There is a strong argument that can be made that we have been undervaluing Paul Giamatti.
My earliest recollection of him must have been his small parts in 1998’s Dr. Dolittle with Eddie Murphy and the war classic Saving Private Ryan (the same year). It was then in 2003 he got deserved claim in American Splendor and then his big break a year later in Sideways (two movies I have needed to revisit for some time now).
For some baffling reason, the only Oscar nomination of his career came in 2005 with Cinderella Man. Of course, he has been in his bad share of movies, but (at least from the ones I have seen) has yet to give a bad performance.
Now he reunites with his Sideways director Alexander Payne for The Holdovers, the director’s first film since 2017’s disappointing Downsizing. Giamati plays Paul Hunham, a renowned teacher at a (fictional) boarding school called Barton Academy in 1970. He is one of the classic examples of a teacher that no student wants, regardless of the subject (he teaches ancient history). As “punishment” for failing a student who father is a politician, Hunham is forced to stay at the school with the few students who are unable to go home for Christmas Break, or the “holdovers”.
Most other teachers would take it easy and let the kids off school work for two weeks, but Hunham is of the old school variety, making sure the kids get educated mentally, cognitively, and even physically (despite the cold weather.) Events occur where all the students are able to get away for a ski trip, save one: Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa), whose mom and new step father are unable to be reached. The only other person stranded with the teacher and pupil is the main cafeteria lady Mary Lamb (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), recently suffering the loss of her son (who also attended Barton) in Vietnam.
The movie soon turns into a somewhat version of Scent of a Woman (1992) where a young man learns from an older generation, and vice versa. On that note, you may think you could predict the outcome of the film (and you may be right). Yet the journey to the end that director Payne and screenwriter David Hemingson has some stops on the way that are anything but predictable. The colors of the film seem somewhat bleak (as shot by cinematographer Eigil Bryld), as to almost wanting to suck some life out of what should be a better time for the young Angus.
The trio of performances from Giamatti, Sessa, and Randolph are simply top notch. After the film, I was truly shocked to find out that this was the debut for Dominic Sessa (who kind of looked like one of the Sprouse twins): if the academy gave awards for debut performance, he would be a shoo in.
From what I have been reading online, Randolph has become the front runner in the Best Supporting Actress category (especially since Lily Gladstone has decided to run in Lead for Killers of the Flower Moon). While Randolph has been in movies in the past, I admit to never seeing her stand out much in those roles (not to say she is bad in the movies, just that the roles did not give her too much to do.) That is far from the case here.
And then there is Giamatti, who I mentioned already. This is easily his best work in years, and while Best Actor is always a bit of a blood bath to get into, I would be pulling very hard for Giamatti to get in. This is a role that is as tailor made for him as a tweed jacket with elbow patches.
Parents, the movie is R mainly for swearing and some light sexual stuff (one scene involves a student looking at what is essentially a playboy). This really a mature comedy, so keep the kiddos at home.
As mentioned before, the movie reminded me of Scent of a Woman (1992). That movie is known now as the film that finally got an Oscar for its star Al Pacino. Perhaps that could happen for Giamatti?
Either way, this is one of the year’s best films.
Overall:
Nothing else to say 