Comfort Films 132: The Holdovers (2023)

For the last of our offbeat holiday selections this year, we're talking about an instant new classic for us, The Holdovers! This film bridges the no-man's-land time between Christmas and New Year's Day, when time stretches, everything seems a little foggy, and it's easy to forget what day it is. We're thrilled to welcome first-time guest, long-time friend, and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Sanjay Salomon to discuss this film, which has many personal connections to his own youth growing up in Western Mass, at Deerfield Academy (main filming location) no less! We also talk about Alexander Payne's vision of The Holdovers as a part of the 70s film catalogue that includes some of our other favorite movies like Hal Ashby's Harold & Maude and The Last Detail, the top notch performances from Paul Giamatti, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, and first time film actor Dominic Sessa, Ryan Warren Smith's production design that captures the true spirit of a New England winter, and the amazing score from Mark Orton, which draws heavily on 70s influences like Cat Stevens and somehow perfectly evokes both the time and the place of The Holdovers. Pour yourself a tall drink of your choice and ring in the New Year with us!