The Holdovers is set in 1970s New England at an all-boys boarding school called Barton Academy. The film encapsulates the 70s vibe with the grainy film stock and soft string-heavy music. Barton during the wintertime is laden with snow and boys who are itching to leave for winter break. Many of them come from wealthy families who have extravagant vacations planned for the holiday. One of these boys is Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa) who is looking forward to a December spent on the beach when he receives a call that his mother has canceled the vacation, and he must “holdover” at Barton throughout the holidays. His caretaker during this time is Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti), a lonely, sarcastic teacher who attended Barton himself some years ago. They are also joined by the school chef Mary Lamb (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) who is grieving her son lost in Vietnam. The trio forms an unlikely bond throughout the holidays while each deal with their own issues of loneliness and loss. They find comfort in each other’s company despite Tully’s repeated attempts to escape.
