When my filmmaker friend told me this movie was the best thing he’d seen this year, I knew it had to be good. But wow, did it exceed my expectations. I agree - this is absolutely the best film I have seen this year. From the top, you’re hit with the 1970s pastiche all over this movie and there’s an immediate coziness to it that never goes away. Whether we’re isolated at a New England boarding school with four characters over winter break or in the middle of Boston, there seems to be a sense of lived-in belonging that you just want to be a part of. (Perhaps part of that, for me, comes from a massive amount of nostalgia for a New England holiday season.) All of the characters, for all of their flaws and quirks, are immediately likable - you want to know more about them, and the movie gives you that in the best, most natural way: through conversation, and sometimes, quiet moments alone. The three leads - Paul Giamatti, Dominic Sessa, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph - bring such truth and humanity to their roles that you don’t want to separate from them. The plot moves slowly, but the atmosphere and characters are the real draw here. Don’t get me wrong - this movie is FUNNY. Dry, yes, but I laughed a lot. I also cried a lot. This movie touches on abandonment, depression, loss, and the deprivation of potential - but also the power of conviction, connection, found family, and the power in the unknown laid out before you.

The warm, authentic 70s vibe emanating from this movie really is something. From the film grain, the lofi credits, the static camera with pan and zoom only, it really sells the aesthetic right from the jump and never lets up. On craft alone, The Holdovers is a worthy watch, but that would be a disservice to the melancholic-yet-heartwarming tale being told. While you could argue that the plot is one of trope and predictability, the warm blanket it provides is perfectly fitting, and offers just the right stage to explore these three unusual characters. A lovely story about connection and finding friendship in the unlikeliest people, The Holdovers is a delightful movie that I can't recommend enough, especially with it being the season and all.

Quintessential holiday classic…might just make it a yearly tradition. Giamatti masterclass

The beauty of Christmas is the inherent sadness that underlies the holiday. Whether it be due to the amplified loneliness during the season, or memories of the joys of Christmas past. It’s part of the spirit of this movie and it lends itself to the idea of finding your people when you need them most. It feels like it’s been too long since I watched a movie about people just connecting as people. I loved it.

Nah, this is terrible. IT IS NOT A COMEDY. There is LITERALLY nothing funny in this movie. Absolutely nothing! IT IS NOT A CHRISTMAS MOVIE. Or at least not in the sense of how most of us perceive holiday movies. There is nothing jolly, nothing magical, nothing festive in this one. THIS IS PURE DRAMA. Not the kind of drama that builds on a story and follows it, just pure drama. Every 10 minutes another sad information is being delivered about the characters to the point you really wonder why do you need this in your life. Of course, there is a climax (you guessed, a bigger "drama") which then finishes with... wow, the biggest drama. What are you left with? A feeling of emptiness, sadness and mostly frustration, caused by the big ratings this movie has and the misleading expectation that you're gonna watch a feel-good, Christmas-themed comedy. Simply terrible.