Alexander Payne’s ‘The Holdovers’ Releases Paul Giamatti and Da’Vine Joy Randolph Onto the Awards Scene
variety.comClayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Two-time Oscar winner Alexander Payne returns to the big screen with his entertaining and crowd-pleasing film “The Holdovers” which debuted at the Telluride Film Festival on Thursday night, where he was in-person to introduce.
With a 1970s aesthetic, a sharp script by David Hemingson, and a trio of exquisite performers, the film feels like the slam-dunk Oscar contender the establishment members of the Academy can get behind. “The Holdovers” reunites Payne with his “Sideways” star Paul Giamatti.
It tells the story of a curmudgeonly instructor at an elite New England prep school who is forced to remain on campus during Christmas break to babysit the students with nowhere to go.
He forms an unlikely bond with a damaged, brainy troublemaker (played by newcomer Dominic Sessa) and the head cook (portrayed by Da’Vine Joy Randolph).
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