The Holdovers: Paul Giamatti’s Lazy Eye Actually Hides a Heartbreaking Meaning 

Summary:

• Alexander Payne's The Holdovers, released in 2023, became the coziest movie of last year and managed to become a Christmas classic in such a short time.
• One of the main characters, Paul Hunham, was the butt of many jokes, especially because of his lazy eye.
• Paul's lazy eye is a small detail that, without further explanation, shows us the essence of a character who is often rejected by people because of his flaw and becomes increasingly withdrawn.
• The scene at the end, when Paul shows Angus which eye to look into, clearly shows the evolution of their relationship – Paul now trusts and respects the student he once hated.

There are movies that are hard not to fall in love with, and one of last year’s coziest projects, Alexander Payne's The Holdovers, became such a movie.

This is not a flick that will surprise you, but Payne does not need to come up with anything new – it is enough to maintain a phenomenal balance between comedy and drama.

The Holdovers is Already a Christmas Classic

Despite many hilarious situations and witty dialogues, the film is imbued with sadness and that’s why it has captivated millions of viewers.

The Holdovers has already been recognized by many as a Christmas classic that they will watch every year on the eve of the holiday, and this is exactly the recognition that this project deserves.

In The Holdovers, all three characters – Angus, Paul, and Mary – are equally important to the story.

They represent different generations and worldviews: Angus is hot-tempered and emotional, lashing out at others because he feels powerless in the face of circumstances and tired of adults constantly deciding his fate.

Mary feels lost and alone after the loss of her son, but tries to remain optimistic. And Paul has devoted his whole life to his favorite subject, but has never achieved self-respect. He is accustomed to disregarding the feelings of others and considers his students spoiled and ill-mannered.

Paul Hunham’s Lazy Eye Hides a Deeper Meaning

The main butt of the jokes is Paul Hunham, played by Paul Giamatti: he always looks a little shabby and confused and Angus constantly makes fun of the teacher's lazy eye.

If you look closely, you will notice that Paul's lazy eye changes from left to right throughout the movie, and this is not a plot hole – the filmmakers themselves admitted that this change was used specifically so that the viewers, like Angus, would be unsure which eye to look at.

But Hunham's eye is not just a comic relief – it also hides a deeper, sadder message. The eye is outward evidence of the inner world of Giamatti's character – he is an alienated outsider, shunned at first glance precisely because of his external flaw, which makes other people uncomfortable around him, which in turn keeps Paul himself from getting closer to people.

Paul is a Harvard graduate who hasn't achieved the same success as his peers, suffers from a disease that makes him smell like fish, and is physically unattractive because of his lazy eye.

But throughout the movie, we understand, as Angus does, that this little man is capable of great things, and that is what matters most.

The eye is a small detail that shows the viewers how Paul became such a grumpy person without any explanation.

And the brief scene at the end, when he finally shows Angus which eye to look into, reveals the transformation of their relationship from mutual hostility to endless mutual respect.