The Holdovers marks a great return of Alexander Payne - the master of film dialogue (Sideways, Nebraska). Three very different people (including a disliked professor of history portrayed perfectly by Paul Giamatti) stay behind in a cold New England school for Christmas break and undergo a speedy coming-of-age process.
Alexander Payne was born in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1961. He studied Spanish and History at Stanford University and Cinema at UCLA. His graduation film was shown at Sundance, as a result of which Miramax decided to finance his debut film, Citizen Ruth. He likes to have complete artistic control, which means not only directing but also writing screenplays and, at times, casting as well. His film portraits of American society stand out for their specific brand of humor and their sensitivity. He has won two Oscars for best adapted screenplay, and he has been nominated for best director three times.
1996 Złe i gorsze / Citizen Ruth
1999 Wybory / Election
2002 Schmidt / About Schmidt
2004 Bezdroża / Sideways
2011 Spadkobiercy / The Descendants