The Holdovers

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Alexander Payne directs. Eigil Bryld behind the camera. Mark Orton scores. Kevin Tent cuts. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

• 1Made its money back 3.3× over at the box office.
• 2Released 3 years ago.
• 3Directed by Alexander Payne, shot by Eigil Bryld. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
• 4Original score by Mark Orton. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
• 5Editor Kevin Tent shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
• 6Paul Giamatti and Dominic Sessa and Da'Vine Joy Randolph carry the top of the cast.
• 7Marketing tagline: "Discomfort and joy.".
• 8IMDB entry: tt14849194 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
• 9Classified under 22 themes, including "vietnam war", "winter", "boarding school", "holiday".
• 10Released under 11 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography

Eigil Bryld

Original score

Mark Orton

Editing

Kevin Tent

Production design

Ryan Warren Smith

Costume design

Wendy Chuck

Makeup / hair

Lori Gomes

Sound

Frank Gaeta

Stunt coordinator

Amy Greene

Runtime

133 min · 2h 13m

Aspect ratio (typical)

1.37:1 (Academy)

Status

Released

Budget

$13,000,000

Box office

$42,513,270

Return

327% of budget

Original language

EN

Certification (US)

R

IMDB

The Holdovers (2023) ↗

Rotten Tomatoes

97% 🍅 Fresh

Metacritic

82/100

IMDB rating

7.9/10 · 247,029 votes

MPAA

R

Also by

Alexander Payne

• 
  Cinema16: American Short Films

  2006 · ★ 7.5
• 
  Nebraska

  2013 · ★ 7.4
• 
  Sideways

  2004 · ★ 7.1
• 
  About Schmidt

  2002 · ★ 6.9
• 
  Election

  1999 · ★ 6.9
• 
  Paris Je T'aime

  2006 · ★ 6.8

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

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Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

• 

  ▶
  Angus Receives Bad News

  Clip · Official
• 

  ▶
  Paul and Angus' Unlikely Bond

  Clip · Official
• 

  ▶
  Cherries Jubilee

  Clip · Official
• 

  ▶
  Angus Breaks His Arm

  Clip · Official
• 

  ▶
  Da'Vine Joy Randolph | Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Oscars 2024 Press Room Speech

  Featurette · Official
• 

  ▶
  David Hemingson's "Words to Live By" | ''The Holdovers' Oscars

  Featurette · Official

Community reviews

What people are saying

• Manuel São Bento2023-10-13
  ★ 9/10

  FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://fandomwire.com/the-holdovers-bfi-london-film-festival-review/ "The Holdovers left me in complete disbelief at how complete, thought-provoking, hilarious, and emotionally powerful it becomes with each extraordinarily captivating minute that passes by. A shockingly faultless screenplay from David Hemingson exponentially attacks the viewers' hearts through a truly profound yet bittersweet study of the vital need for human connection. Protagonists are brilliantly written as real people, and superbly portrayed by an award-worthy cast. Add an immaculate tonal balance and outstanding execution by Alexander Payne, and a new Christmas classic is born." Rating: A

  Read full review ↓
• Brent Marchant2023-11-09
  ★ 6/10

  Heartwarming films for the holidays are something we’re all supposed to love, right? Well, if you’re talking about the works of directors like Frank Capra, George Seaton, Michael Curtiz and Chris Columbus, you’d be correct. But, since it’s been so long since we’ve had releases of that quality, in recent years, viewers hungry for such movies have been glomming on to anything that even remotely approaches such titles, whether or not the accolades are deserved. And that, in my view, sums up my feelings on the much-celebrated new feature from director Alexander Payne. This tale of a curmudgeonly, condescending, middle-aged, fuss-budget prep school teacher (Paul Giamatti) assigned to babysit a group of rambunctious students who are unable to be with their families for the year-end holidays has a premise with considerable potential that, unfortunately, is squandered by a narrative that feels loosely stitched together and ultimately comes across as patently undercooked. Indeed, what could have been a fun-filled romp a la a Christmastime take on movies like “Dead Poets Society” (1989), regrettably, comes up decidedly short. Admittedly, the film has its share of modestly funny and warm, fuzzy moments, but many of the scenes don’t flow smoothly from one to the next, creating a storyline that feels forced without delivering the goods to make a release like this work. While it’s true that the film succeeds (surprisingly) at depicting the mostly one-dimensional characters’ requisite personal evolution over the course of the picture, that almost-accidental accomplishment is seriously overshadowed by a series of plot elements that largely feel thrown together, incorporated without a terribly great amount of thought and an undeniable lack of cohesiveness. And, to be honest, the picture’s most interesting character is the academy’s chief cook (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), whose richly layered persona (and deftly nuanced performance) runs circles around those of its other two principals (Giamatti and Dominic Sessa as one of the stranded students). It’s disappointing that a director as talented as Alexander Payne has churned out a project as half-baked as this one is (particularly one that comes across as self-satisfied with itself as this offering often does) when compared to previous titles like “Nebraska” (2013) and “The Descendants” (2011). And would-be viewers should be wary of many of the inflated claims and awards season buzz being showered on this offering. But, in an age in which moviegoers are looking for pictures that provide the kind of holiday cinema comfort they so desperately crave, it’s understandable that such viewers might be drawn to a film like this. It’s just such a shame that they won’t find what they’re looking for in this one.

  Read full review ↓
• badelf2024-01-03
  ★ 9/10

  Awesome heartwarming Christmas cheer. Loved the pacing, loved the tempo of the reveal, and loved the character arches. Not sure it's as repeatable as Wonderful Life or (original) Miracle on 34th. Ask me in a few Xmases.

  Read full review ↓

Production companies

Who made it

• 

  Miramax

  US

• GR

  Gran Via Productions

  US

Key crew

• ProducerMark Johnson
• Set DecorationMarkus Wittman
• HairstylistLori Gomes
• First Assistant DirectorRod Smith
• Second Assistant DirectorJohn Nasraway
• Set CostumerAnastasia Tsikhanava
• Costume SupervisorLori DeLapp
• Foley ArtistBiko Gogaladze
• Sound DesignerFrank Gaeta
• Sound Re-Recording MixerPatrick Cyccone Jr.
• Utility SoundAaron Bouchard
• Utility SoundDia Donnelly
• Special Effects TechnicianPreston Treadwell
• Special Effects TechnicianHarrison Wayne
• VFX ArtistElias Saliba
• Casting AssociateRandi Glass
• Extras CastingCaroline Blanco
• Extras CastingOwen Guinessey
• Extras CastingGracie Kennedy
• GafferFrans Wetterings III
• GripJustin Sulham
• GripMichael Spurling
• GripTomek Doroz
• Set DresserCatriona Crosby

Themes & keywords

What it's about, really

• vietnam war
• winter
• boarding school
• holiday
• boston, massachusetts
• 1970s
• melancholy
• alcoholism
• grief
• misfit
• mental illness
• teacher student relationship
• new england
• boys' boarding school
• christmas
• winter break
• troubled youth
• loss of son
• christmastime
• cook
• adoring
• peaceful

Release history · US

When it landed

• Premiere2023-08-31· Telluride Film Festival
• Premiere2023-10-28· Austin Film Festival
• Theatrical (limited)2023-10-27R· New York City, New York / Los Angeles, California
• Theatrical2023-11-10R
• Digital2023-11-28R
• Digital2023-12-29R· Peacock
• Digital2024-04-29R· Prime Video
• Physical2024-01-02R· Blu-ray / DVD
• TV2025-06-28R· Starz

Also known as

International titles

• Barton AcademyKR
• Os RejeitadosBR
• جاماندگانIR
• Os ExcluídosPT
• ЗалишеніUA
• ZadržkiSI
• MahajäänudEE
• Winter BreakBE
• ฤดูหนาวนี้ไม่ไร้ไออุ่นTH
• მიტოვებულებიGE
• 留校联盟CN