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Miramax
Not part of a collection.
Discomfort and joy.
A curmudgeonly instructor at a New England prep school is forced to remain on campus during Christmas break to babysit the handful of students with nowhere to go. Eventually, he forms an unlikely bond with one of them — a damaged, brainy troublemaker — and with the school’s head cook, who has just lost a son in Vietnam.
JJ Rosales
Oct 24, 2026 · via TMDB
Wow. Just wow. Heard someone describe this as the new Dead Poets Society. Halfway in I highly disagreed, once the credits rolled, I see it. Paul Giamatti once again is undeniably good. The vocabulary of his insults is something to be envied! Dominic Sessa: brilliant! I FELT every emotion he was conveying. This is like having a deep intelligent conversation with a good friend after not seeing other for a long time. The warm, friendly, intellectual, yet emotional nature of this movie is second to none. Also if you’ve ever stayed on campus during a break, the bond is real😂 They nailed that!
r96sk
Feb 12, 2025 · via TMDB
<em>'The Holdovers'</em> is one that I had heard was a great movie and it most certainly is! The performances of Paul Giamatti and Da'Vine Joy Randolph are absolutely stellar. Dominic Sessa (film debut?!) impresses too, even if his character looked older than intended to me (no biggie). A charming movie, no doubt. The story is actually rather simple but is one that makes an impact. It is wonderfully shot, as well. I can fully understand why this received such a high praise, it's totally merited.
Neil Hoskins
Feb 23, 2024 · via TMDB
8/10 Excellent. All three main protagonists in top form. Funny and poignant in equal measure. The emotions rang true as I have recently read Richard Beard's "Sad Little Men" about British private schools.
rsanek
Feb 16, 2024 · via TMDB
Never finished it. Really disappointing compared to the hype.
tmdb47940942
Feb 12, 2024 · via TMDB
I didn't care for The Holdovers. It was funny at times, and it was a good film, just not my cup of tea. But because it wasn't my cup of tea, I don't really have much to say about it. So I'll sum up a review that hasn't been written yet. TL;DR The movie was fine, not my favorite, and too slow for my liking. The actors did a great job, and... that's it, I think.
CinemaSerf
Jan 28, 2024 · via TMDB
Anyone remember John Houseman's professor "Kingsfield" in "The Paper Chase" (1973)? Well, that's who Paul Giamatti reminded me of here with his portrayal of the acerbic, no-nonsense, ancient civilisations lecturer "Hunham". It's the last day of term and he hands out examination results that persist at the lower end of the A-F scale! This causes quite a bit of consternation amongst the silver-spooned students who fear their wealthy parents more than him. He agrees to try and mitigate these impending disasters by giving them extra work but that just irritates the B+ student "Tully" (Dominic Sessa) whose intervention doesn't exactly make him any friends! Anyway, serendipity takes her revenge now and this lad's planned Christmas in St. Kitts is kiboshed and he finds himself stuck at school over the holidays with his least favourite school colleague "Kountze" (Brady Hepner) and his teaching nemesis all sleeping in the infirmary! Drawbridges are up and battle lines drawn right from the outset, and are only exacerbated when the other kids are whisked off skiing leaving just the two and their long-suffering cook "Mary" (Da'Vine Joy Randolph) - a lady who also happens to be grieving for her son who has been killed in action before his twentieth birthday. Not the makings for much festivities, but gradually the three begin to bond a little, the ice begins to thaw and - well I suppose the rest isn't really too hard to guess. It's not really the story that makes this work - that's not especially unique. It's the three characterful performances - especially from the young Sessa - peppered with a wonderful selection of perfectly delivered sarcastic humour, temper tantrums, a little slapstick and an increasingly engaging rapport between the two men who must learn to overcome their differences - some serious, some trivial, some completely non-existent - so that maybe, just maybe, they will be able to resume after the New Year on less openly hostile terms. To that end, our trio take a trip to Boston - but will that help? It does rather run out of steam towards the predicable ending but the first forty minutes are genuinely laugh out loud at times. Giamatti and Randolph are naturals with Sessa looking like a man we will see again. Good fun with messages of humanity and reconciliation that are delivered using comedy rather than too much sentiment.
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
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Paul Giamatti
Paul Hunham
Dominic Sessa
Angus Tully
Da'Vine Joy Randolph
Mary Lamb
Carrie Preston
Miss Lydia Crane
Brady Hepner
Teddy Kountze
Ian Dolley
Alex Ollerman
Jim Kaplan
Ye-Joon Park
Michael Provost
Jason Smith
Andrew Garman
Dr. Hardy Woodrup
Naheem Garcia
Danny
Stephen Thorne
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Gillian Vigman
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Tate Donovan
Stanley Clotfelter
Darby Lee-Stack
Elise
Bill Mootos
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Dustin Tucker
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Juanita Pearl
Mary's Sister Peggy
Liz Bishop
Office Lady
Cole Tristan Murphy
Toothbrushing Student
Carter Shimp
Weed Buyer Harriman
Michael Malvesti
Christmas Tree Guy
Dakota Lustick
Christmas Tree Helper
Melissa McMeekin
Hooker
Jonathan von Mering
ER Doctor
Rena Maliszewski
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Oscar Wahlberg
Pinball Player
Dan Aid
Vietnam Vet Kenneth
Kelly AuCoin
Hugh Cavanaugh
Colleen Clinton
Mrs. Cavanaugh
David J. Curtis
Psychiatric Orderly
Pamela Jayne Morgan
Waitress
Ian Lyons
Miss Crane's Boyfriend
Kevin Fennessy
Irritated Movie Patron
Bhanu Gopal
Boston Streeter / Pedestrian (uncredited)
Ryan Warren Smith
Production Design
Eigil Bryld
Director of Photography
Justin Sulham
Grip
Wendy Chuck
Costume Design
Jennifer Douglas
Hair Designer
Jennifer Douglas
Key Hair Stylist
Amy Greene
Stunt Coordinator
A.J. Paratore
Stunts
Ben Rezendes
Stunts
Corey Hibbert
Stunts
Justice Hedenberg
Stunts
Alexander Payne
Director
Rod Smith
First Assistant Director
Kevin Tent
Editor
Melissa Morris
Casting Associate
Thom Zadra
Executive Producer
Caroline Blanco
Extras Casting
Bill Block
Producer
David Hemingson
Producer
Mark Johnson
Producer
Josh Cronin
Production Coordinator
Mark Orton
Original Music Composer
Matt Akey
Visual Effects Producer
David Hemingson
Writer
Aug 31, 2023
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Oct 27, 2023
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Oct 28, 2023
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Jan 2, 2024
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Evil Dead II
1987 · 14 wins
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2008 · 14 wins
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1978 · 13 wins
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2000 · 12 wins
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1981 · 11 wins
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