Richard Brody reviews Alexander Payne’s newest film, “The Holdovers,” starring Paul Giamatti, Dominic Sessa, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph.
Whether it was ever really so or not is secondary; the prime question is how meaningfully Payne’s movie makes the case. He does so with a blend of intelligence and emotion—a clever selection of familiar elements and an earnest investment in their dramatic power. The movie is a pile of clichés reprocessed with such loving immediacy that it feels as if Payne were discovering them for himself.
As each learns the specific secret griefs that have made the other so bitter and hostile, we viewers belatedly learn, along with them, what specific traumas have determined the entire course of the action. In the process, the two forge a deep bond, of major practical consequence, that proves Paul’s virtues as a teacher and sets Angus on a constructive path.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Stephen Starr’s French Bistro Pastis nears opening in Union MarketWelcome to the beautiful life
Read more »
2023 Miami Gems Festival Preview:The 2023 Miami Gems Film Festival, which runs from Nov. 2-5, will open with 'Radical' and close with 'The Holdovers.'
Read more »
‘Curse Of The Sin Eater:’ Horror Pic Lands Deal Ahead Of AFMEXCLUSIVE: LA-based Bleiberg Entertainment has picked up worldwide rights to Curse Of The Sin Eater, a horror pic starring Carter Shimp ((Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers, The Year Between), E…
Read more »
‘Priscilla’ and ‘The Holdovers’ Deliver Strong Domestic Box Office DebutsBoth Priscilla and The Holdovers managed to deliver strong box office debuts despite competition from larger franchise titles.
Read more »
‘The Holdovers’ review: Have a merry sweet-and-sour ‘70s Christmas with Paul Giamatti and companyI love how two movies opening this week, “The Holdovers” and “Priscilla,” begin with close-ups of products dear to their main characters. For Hunham, it's a 1970s tube of Preparation H.
Read more »