![[the-holdovers.jpg]] ## 2023-10-05 Wow, this was delightful and probably my favourite film of the year. Plot: Some students at a posh school in the late 1960’s (I think) can’t go home for Christmas so they have to stay with their teacher (Paul Giamatti). The casting was great. The three main characters are just _perfect_. This is my favourite Paul Giamatti performance, as he was a little less shouty. [Da’Vine Joy Randolph](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5007768/?ref_=tt_cl_t_2) I’d never seen before and she has acted with subtle and superb surety. [Dominic Sessa](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm14073757/?ref_=tt_cl_t_3) I’d also never heard of and he was wonderful. He was so likeable and complex. The cinematography was both simple and engaging. Same story for the soundtrack. Same for the story even. This is a simple story, but perfectly done. It has a slow-ish pace that is really pleasant to sit back and watch. It’s almost a relaxing film in some ways. Also, this is a Christmas film! And whilst the [[Christmas]] part is underplayed and it doesn’t shout ‘Christmas’, it does still count as one. And it’s so brilliant that’s it’s going straight to my yearly rewatch list. This is a lovely film. You should watch it. So [find a place to stream it](https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/the-holdovers). **82%**