An excerpt from my script review for The Holdovers which will be available 02/05/24:
3.) Quality of Characters
Paul and Angus play well off each other.
Paul thinks Angus has potential, and Angus acts out because he thinks he’s destined to end up in a straight jacket.
We all know where this is going, that the unlikely duo will eventually become friends and we’re not disappointed.
What was interesting was that both had a bit of a dark back-story.
Paul didn’t graduate university and then go back to teach at Barton.
I won’t spoil it, but he really had nowhere else to go after a debacle…
Actually wait…can we just acknowledge something for a second?
*SPOILER*
I didn’t want to ruin it, but then remembered something…
So what Paul got thrown out of Harvard for was plagiarizing his roommate’s paper.
He didn’t do it, but the roommate had connections and Paul didn’t so he had to take the fall.
Does this sound familiar to anyone else?
No other movie plot coming to mind?…What if I gave you the hint of “blowing bubbles”?
Take a second…
That’s right!!!
This is the exact same catalyst used in Green Street Hooligans!
Because Paul was an only child he couldn’t have a sister in London, and therefore couldn’t get involved in hooliganism, but c’mon…that’s way too close to not have been cherry picked right?
Okay, apologies, I got sidetracked…
Paul had nowhere else to go, and the Dean at the time took pity on him, making him a professor, but at a regular employee’s salary.
Not sure why no one ever questioned it in the administration.
Oh, and by the way, he also has a lazy eye (I think) and some issue where his body doesn’t break down a particular protein and leads to him having really bad BO.
The boys make fun of him for that behind his back, but it never really plays into the plot aside from him spraying his armpits before a Christmas Party.
Now Angus…
His “dark” secret is that his dad isn’t dead at all, which he’s been telling people.
Dad is actually in an asylum in Boston, which is why Angus keeps making a big push to go visit there.
Both worked.
Now Mary…
Poor Mary is the cafeteria worker who chooses to stay at Barton for her first Christmas without her now deceased son, Curtis.
It’s sad, and I’m glad we get to see her deal with this a bit, and eventually accept her sister’s invitation to go visit.
Made the story feel more “real” given the timeframe of the story.
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