Tom Fasano

In the freshly uncorked trailer for Focus Features’ “The Holdovers,” we see the wine-rich reunion of director Alexander Payne and his muse of ‘Sideways’ fame, Paul Giamatti. But don’t raise your glass just yet. Whereas “Sideways” swirled with notes of bitter introspection and merlot-infused comedy, this upcoming affair seems, at first glance, to be a lighter pour, a nuanced blend of the idiosyncrasies of New England prep life and the velvety undertones of human connection.

As the camera pans, there stands Giamatti, with his signature hangdog demeanor, playing Mr. Hunam — a prep school professor who seems more suited to a Truffautian world of contempt than a snow-covered New England haven. He’s the instructor you avoid eye contact with, the one whose reputation precedes him, manifesting in the subtle tightening of the lips of both students and faculty alike. His winter sentence? Babysitting the left-behind students during the break.

Yet, as the snow blankets the old school grounds, so too does a potential warmth creep into Hunam’s heart. When Angus, a young ember glowing with a rebellious spark from a turbulent home, and Hunam find their lives intertwined, it becomes an almost Dickensian exploration of two souls converging in the frosty twilight. “I find the world a bitter and complicated place,” Hunam intones, every syllable dripping with Payne’s brand of weary wisdom. “And it seems to feel the same way about me. I think you and I have this in common.” Ah, a seasonal brew of Yuletide redemption.

For those expecting another Payne-esque cynical jaunt, “The Holdovers” promises something more — not just a road trip through vineyards but a journey of spirits amid the winter snow. One can’t help but anticipate a tale that, like a good wine, balances its bitterness with notes of unexpected sweetness.

What’s The Holdovers About?

In the freshly unspooled trailer, the school’s waifs and strays left behind during the Holidays get tagged as “the holdovers.” Isn’t it just the aptest term? Those leftovers of society, of family gatherings, those uncorked and unfinished bottles left on the periphery. Mr. Hunam, played with a gnarly gusto by Giamatti, is a kind of holdover himself – perhaps not so much left behind as consciously avoiding, a self-imposed exile from yuletide cheer. The prep school, usually a bustling Eden of education, stands bleak and desolate during Christmas, and here we find Giamatti’s character, grumbling and stumbling in his solitude.

But Payne, ever the alchemist of human relationships, doesn’t let the man wallow for long. Enter Angus, a tempest in the teapot of a 15-year-old, played with raw, frenetic energy by the fresh face, Dominic Sessa. The lad’s fire juxtaposes deliciously against Giamatti’s ice, and one can’t help but be reminded of a moody New England landscape, painted in chiaroscuro. Thrown into this mix is Da’Vine Joy Randolph, the school’s head cook, marinating in her own tragedy — the loss of a son to the distant lands of Vietnam.

There’s an art to blending flavors, both in cuisine and in life. This film, it seems, will dish out both — sometimes sweet, sometimes bitter, and always richly layered. Would it be too cheeky to expect a cinematic feast? One waits with bated breath and a palate piqued for intrigue.

Details

Last year, Focus Features, with their discerning eye, clinched the distribution rights at the celebrated Toronto International Film Festival in an expansive deal with the mighty Miramax.

Payne, the maestro of nuanced human tales, draws from the inkwell of David Hemingson’s script, an undoubtedly robust foundation. And one can’t discuss the film’s genesis without tipping their hat to the powerhouse troika of producers: Mark Johnson, Bill Block, and Hemingson himself, with the keen oversight of executive producers Andrew Golov, Thom Zadra, and Chris Stinson.

Mark your calendars and prep your critique, darlings: “The Holdovers” graces select theaters in the culture hubs of New York and Los Angeles come October 27. If you’re not in those epicenters of art, fret not. A limited release is set for November 3, crescendoing to a nationwide curtain rise on November 10. While waiting, satiate your cinematic appetite with the latest trailer just a click away.