I have always had a great respect for Alexander Payne. While an American director, his films (usually) stayed away from the typical American predictable, simplistic, good guy/ bad guy stereotypes and easy solutions.
The Holdovers has an interesting premise and interesting main characters: a nerdy history teacher, a troubled student and a sad cook. The depiction of high cost private boarding schools is pretty realistic and the characters are well contoured. There are some clever dialogues and some intelligently constructed scenes. The plot keeps one engaged from one end to another of the film.
Having said that, one leaves the cinema with the nagging feeling that this was not quite what one expects from Mr. Payne. In my opinion, he "sold out" to mainstream American cinema. The bad guys are really bad; the good guys, well, God bless them. There are some "deus ex machina" solutions (a helicopter landing on campus - really?) and the eventual explanations for everything going on was quite contrived and simplistic, in the good ol' Hollywood tradition.
A good film for a Netflix evening - definitely.
Something Mr. Payne can put on his resume along "Sideways" and "About Smith" - not so much.
PS: The film is rated R. Why? Because there are a few swear words and some people smoking and drinking?
The Holdovers has an interesting premise and interesting main characters: a nerdy history teacher, a troubled student and a sad cook. The depiction of high cost private boarding schools is pretty realistic and the characters are well contoured. There are some clever dialogues and some intelligently constructed scenes. The plot keeps one engaged from one end to another of the film.
Having said that, one leaves the cinema with the nagging feeling that this was not quite what one expects from Mr. Payne. In my opinion, he "sold out" to mainstream American cinema. The bad guys are really bad; the good guys, well, God bless them. There are some "deus ex machina" solutions (a helicopter landing on campus - really?) and the eventual explanations for everything going on was quite contrived and simplistic, in the good ol' Hollywood tradition.
A good film for a Netflix evening - definitely.
Something Mr. Payne can put on his resume along "Sideways" and "About Smith" - not so much.
PS: The film is rated R. Why? Because there are a few swear words and some people smoking and drinking?