Alexander Payne’s "The Holdovers"

Movie review by Dennis D. McDonald

This movie’s flawed characters eventually gain an understanding of their flaws and each other. It’s not a “feel-good” movie of the soft and cuddly kind. By the movie’s end, the main characters have grown, but the reasons for their unhappiness remain.

That doesn’t sound like a lot of fun, and parts of it are unhappy. But parts are very funny as we watch how these people deal with challenges, both large and small. People with many years under their belts might recognize some truths here, some pleasant, some unpleasant.

It’s beautifully photographed and beautifully acted. It rises far above clichés that might have dragged it down and thankfully don’t. Good stuff!

Review copyright 2026 by Dennis D. McDonald.

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