Hermon, Deerfield Academy, St. Mark’s School and Fairhaven High School. The elements of the ’70s and the cold winter are felt by the audience; it really feels like Payne got a modern-day film crew back into the ’70s.
The acting in “The Holdovers” is phenomenal as well, with actors such as Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Dominic Sessa doing a spectacular job in the film. These may not be household names in the movie industry but in the Holdovers, they form an amazing trio that can make the audience laugh and also make the audience cry.
“The Holdovers” is a masterpiece of film. I love the cast, the directing, the characters and the setting. Overall, it’s a superb movie with many great reasons to see it.
