"Higher Culture" is back again! And what have we got this time? I reckoned I could recommend a movie and share a movie review, since it's Oscar night.
Alexander Payne is often at his best when he directs stories written by someone else. This sentence may sound like sacrilege to some fans of Payne's movies--after all, the director wrote "About Schmidt," "Election," and others (with longtime co-screenwriter Jim Taylor).
But the blueprint for Payne's latest masterpiece, The Holdovers," was written by someone else, as I pointed out in my movie guide: screenwriter David Hemingson. And it's a compliment to him that he gets so much of Payne's palette into this one--a love letter to growing up in the Seventies.
READ MORE: Fall and Winter Movie Guide, Part II
The meticulous way he goes about setting the mood and tone of that era is astounding, even down to the format of the credits (to say more would be an unjust spoiler). There's what appears to be a nod, also, to the beginning of John Schlesinger's "Midnight Cowboy" in the use of music. And don't let the ad campaign fool or dissuade you: "The Holdovers" made me laugh out loud more than once, and shed tears without the use of cheap melodrama. The emotions were genuine.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph plays the Jiminy Cricket role here, to Paul Giamatti's gruff professor character. She's a grieving mother who's the head cook of the school, and also someone with nowhere better to be over the holiday break. As the calm center of a lot of madness in the story, Randolph absolutely deserves the Oscar she will surely win on Sunday night. She embodies the character, truly nailing how it feels to be in mourning during the holidays. But don't get me wrong -- she's not dour; she has a twinkle in her eye, too.
Since this story takes place during the Vietnam War, some may wonder if the film gets heavy-handed or preachy on this. I'm delighted to say it doesn't, and only briefly (and subtly) touches on it.
What about Giamatti? In any other year that didn't include "Oppenheimer" and Cillian Murphy's excellent performance, the man would take home the Best Actor award. His character is not just an older version of "Miles" -- but Giamatti said in an interview something along the lines of, they could be related. He does have that same, glass-half-full attitude about life.
The main, young actor, Dominic Sessa, who portrays one of the students who has to "holdover" at the school, was also necessary to the tone and success of the film. He has his own family and past to reckon with. Of all of the characters here, he experiences the largest change. It may sound trite (since it's said about many young actors), but Sessa is someone to watch.
The movie is human and profoundly poignant (verging on bittersweet in some scenes). As an audience, we are beckoned by the writer and director to endure off-center moments, uncomfortable moments, that pay off in moments of joy. "The Holdovers" will bear and beg for repeat viewings, so be prepared for that. Payne here strikes every note in this AM Gold of a movie true. Reward him and his team by checking it out, as it will get new life because of what will happen inside the Dolby Theater in Hollywood tonight.
"The Holdovers" has seen a re-release to the big screen after major category Oscar nods for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor in a Leading Role (Paul Giamatti), and Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Da’Vine Joy Randolph):
To say I’m thrilled to see this recognition for @HoldoversFilm is an understatement. Congratulations to Da’Vine, Paul, David, Kevin, Alexander, and the entire cast and crew. 🥂 pic.twitter.com/EEreVgwHMO
— Carrie Preston (@carriepreston) January 23, 2024
Giamatti and Randolph have already won two awards this season:
The most celebrated performances of the year. #TheHoldovers is now a Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award WINNER for Best Actor (Paul Giamatti) and Best Supporting Actress (Da’Vine Joy Randolph).
— The Holdovers (@HoldoversFilm) January 31, 2024
In theaters now and yours to own. pic.twitter.com/YlnMo9uude
Instead of just releasing trailers (you can see that in my movie guide, above), Focus Features generously rolled out full scene videos on its YouTube channel--and they do a much better job, I think, of giving potential moviegoers a taste of what's in store:
Here's an early scene showing some of the film's ample humor, by Giamatti and Sessa:
And here's a more somber (but great) monologue:
(Warning: coarse language)
Since it isn't in many theaters now, you can watch it on streaming platforms at your leisure. Enjoy!
