1.2.2024

About halfway through The Holdovers the three main characters speak over a rerun of The Newlyweds Game:

Paul: In college, I started a monograph on Carthage. I’d like to finish that someday.

[pause]

Paul: A monograph is like a book, only shorter.

Mary: I know what a monograph is.

Angus: Why not just write a book?

Paul: I’m not sure I have an entire book in me.

Mary: You can’t even dream a whole dream, can you?

Up to this point I found Paul, the curmudgeon ancient civilizations teacher at a New England boarding school, quite a kindred spirit. This exchange hit even closer to my insecurities.

It was difficult not to read my current self in the tension between Paul and Angus. The just-past-middle-aged teacher who never quite lived up to the grand plans he had as a bright student full of potential, and the bright student full of potential.

There is so much more to this movie than that, Da’Vine Joy Randolph as Mary Lamb, was spectacular and brought me to tears multiple times. As I watched the film, she captivated me. As I’ve chewed on the film, I can’t get past the old potential vs potential wasted bit.