Paul Hunham is a seemingly slightly odd teacher at an all-male boarding school in New England in 1970. As a punishment for flunking a student whose parents are major donors to the school, Paul gets to watch over the remaining five students during the Christmas holidays. Staying behind with him is cafeteria manager Mary Lamb, whose son was recently killed in the Vietnam War. After six days of forced studying and exercising by Paul, four of the students are allowed to take part in a ski trip. Only Angus Tully can’t reach his mum for her permission and has to spend the remaining days with Paul and Mary. With not much left except each other‘s company, those three slowly become a little Christmas family and spend an intense time together.
The acting performances of the three protagonists easily make you feel part of this little Christmas circle and their complex world of emotional conflicts. Randolph was honoured with the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 2024 for her contribution, which will make you sympathise with her character in particular.
This thought-provoking, bittersweet dramedy, somehow also manages to feel warm and fuzzy and is perfect if you are into a dialogue-driven film with a slight throwback feeling that fits perfectly into the festive season. (LH)