The Holdovers | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)

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360 Reviews

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From acclaimed director Alexander Payne, THE HOLDOVERS follows a curmudgeonly instructor (Paul Giamatti) at a New England prep school who is forced to remain on campus during Christmas break to babysit the handful of students with nowhere to go. Eventually he forms an unlikely bond with one of them -- a damaged, brainy troublemaker (newcomer Dominic Sessa) -- and with the school's head cook, who has just lost a son in Vietnam (Da'Vine Joy Randolph).

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The Holdovers

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Critics Consensus

Beautifully bittersweet, The Holdovers marks a satisfying return to form for director Alexander Payne.

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Audience Says

Cute and touching if not laugh-out-loud hilarious, The Holdovers is a thought-provoking dramedy for viewers seeking a dialogue-driven movie with a throwback feel.

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Critics Reviews

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Mark Kermode

Kermode and Mayo's Take (YouTube)

The format may be unsurprising but there is nothing unsurprising about just how good and enjoyable this is... this is the kind of bittersweet, character-dialogue driven piece they just don't do anymore.

Jan 23, 2024

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David Sexton

New Statesman

It is the genius of Paul Giamatti to make us, over the course of this great movie, not just re-evaluate and learn to respect this mess of a man but actually... to love him.

Jan 22, 2024

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Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

There’s a bracingly astringent bleakness under its surface layer of melancholy humour; a biting, sharp edge that counters the occasional lurch towards sentimentality.

Rated: 4/5

Jan 21, 2024

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William Stottor

Loud and Clear Reviews

Featuring a winning trio of actors all giving scintillating performances, The Holdovers marks a stunning return to form for Alexander Payne.

Rated: 4.5/5

Sep 3, 2024

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William Mullally

The National (UAE)

In a time when things often seem so hopeless, when the same forces of inequality and military injustices plague our own world, perhaps it’s this film’s realistic salve that makes it resonate so strongly.

Rated: 4.5/5

Jul 20, 2024

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Calum Cooper

In Their Own League

Despite the anxiety and even sadness its story exudes, it’s a movie so in love with its characters, and so steadfast in its humanist convictions, that it reaches into your soul and melts even the most frozen of hearts.

Rated: 5/5

Jul 19, 2024

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Audience Reviews

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Allan B Recommend. Very touching story that opens the doors to challenging our views of our selves. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/11/24 Full Review Cathy Good story, well acted, good pace to the movie. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/09/24 Full Review Jennie S Authentic and vulnerable, young actor Dominic Sessa performance was surprisingly moving, and stood up against veteran co-star Paul Giamatti, who is so reliably good that we take it for granted that anything he's in is going to be worth seeing--and we're never wrong (royally speaking). Randolph's performance was also noteworthy, although I feel in this movie Sessa is the one who ought to have been nominated for supporting actor--his performance is that good. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/08/24 Full Review Dina M It has such a good story of two people that had more in common than they thought. It is a great movie from the teacher perspective. Even the ones that seem lost and have bad behavior can be reached. Don't give up on them. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/27/24 Full Review martin e Very funny and moving at the same time. A very enjoyable experience from start to finish Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/22/24 Full Review Paul G Beautifully written with a stellar performance from Ms. Randolph. This is gentle movie with a slender steel spine. Its a must-see. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/20/24 Full Review Read all reviews

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Cast & Crew

Alexander Payne Director Paul Giamatti Paul Hunham Da'Vine Joy Randolph Mary Lamb Dominic Sessa Angus Tully Carrie Preston Miss Lydia Crane Andrew Garman Dr. Hardy Woodrup

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The Holdovers

The Holdovers: Official Clip - Paul's Harvard Scandal