Day two commenced with a gem from Alexander Payne, a director whose previous acclaim included the beloved Sideways. His latest offering, The Holdovers, made its World Premiere at Telluride on Thursday, but I opted to attend the Friday screening for the added bonus of a post-show Q&A session. One of the most enriching aspects of visiting Telluride is the opportunity to explore the minds of filmmakers, as they discuss their craft and the arduous journey of bringing their creations to life. Payne’s Q&A session did not disappoint.
Set against the backdrop of the final two weeks of 1970, The Holdovers unfolds at a boarding school just outside of Boston. Paul Giamatti, reuniting with his Sideways director, portrays Paul Hunham, an overbearing ancient history teacher universally disliked by the entire prep school. While he excels as an educator, Hunham clings resolutely to traditions that make life unbearable for his students, whom he acrimoniously refers to as “entitled little degenerates.” With nowhere to go and no family to miss him, Hunham remains at the school during the holidays to oversee the few students left behind. Ultimately, only one student remains, Angus Tully, played by Dominic Sessa in his screen debut. Tully, a bright but troubled youth, rises to the challenge of his curmudgeonly teacher. Their company is joined by Mary (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), the school’s kitchen supervisor and a grieving mother who lost her son in the Vietnam War.
The Holdovers unfolds as an unconventional buddy flick of sorts, where the two protagonists discover they have more in common than they’d care to admit. It’s a compelling character study grounded in reality, much like many of Payne’s previous works, such as Sideways, About Schmidt, and Nebraska. Throughout the film, I couldn’t help but find myself grinning, immersed in the storytelling.
While The Holdovers boasts exceptional writing, directing, and pacing, it’s the performances extracted by Payne from his cast that truly captivate the audience and drive the story’s emotional arc. Paul Giamatti delivers his usual excellence, but it’s the newcomer, Dominic Sessa, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph who truly steal the show. Randolph’s portrayal of the heartbroken mother is particularly poignant, with scenes that will undoubtedly leave you teary-eyed.
Alexander Payne has masterfully crafted a film that underscores the significance of teachers, both exemplary and challenging, and the profound influence they exert on their students. It’s the kind of film that should resonate with just about any audience.
We concluded our day at the Telluride Film Festival with the highly-anticipated World Premiere of Nyad, directed by the renowned duo, Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, and starring the exceptional talents of Annette Bening and Jodie Foster.
I must admit that I harbored some apprehensions before entering Telluride about this film. While Chin and Vasarhelyi have crafted two of my personal favorite documentaries in the past decade, Free Solo and The Rescue, I couldn’t help but wonder how they would transition into the realm of narrative filmmaking.
Nyad narrates the remarkable true story of Diana Nyad, portrayed brilliantly by Annette Bening. Nyad, a long-distance swimmer, accomplished the extraordinary feat of swimming from Havana, Cuba to Key West, Florida, covering an awe-inspiring distance of 103 miles at the age of 64. With the unwavering support of her coach, Bonnie Stoll, brought to life by Jodie Foster, as well as the expert guidance of navigator John Bartlett, played by Rhys Ifans, and a team of dedicated divers and specialists, Nyad’s journey becomes an unparalleled source of inspiration.
Annette Bening’s performance is nothing short of transcendent. Portraying a stubborn, self-absorbed athlete with a superiority complex is no small feat. Bening flawlessly embodies a character who, for much of the film, isn’t particularly likable, yet Bening’s rendition is nothing short of exceptional. It may very well be time to craft an Oscar-worthy narrative for Bening.
Jodie Foster delivered an equally stellar performance as the dutiful and uplifting best friend and coach. Rhys Ifans also deserves commendation for his portrayal. This trio worked in perfect harmony, immersing the audience deeper into a story many were already acquainted with. Credit is due to the skillful storytelling of Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi. Despite initial uncertainties about their transition from documentaries to narrative films, it becomes evident that their background in documentary filmmaking greatly benefited Nyad. The incorporation of recorded interviews with the real Diana Nyad, interspersed with training sequences, facilitated a seamless narrative flow. Similarly, the blending of archived footage from the historical achievement seamlessly integrated with the film’s storytelling.
The true story of Nyad is an exemplary tale of determination, perseverance, and the power of teamwork. Nyad expertly captures all of these elements and emerges as a true crowd-pleaser.
Day three at Telluride will be a bit of a monster, starting early in the morning with The Zone of Interest, followed by All of Us Strangers, Fingernails, and the tribute to Yorgos Lanthimos before his North American Premiere of Poor Things.
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