The moment the melodic chords of Cat Stevens’ “The Wind” appear, you know it’s going to be a good movie. From “Almost Famous” to “Rushmore,” the song signifies a golden standard for coming-of-age media. Alexander Payne’s latest film “The Holdovers” is no exception. Up for five Oscars, this is my case for why “The Holdovers” should win best picture (and why it won’t).
Set in a fictional New England boarding school, the film follows junior Angus Tully (played by breakout star Dominic Sessa) who, abandoned by his newly wed mother, must stay at school over Christmas break. Accompanied by his tyrannical teacher Mr. Hunham (Paul Giamatti) and school chef Mary (Da’Vine Joy), the film explores loneliness and growth. Most laud the film for its “Christmas movie comfort,” yet I find that to be the least important aspect of the film’s appeal (yes, I’m Jewish, but let me explain).
“Elvis,” “Barbie,” “Killers of the Flower Moon”: can anyone write an original screenplay these days? Whether following the perils of a high school election (“Election”) or two friends on a wine country trip (“Sideways”), director Alexander Payne is known for his original human stories in small town settings. Thanks to the convenience of Netflix and co., physical theaters have become obsolete, letting big box office hits dominate the cinemascape- three act story arcs have turned into CGI explosions. Soundtracked to 70s music and shot to look like film, “The Holdovers” is the first movie I’ve seen in recent years that attempts to get back to cinema’s roots. It is a refreshingly simple and genuine story in a sea of remakes, sequels and biographies.
From star studded casts to Dua Lipa cameos, Payne’s cinema-verite-esque approach to casting adds to the film’s charm. Dominic Sessa got plucked straight out of high school to play Tully; Payne sent casting directors to New England boarding schools, hoping to find undiscovered talent. As in most of Payne’s films, he favors real life people rather than casted extras. In both the liquor store and Christmas tree lot scenes in “The Holdovers,” Payne simply asked the actual owners to play the characters.
Thankfully, Giamatti and Joy appear likely to take home Oscars in their respective categories, though “The Holdovers” will surely be beaten out by box office success “Oppenhimer.” Oscar viewership is the lowest it has been since 2000, forcing programmers to pander toward audiences rather than focusing on quality of cinema itself. Essentially, the Oscars are a popularity contest. Past years have seen crowd favorite sweeps from “Everything, Everywhere, All at Once” to “CODA.” Historically, the best picture crown has always favored melodrama over human stories (e.g., the “Brokeback Mountain” upset of 2006). This year, “Oppenheimer” will win because it’s the best balance of both worlds: flashy, crowd appeal with a respectable level of self-importance. In the eyes of the Academy, “The Holdovers” bears no standing against the Oscar seriousness of Nolan’s epic — but it should.