The Holdovers
The Holdovers
In 1970, a curmudgeonly history teacher at a New England boarding school remains on campus during Christmas break to supervise held over students, and ends up forming an unlikely bond with a brainy but damaged troublemaker.
rg9400 reviewedNovember 1, 2024
It's a very simple, subdued holiday movie of yesteryear, with the frosty wintry landscape lit aglow with a warmth that suffuses the entire movie. And this beautiful color grading is reflective of the themes of the movie as well, with these frigid characters learning to open up. There isn't a complex overarching plot, everything is simple and maybe even predictable. But it never feels trite or tiresome, rather more like a warm hug. The further I get from it, the higher it jumps in my rankings. Simply put, it feels like an instant classic, the type of holiday movie you can watch year after year. And the acting is excellent, both from Paul Giamatti but especially from newcomer Dominic Sessa and Da’Vine Joy Randolph. Highly recommend.