The Holdoverssaw career-high performances fromPaul GiamattiandDa’Vine Joy Randolph, with Giamatti nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor andRandolph winning in the Best Supporting Actress category.To this end, it’s safe to say thatDominic Sessa’s ability to match them is nothing short of exceptional. His role as Angus Tully elevates what could’ve easily been a predictable, bratty performance, adding subtlety and depth to the character that brings him to life and allows him to grow throughout the film’s runtime.David Hemingson’s script is full of life and humor,so it relies heavily on delivery to make the jokes land while still feeling natural. Sessa bounces off Randolph and Giamatti, which allows the audience to really believe in the connections between the three of them that are forming on screen. Sessa was discovered in an unorthodox way through auditions at his school, which makes his outstanding performance even more fascinating. However, his lack of prior experience is in no way evident, as his control over his performance is apparent in every inch ofThe Holdovers. He has all the potential to keep growing as an actor and his turn inThe Holdoversis one ofthe greatest breakout performances of the 2020s.
The Holdovers
A cranky history teacher at a remote prep school is forced to remain on campus over the holidays with a troubled student who has no place to go.
How Did Dominic Sessa Get The Role in The Holdovers?
The Holdoversowes a lot to its setting. The backdrop of the movie is asnowy boarding school in the 70s, and it is this isolated yet strangely comforting environment thatallowsThe Holdoversto succeed in its quiet beauty.There is something so intimate about this small group of characters stuck in such a vast space; a space that is so full at the start of the movie. Yet, the setting ofThe Holdoversisn’t just important for its on-screen presence. Some of the exterior shots of Barton Academy were taken at Deerfield Academy in western Massachusetts, where Dominic Sessa was a scholarship student. Aftercasting director Susan Shopmaker had seen hundreds of actors for the role of Angus Tully, she turned to the drama department of the schools where the movie was shooting. Sessa was encouraged to audition by his drama teacher, and after Payne auditioned Sessa five or six times, he described him as “somebody just born to be a film actor” and he was cast.
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Alexander Paynemovies have quickly become a breeding ground for breakout supporting roles, fromHong ChauinDownsizingtoReece WitherspooninElection, hehas nurtured his fair share of Oscar nominees.However, drama was never the plan for Dominic Sessa, he wasoriginally on ascholarship for hockey, with a broken femur leading him to join the theater program. His less standardized route to stardom is evidenced in his humility, tellingThe Guardianthat “if it had ended (after one audition), I would’ve been happy as I am now.” This essence is carried over in his performance, where his understated approach matches the slow burn of the movie and allows his role to complement the work of his co-stars.
Dominic Sessa Has Natural Comedic Timing
At first glance, Angus Tully might not seem like an overly complex character. Particularly at the start of the movie, when he is interacting with his peers, Dominic Sessa matches the energy of his fellow students to showcase there is nothing revolutionary about Tully. This is evidenced in the dormitories when the students are all packing up for the holidays, and he retorts the schoolyard insults. He blends in as the average Barton Academy student who chooses to engage in crude humor and is dismissive of the frivolities of the school’s customs.Included in this is his complete disregard of Giamatti’s Paul Hunham, particularly as he is forced to holdover.
Sessa’s delivery towards Giamatti’s character at the start of the movie is cold and dismissive, often whispering things under his breath. However, despite his supposed mundanity, his pinpoint line delivery allows the sarcasm and disillusionment to come across as relatable and is laugh-out-loud funny. Giamatti is very quick-witted inThe Holdovers, and Sessa compliments this with his dry tone.The combination of the pair is what makes the film so humourous— the comedy feels observational and natural rather than scripted, giving it immense heart. The scene towards the beginning of the movie when the Barton students head to church before most of them head home for Christmas showcases the parallels in Giamatti and Sessa’s performances. Both quip at their peers as they are clearly resentful toward them, and it is the first similarity we see between Tully and Hunham. Dominic Sessa delivers one of the earliest examples of the sarcastic persona he captures in Tully when he tells his classmate Teddy Kountze to “tone it down, Jesus can hear you.” The execution is so matter-of-fact and Sessa manages to maintain that quality throughout the whole film.
The Holdovers Allows Dominic Sessa to Show Character Growth
Dominic Sessa brings a lot of charisma to his screen presencea more muted, endearing manner rather than what we see in a big action hero. His ability to ensure Tully isn’t insufferable and never feels entitled is important to allowing his and Hunham’s relationship to flourish. When the other students are removed, Sessa is given the freedom to explore feelings of isolation and becomes more irate in his delivery. However, he is never mean-spirited; there is a clear level of respect and kindness within Tully, which we later learn is likely due to his family situation, meaning he had to grow up quickly and has a wider view of the world than some of his peers.As Tully spends more time with Hunham, Sessa’s delivery gets less harsh and spiteful, but he never loses the dry tone that defines his persona. When he asks Hunham why he smells of fish after they start to spend more time together, it doesn’t feel as though he is making fun of him but instead genuinely curious and caring.
Dominic Sessa is at his best inThe Holdoverswhen Tully goes to visit his dad in Boston. We learn that his father has been put in a facility due to his mental health struggles, causing him to get violent. At this moment, Tully breaks down the sarcastic barriers he has put up and softens completely. Sessa’s performance is mellow and conveys a sense of longing — he is no longer putting up a front for others. It is such a crucial moment in understanding Angus Tully, both for Hunham and for the audience, and Sessa gives a window into the difficulty Tully is having trying to process how quickly his life has changed.
Suddenly, his disdain and bluntness are layered, and his slow-burn connection to Hunham is explained, as he is a boy mourning the loss of his father and craving the paternal figure that was taken from him. It is a bittersweet realization,made even more heartbreaking when watching Tully and Hunham say goodbye to each other. InThe Holdovers, Dominic Sessa showed a young teenager trying to deal with his own personal turmoil whilst also trying to fit into the fierce reality of growing up. He gives a performance that is on par with his veteran co-stars and proves himself to be one to watch.Having recently been cast inNow You See Me 3, the future looks bright for Dominic Sessa.
The Holdoversis available to stream on Amazon Prime in the U.S.
