The Holdovers

It’s predictable, unchallenging, and unoriginal; the most convincing element of its retro aesthetic comes from its resemblance to one of the many terrible films hoping to ride the coattails of “The Dead Poets Society”. What keeps “The Holdovers” from being anywhere near comparable to “The Emperor’s Club” comes from the execution of it all, from the razor-sharp wit to the keen performances of all (Dominic Sessa, lord willing, has a long and fruitful career ahead of him) to the cinematography keenly capturing the beauty of winter in New England. Not the best of the nominations, but among the most charming.

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