The Holdovers is the perfect film to get in the festive spirit

Watch The Holdovers is the perfect film to get in the festive spirit - The Independent on Dailymotion

Transcript

00:00On the 12th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a Christmas film starring Paul Giamatti.

00:05You know what it is, it's The Holdovers, and you might be thinking,

00:08wait, The Holdovers, that was released last year.

00:11And you'd be right if you lived in America, but we don't.

00:13It was released here in January, which is a ridiculous time to release a film like this

00:17because this right now is the perfect time to watch it.

00:21Do you think I want to be babysitting you?

00:23No, I was praying your mother would pick up the phone,

00:25or your father would arrive in a helicopter or a flying saucer.

00:29My father's dead.

00:31If you watch The Holdovers now, you will feel instantaneously more Christmassy.

00:35So why wouldn't you?

00:36It stars Paul Giamatti on Oscar-nominated form as a cantankerous, cranky high school teacher

00:41who has to stay behind over the Christmas period to look after the Holdovers of the title.

00:46You are the students who have nowhere to go for Christmas.

00:49He clashes in particular with a student played by Dominic Sessa.

00:52I'm going to say star-making role because I think he's going to go crazy.

00:56And an Oscar-winning performance from Devine Joy Randolph as the cook who works in the school.

01:01They form an unlikely trio, and I think therein lies the heart of the film.

01:07You know, the film doesn't really sugarcoat a lot of things.

01:09It actually, if it does sugarcoat, it does it with humour.

01:12And the humour is biting, it's just kind of unexpected,

01:18and I think anyone who watches this film will get enjoyment from that.

01:22Alexander Payne directed it, so you know kind of what you're getting

01:25if you've watched an Alexander Payne film before.

01:27I'd say this one is my favourite of his in a long time,

01:30probably since Sideways, which features probably my favourite Paul Giamatti performance.

01:33But this is up there, and I think if you sit around,

01:35if you're looking for a film to watch with all your family and someone goes,

01:38The Holdovers at Christmas, I think you're doing life right.

01:41The film is actually now available to watch on NOW as well.

01:43They knew, they knew what they were doing at the time they were putting the film on there.

01:46And with that, I just want to wish you a very Merry Christmas, have a great time,

01:50and I hope you enjoy all the recommendations I've brought you over the past 12 days.