Greetings again from the darkness. We've all had that teacher. You know, the one with an evil streak who just seemed to thrive on making students miserable. Throw in a staff and administrators who feel the same way, and the casting choice for the teacher becomes obvious. Enter the always great and perfectly curmudgeonly Paul Giamatti. This is the first time Giamatti has worked with two-time Oscar winner Alexander Payne since their brilliant SIDEWAYS (2004), and it's clear these two share a wavelength for comedy and drama, even in throwback form.
Paul Hunham (Giamatti) is a long-time professor at Barton Academy, an all-boys private prep school located in the snowy northeast. It's December 1970, and an early scene exemplifies how he relishes the failing grades he bestows upon desperate students so afraid to disappoint their rich parents. In the final class before the holiday break, the student-teacher banter doesn't go so well for the boys, and they head to break with an extra workload. Hunham is easily manipulated into babysitting the titular holdovers - students stuck at school over the break, while most others spend time with family, often on exotic trips.
Initially there are five students, but after a certain development, what remains is Hunham, smart but troubled Angus Tully (first timer Dominic Sessa) and the school's head cook, Mary Lamb (a divine Da'Vine Joy Randolph, DOLEMITE IS MY NAME, 2019). Hunham is perpetually annoyed and has a weakness for booze. Angus is frustrated that his mother left him at school so she could travel with her new husband, and Mary is grieving over her son who was killed in Vietnam. Watching these three struggle to bond is a case study in psychology, yet of course we know they will ultimately form a family of misfits, depending on each other to offset the loneliness.
The genius tagline for the film is "Discomfort and Joy", and initially the first overshadows the latter. Isolated from the world in their own way, the three characters begin to influence each other, showing broken/wounded people need and deserve love and friendship as much as anyone else. "Entre nous" (just between us) becomes a kind of calling card for this trio, and a Christmas party thrown by an eternally optimistic staffer (Carrie Preston) is a turning point.
Giamatti is master of this material and only goes over the top a time or two. It's painful and humorous each time he is so anxious to infuse his breadth of ancient civilization facts into even the most mundane conversations. Newcomer Sessa possesses star potential and nails a complex first role. Da'Vine Joy Randolph's Mary is the heart of the film, doling out advice to Hunham and comfort to Angus. Depression is a vein running through these characters and it's acknowledged, though not the focus.
This is Alexander Payne's first film since the disappointing DOWNSIZING (2017), but his brilliance has been proven in ABOUT SCHMIDT (2002), SIDEWAYS (2004), THE DESCENDANTS (2011), and NEBRASKA (2013). This time he's working from a screenplay by successful TV writer, David Hemingson, and though there is never much suspense about where the story or characters are headed, we enjoy the ride immensely. Cinematography from Eigil Byrld (IN BRUGES, 2008), perfectly complements the emotions (shot on digital, graininess added in post), and the soundtrack is period-specific, including the great Cat Stevens. Pay attention to the retro opening credits and logos, and enjoy a smart and funny film (an Alexander Payne trademark).
Opening in theaters November 10, 2023.
Paul Hunham (Giamatti) is a long-time professor at Barton Academy, an all-boys private prep school located in the snowy northeast. It's December 1970, and an early scene exemplifies how he relishes the failing grades he bestows upon desperate students so afraid to disappoint their rich parents. In the final class before the holiday break, the student-teacher banter doesn't go so well for the boys, and they head to break with an extra workload. Hunham is easily manipulated into babysitting the titular holdovers - students stuck at school over the break, while most others spend time with family, often on exotic trips.
Initially there are five students, but after a certain development, what remains is Hunham, smart but troubled Angus Tully (first timer Dominic Sessa) and the school's head cook, Mary Lamb (a divine Da'Vine Joy Randolph, DOLEMITE IS MY NAME, 2019). Hunham is perpetually annoyed and has a weakness for booze. Angus is frustrated that his mother left him at school so she could travel with her new husband, and Mary is grieving over her son who was killed in Vietnam. Watching these three struggle to bond is a case study in psychology, yet of course we know they will ultimately form a family of misfits, depending on each other to offset the loneliness.
The genius tagline for the film is "Discomfort and Joy", and initially the first overshadows the latter. Isolated from the world in their own way, the three characters begin to influence each other, showing broken/wounded people need and deserve love and friendship as much as anyone else. "Entre nous" (just between us) becomes a kind of calling card for this trio, and a Christmas party thrown by an eternally optimistic staffer (Carrie Preston) is a turning point.
Giamatti is master of this material and only goes over the top a time or two. It's painful and humorous each time he is so anxious to infuse his breadth of ancient civilization facts into even the most mundane conversations. Newcomer Sessa possesses star potential and nails a complex first role. Da'Vine Joy Randolph's Mary is the heart of the film, doling out advice to Hunham and comfort to Angus. Depression is a vein running through these characters and it's acknowledged, though not the focus.
This is Alexander Payne's first film since the disappointing DOWNSIZING (2017), but his brilliance has been proven in ABOUT SCHMIDT (2002), SIDEWAYS (2004), THE DESCENDANTS (2011), and NEBRASKA (2013). This time he's working from a screenplay by successful TV writer, David Hemingson, and though there is never much suspense about where the story or characters are headed, we enjoy the ride immensely. Cinematography from Eigil Byrld (IN BRUGES, 2008), perfectly complements the emotions (shot on digital, graininess added in post), and the soundtrack is period-specific, including the great Cat Stevens. Pay attention to the retro opening credits and logos, and enjoy a smart and funny film (an Alexander Payne trademark).
Opening in theaters November 10, 2023.