STORYLINE: Nobody likes teacher Paul Hunham (Giamatti) — not his students, not his fellow faculty, not the headmaster, who all find his pomposity and rigidity exasperating. With no family and nowhere to go over Christmas holiday in 1970, Paul remains at school to supervise students unable to journey home. After a few days, only one student holdover remains — a trouble-making 15-year-old named Angus, a good student whose bad behavior always threatens to get him expelled. Joining Paul and Angus is head cook Mary (Randolph)-an African American woman who caters to sons of privilege and whose own son was recently lost in Vietnam. These three very different shipwrecked people form an unlikely Christmas family sharing comic misadventures during two very snowy weeks in New England. The real journey is how they help one another understand that they are not beholden to their past-they can choose their own futures.

    I am a fan of director Alexander Payne and actor Paul Giamatti.  I was excited to see the two of them collobrate again, after 2004’s incredible Sideways, on The Holdovers.  I was so excited that I found an advance screening and promptly attended the 2:00pm showing, Sunday afternoon.

      After fifteenish minutes of previews the two hour and fifteen minute runtime started.  Ny the time the end credits were rolling I didn’t want to leave.  

    This teacher/student story has been done in countless films such as Dead Poets Society and The Emperor’s Club.  With The Holdovers I felt a since of realism.  The writers tried hard to incorporate real life into the story.  With giving no spoilers the film does wind down its story to a satisfying concolusion but not all storylines end up in a pretty bow.  I appreciated that.  

   I know I tend to focus a lot on story in my blog posted but I believe that any film starts with a strong story with interesting characters. The Holdovers is well made in other ways as well.  The score is very subtle, which is important to me, I HATE an over powering score. The Holdovers also looks great thanks to ithe cinematography.  I felt transported to an era, the 1970s, I was not even born thanks to the cinematography.  

   This film deserves a seat at the awards table come Oscar season.  I am surprised Paul Giamatti has only one nomination, for his performance in Cinderella Man.  The Holdovers will earn him his second nomination. Da’Vine Joy Randolph Gave an equally impressive performance and will be no,imaged for her incredible performance,ance as well. I am excited to route for The Holdovers at the March 10 Oscar telecast!

      Until next time I will see you at the movies!