My lighting tech son and his film industry partner took me to see The Holdovers when it was released, in a 35mm print ❤️. Fun fact, there is a scene shot here in Waltham MA, a small city which at times seems stuck in the 70s.
The fear of the draft has been whitewashed out of so many films: The Graduate and Live Story, for example. It was good to see it addressed here. Really authentic.
Seriously. I think he may be the best actor out there since Seymour Hoffman died. Payne seems to bring something extra out in him too - Sideways is an all time favorite for me.
Wild…my son and I watched it for the first time today on Christmas afternoon. We were both in tears by the end.(We’re going to name him Curtis if it’s a boy)
My son in law is a Masshole. They live in Northfield not far from Deerfield Academy.
Watching the movie together, he would describe step by step all the different places they filmed the movie. I really enjoyed the story, he focused on the locations. Anyway, Massachusett has some beautiful towns!
I myself was a holdover for a couple holidays at the boarding school I attended in Connecticut, class of ‘79. This is one of the few films I’ve ever really related to.
It really has the 70’s vibe I remember from HS (class of 76). I was at a private HS in Vermont at the time, great memories. I am always recommending this movie and probably watched it about 5-6 times.
Except not as good. I was a huge Payne fan (five of his first six were absolute bangers), but imo the writing is the problem here, as with Downsizing. I think he really misses Jim Taylor, his co-writer on four of the said bangers
Wonderful film, very moving, & such great performances. I think Alexander Payne is one of the most interesting directors working today. For period authenticity they used as much 70s film kit as possible & did not attempt shots that would not have been possible then (e.g. no drone footage)
Tom, the best movie from last year, I thought, was anatomy of a fall. Superb writing, and acting all the way around. She should’ve won the Oscar for best actress.
The late 70s was a cool time to be a tween. Also, no cell phones, that part was good being in high school in the 80s. No surveillance, you were always very free to express yourself, or hideout being unreachable for a few hours.
It's the testament of a reprobate. Barney Panofsky makes terrible television, fell in love with his third wife at his second wedding and may have murdered his best friend. It is distinctly Canadian but it's so so good.
Loved it - Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Dominic Sessa were amazing, and the movie kept surprising me instead of going in predictable directions.
At the end of the film, I was still worrying about the characters’s fates, and that’s good writing.
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Love him!
Watching the movie together, he would describe step by step all the different places they filmed the movie. I really enjoyed the story, he focused on the locations. Anyway, Massachusett has some beautiful towns!
70s? You didn’t miss anything 😉
Fun fact - his dad was professor and then president of Yale. Later was MLB commissioner. But the acting bug probably came from mom.
At the end of the film, I was still worrying about the characters’s fates, and that’s good writing.