The Holdovers

 "The Holdovers" is a funny and touching movie from 2023, directed by Alexander Payne and written by David Hemingson. It takes place in December 1970 and January 1971 at a New England boarding school. The main character, played by Paul Giamatti, is a strict classics teacher who has to look after a group of students stuck at school during Christmas break. Da'Vine Joy Randolph and Dominic Sessa also star in the film as the school cafeteria manager and one of the students who stays behind.

The movie first premiered at the 50th Telluride Film Festival on August 31, 2023, and then hit theaters in the United States on October 27, 2023, thanks to Focus Features. People loved it, and it made $35 million at the box office. Critics praised it too! It was listed as one of the top 10 films of 2023 by the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute. Plus, it won a couple of awards at the Golden Globe Awards and got nominated for five Oscars at the 96th Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It even got seven nominations at the British Academy Film Awards, including Best Film.

The story revolves around Paul Hunham, the strict classics professor at Barton Academy. He's tough on his students and doesn't hold back with his grading. His honesty gets him in trouble when he gives a failing grade to the son of an important donor, which messes up the academy's relationship with Princeton University. As punishment, Hunham has to babysit the five students who couldn't go home for the holidays, including Angus Tully, whose family trip got canceled, and Mary Lamb, the cafeteria administrator who lost her son in the Vietnam War.

It's a heartwarming tale about unexpected friendships and finding joy in unexpected places. If you haven't seen it yet, it's definitely worth a watch!