The Holdovers Flashcards
Who is the director of The Holdovers?
Alexander Payne
Known for his work on Sideways.
What is the setting of The Holdovers?
A New England elite academy during the winter holiday
The story unfolds in the 1970s.
Who plays the character Paul Hunham?
Paul Giamatti
What character does Da’Vine Joy Randolph portray?
Mary, the school’s head cook
What central theme does The Holdovers explore?
Finding family where you least expect it
How are the characters in The Holdovers connected?
Through shared experiences of disappointment
What personal struggle does Angus face in The Holdovers?
Grieving the absence of his father and the retraction of a holiday trip
What does Paul Hunham use to hide his feelings?
A wall of books and barbed put-downs
What tragic event is central to Mary’s backstory?
Her son was killed in Vietnam
What does Mary use to numb her pain?
Bourbon
What is a significant visual symbol of Paul’s character?
A tube of Preparation H haemorrhoid ointment (out on the side, because he never has visitors)
Fill in the blank: The Holdovers is Payne’s first _______ film.
period
What decade’s cinema style does The Holdovers embrace?
1970s American cinema
What does Mary do with her long-treasured baby clothes?
Carefully folds them for her pregnant younger sister
What emotion does the shot of Mary folding baby clothes evoke?
Disappointment and a glimmer of hope
