The Holdovers (2023)
Dir. Alexander Payne
The Holdovers is one of 2023’s quiet masterpieces—an understated, deeply human film that slipped through the cracks of a year dominated by big, culture-consuming releases like Barbie, Oppenheimer, and Poor Things. It deserved far more attention. In a year that felt like cinema’s grand return, this small, bittersweet Christmas-set story had to fight for space, but it’s exactly the kind of film that ages gracefully.
Alexander Payne crafts something warm yet unsentimental, a winter tale that’s funny, sharp, and quietly devastating. Paul Giamatti delivers one of his richest performances as a gruff boarding school teacher stuck with the students who can’t go home for break. His chemistry with Dominic Sessa and Da’Vine Joy Randolph gives the film a lived-in warmth—the kind you feel in your chest rather than through flashy dialogue.
What I love most is its emotional precision. It’s nostalgic without pandering, melancholic without tipping into misery, and genuinely heartfelt without chasing easy sentimentality. The 1970s aesthetic isn’t a gimmick; it feels like the film truly belongs to that era, down to its pacing and imperfect beauty.
Even with its cozy holiday vibes, The Holdovers isn’t afraid to confront loneliness, regret, and the jagged paths people take toward connection. That honesty is what makes it linger.
It may not have grabbed headlines, but it’s the kind of film people will rediscover and cherish—an underrated gem that will absolutely age like wine.
