X
- 2023
- R
- Focus Features
- 2 h 13 m
- 2023
- R
- Focus Features
- 2 h 13 m
Summary A curmudgeonly instructor (Paul Giamatti) 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 (newcomer Dominic Sessa) -- and with the school’s head cook, who has jus...
Directed By: Alexander Payne
Written By: David Hemingson
- 2023
- R
- Focus Features
- 2 h 13 m
- 2023
- R
- Focus Features
- 2 h 13 m
The Holdovers
8.1
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Summary A curmudgeonly instructor (Paul Giamatti) 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 (newcomer Dominic Sessa) -- and with the school’s head cook, who has jus...
Directed By: Alexander Payne
Written By: David Hemingson
Where to Watch
Coming Soon
Not available in your country?
ExpressVPN
Get 3 Extra months free
$6.67/mth
Top Cast
Metascore
Universal Acclaim Based on 61 Critic Reviews
82
93% Positive
57 Reviews
57 Reviews
7% Mixed
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Universal Acclaim Based on 61 Critic Reviews
82
93% Positive
57 Reviews
57 Reviews
7% Mixed
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Dec 8, 2023
Hunham’s hero Marcus Aurelius once wrote, “Give thyself leisure to learn some good thing.” Take his advice and see this film.
Sep 10, 2023
The Holdovers is a wonderful revelation from an excellent director who proves he’s still able to take us by surprise.
User Score
Universal Acclaim Based on 315 User Ratings
8.1
88% Positive
277 Ratings
277 Ratings
10% Mixed
31 Ratings
31 Ratings
2% Negative
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
User Score
Universal Acclaim Based on 315 User Ratings
8.1
88% Positive
277 Ratings
277 Ratings
10% Mixed
31 Ratings
31 Ratings
2% Negative
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
Nov 10, 2025
The Holdovers là phim tâm lý sâu sắc, hài hước và đầy cảm xúc về ba con người cô đơn tìm thấy sự kết nối bất ngờ trong kỳ nghỉ lễ.
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Jan 13, 2025
Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa) muss zur Weihnachtszeit in seiner Privatschule bleiben. Er ist alleine mit seinem verhassten Geschichtslehrer Herr Hunham (Paul Giamatti) und der Köchin Mary (Da’Vine Joy **** Film spielt in den 70-er Jahren. So ist der Film auch von den Bildern her gefilmt. Paul Giamatti hätte für den Film den Oscar gewinnen müssen. Giamati hatte übrigens einen der besten Schauspieler als Lehrer nämlich Alan Rickman. Giamati spielt einen unsympathischen Lehrer, welcher aber fair ist und eine gute Seite hat. Angus ist ebenfalls unsympathisch hat, aber ebenfalls eine gute Seite. Der Film lägt, besonders Wert auf gute Dialoge. Viele Sets gibt es hier nicht, nur die Schule und paar andere Sets. Dem Film wird vorgeworfen, dass hier nicht passiert. Wenn man es mit heutigen Filmen vergleich, stimmt, das zwar. Für viele Leute die eine schnelle Handlung haben bzw. gewohnt sind und das jede Sekunde etwas Spektakuläres passieren muss, wird diesen Film nicht **** Holdovers ist ein schöner, emotionaler Film für die Weihnachtszeit. Der Film hat eine gewisse Ähnlichkeit mit dem Filmklassiker und Meisterwerk Einer flog über das Kuckucksnest.10/10
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Nov 15, 2023
If The Holdovers is about anything, it’s about the hard, hard work of small acts of kindness.
Oct 30, 2023
Add a bit of road movie misadventure, a la Payne’s Sideways, and you have a Christmas movie with spirit and wit, with a minimum of mawkish sentiment.
Oct 28, 2023
The frame is filled with observed but uncommented-upon details . . . The film seems to exist in a real world populated by fully dimensional people.
Sep 3, 2023
The vibes are immaculate from the start and only grow more so as the characters gradually start to become as detailed as the world that “The Holdovers” constructs around them.
Oct 26, 2023
The Holdovers is a flat, phony, painfully diagrammatic movie masquerading as a compassionate, humane one.
Dec 11, 2024
Película redonda por donde se mire. Toma el viejo tópico del profesor y el mal alumno, pero le da una vuelta de tuerca interesante.
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Jan 25, 2025
#TheShortHandCritic: #TheHoldovers is not your normal Christmas movie. Neither was #Carol but at least that was a brilliant film. Here, we have a unique premise. Students are left at a school during Christmas break, and a lonely teacher and cafeteria worker are left to care for them. What it tries to say is something meaningful—when we look back is it the softer moments after our burnout that push us the most on our life journey? Was it worth it or should we have moved on sooner or stayed?Unfortunately, the film doesn’t go the distance with this theme—perhaps for fear of becoming too melodramatic. Yet more drama is what we need. The bleak cold wintery feeling is set up nicely with vintage 1970s browns in the set dressing and overall direction of the picture. There’s just not enough substance in the situations involving the characters. This is particularly true for #DaVineJoyRandolph’s character. She doesn’t have enough to do and this lack of usage is a blaring mistake. Are the performances great? Yes. Particularly #PaulGiamatti who has us to almost tears near the end. The general absence of sentimentality works in the films favor at times, not in others. It’s not funny enough, it’s not sweet enough, it’s not dramatic enough. There’s just not enough of enough. This doesn’t mean it should have went over the top. Better films that’s tone feels similar are #HaroldAndMaude and #AlmostFamous. Still, it’s a well-intentioned film and worth a watch when and if the mood strikes. For now “The Holdovers” doesn’t seem as if it will be as easy to remember as it could have been. However, if time is surprisingly good to it (which can happen) another half a star can be added. Needless to say, this past year has not been the most excellent for film. Where’s the substance? Where’s the real raw heartbeat? How very telling for our time. ️️1/2 (Out of 4 Because 5 Stars Are For Restaurants & Hotels Only.) #FilmReview #ShortHandCritic
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Feb 17, 2024
the performances were excellent (after all, paul giamatti is in it) but i found it too predictable and formulaic. SPOILER ALERT - the crusty nasty teacher becomes buddies with the troubled rebellious student - saw that coming. the protagonist tells off his oppressive boss in the end - saw that coming. but i'll give it credit for things i predicted that didn't happen. SPOILER ALERT AGAIN - he didn't end up in a relationship with the pretty school employee, and the chef didn't end up with the maintenance guy. still, overall, the movie is worth seeing.
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Dec 1, 2023
I'll diverge from others and say this is a pretty depressing film. Other than this story flaw the acting, cinematography, and overall movie is quite good. Each scene seemed to present itself as depressing rather than as normal or hopeful. So, our view is: "go ahead and watch the movie but do something to keep from being depressed."
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Jan 14, 2024
Movies like this are what happens when lazy, cynical filmmakers formulate their product to satisfy the tastes of lazy, undiscerning viewers. The brief, forced bursts of smarty-pants dialogue and the awkward, manufactured feel-good plot points do nothing to redeem this manipulative exercise. I'm embarrassed for everyone involved.
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Production Company
- Focus Features
- Miramax
- Gran Via Productions
- CAA Media Finance
Release Date Oct 27, 2023
Duration 2 h 13 m
Rating R
Tagline Discomfort And Joy.
Awards
Academy Awards, USA
• 1 Win & 5 Nominations
Golden Globes, USA
• 2 Wins & 3 Nominations
Online Film & Television Association
• 4 Wins & 9 Nominations
