Thank god for Alexander Payne.
The filmmaker is, and always has been, a true humanist.
A writer-director more interested in human beings, something that has always been thespecialeffect of his movies.
Dominic Sessa and Paul Giamatti in ‘The Holdovers’Focus Features
The director thought it had the bones for a new story and developed it with Hemingson.
It is funny, sad, witty, poignant, filled with snark and heart and great acting.
The students cant stand him.
Hunham and Mr. Tully (as the teacher calls Angus) are at each others throats constantly.
There is little to do at the empty school.
Hunham even winds up watchingThe Newlywed Gamereruns with Mary to have some human interaction.
This is perfect casting and Giamatti plays the brilliantly written dialogue like a Stradivarius.
Randolph is simply wonderful, saying more with a look than any words could ever do.
She is enormously touching and earns our tears along the way.
This is one of those debut performances that just pops.
The kid will have a big career after this.
Michael Provost, Brady Hepner, Jim Kaplan and Ian Dolley are the Holdovers who get lucky.
Each has his moment before the group gets to exit.
Producers of the Focus Features and Miramax Films production are Mark Johnson, Bill Block , and Hemingson.
It is going to be a great gift to moviegoers this holiday season.
