THE HOLDOVERS

Watching this Alexander Payne comedy-drama was like going back in time to the 1970s (in a good way).  It is not just that it is set in the winter of 1970-71.  The cinematography, music and editing style are all old-school (again, in a good way) so that I could easily have been watching a film from that era.  For me, it was pure catnip.

But strangely the trailer for this film had really put me off.  It looked as though it had a very familiar structure - let's throw some characters together who don't have much in common and who don't much like each other, and guess what, by the end of the film they'll all know each other much better, and respect each other, and along the way there'll be some predictable laughs and some predictable character moments.

Well, what actually happens in this film is that three characters are thrown together who don't have much in common and who don't much like each other, and by the end of the film they all know each other much better, and respect each other.

And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, when it is written, directed and acted as well as it is here.

For me it certainly helped that the lead character, Paul, is played by one of my favourite actors Paul Giamatti, in a role he was born to play, that of a strict, somewhat unhappy, teacher at a boarding school.

He has been lumbered with the thankless task of looking after a student, Angus, over Christmas, because Angus' mother and stepfather don't want him staying with them.  He has some mild behaviour problems, leading him to have been thrown out of some other schools, so he is now very much in the Last Chance Saloon, although at the start of the film that doesn't seem to be concentrating his mind much.  He certainly doesn't mind being unpopular with his fellow students.

The final member of the trio is Mary, the school cafeteria manager who is in charge of the catering.  She is trying to deal with the recent death of her son in the Vietnam War (she and he are black - naturally).  She is played wonderfully well by Da'Vine Joy Randolph, and she fully deserved her Oscar.  She delivers her comedic lines to perfection, and the moment when her grief overcomes her had me moved to tears.

Thankfully there is not too much animosity between the three even at the start, it is just that each of them is trying to deal with some issues and they would rather not be in each other's company. 

In the case of Paul and Angus the nature of those issues only becomes clear slowly as the film progresses.  Their growing friendship and mutual understanding is beautifully portrayed, and leads to a completely satisfying conclusion.

I was also thankful that although there are moments in the film when each character might be embarking on a romantic adventure none of these come to anything - in each case I would have found it unbelievable or just too pat.

In the case of Paul, the expression on Giamatti's face when the romantic notions he has just started to entertain towards another staff member, Miss Crane, are dashed, is quite devastating, and it alone should have won him the Oscar in my admittedly biased opinion.

RATING: ✓✓ Catch It If You Can