Fondness Makes The Heart Grow Stronger: The Quiet Nostalgia of The Holdovers
In an age of fast-paced, high-stakes, in-your-face media, the people of today yearn for something more grounded. The 2023 film, The Holdovers, is the opposite of an Instagram reel. It isn’t overly stimulating – it’s slow, it’s thoughtful, and its message is timeless.
The film, directed by Alexander Payne, is set in post-Vietnam New England, at an all-boys boarding school. Classics teacher Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti), who is regarded as generally insufferable, is tasked with chaperoning the students who will be staying at the school over winter recess, in a last ditch effort to appeal to students and faculty alike. In an unexpected turn of events, arrogant student Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa) becomes the last one standing at the school. Along with the grieving mother/lunch lady, Mary Lamb (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), it is up to Mr. Hunham to keep the boy in check and provide a pleasant Christmas for Angus.
The Holdovers is a love letter to the early 70s/late 60s. The soundtrack sets the scene with music from The Temptations and Shocking Blue, sending the viewer back to another time. It’s a holiday movie, but its themes transcend the kitschy Christmas genre, making it a year-round watch. Along with films like Dead Poet’s Society (1989), School Ties (1992), and Good Will Hunting (1997), The Holdovers falls under the academic category of film that draws loyal fans.
The characters in The Holdovers are imperfect. They aren’t always entirely likeable, but they are always understandable. Paul Hunham overcompensates for his poor looks and odor conditions with wild displays of his wit, no matter what reception he gets. Angus Tully is rebellious to a fault because of his neglect by his parent, who throw money at problems. Mary Lamb is cold and hardened because of the devastating loss of her only son in combat. Their struggles are real. They’re relatable. They’re human. Everything about this film is uniquely human. It is a movie driven by feeling rather than plot.
This film follows the “found family trope,” à la Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012), and Stand By Me (1986). A group of lonely, broken people find comfort and love in one another. After a while, tropes can be repetitive and boring. Some stories neglect nuances in favor of following a trope that is popular. However, The Holdovers is a film that prioritizes nuance. It addresses the complexities of life: loss, mental health, loneliness, abandonment, and many others.
The point of the film is that, even in the face of all of the difficulties of life, there are simple joys and people that bring one home. Family is the people you choose. The close proximity of these characters forces the unlikely friends to become that family for one another. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but The Holdovers proves that fondness makes the heart grow stronger.
