The Holdovers: parents' guide
Best for ages 15 and up. Rated R for language, some drug use and brief sexual material.
A warm, funny and sad holiday dramedy for older teens, set at a New England boarding school in 1970. A gruff teacher, a troubled student and the school's grieving cook spend Christmas break together on an empty campus. There is little violence, but swearing is constant, with about 35 f-words by one count. Teens smoke a joint, the teacher drinks heavily, and there is a pornographic magazine and crude sexual talk. The cook mourns her son, killed in Vietnam, and the student's family pain surfaces slowly. Mature enough for about 15 and up.
What's in it
Violence
MildA student dislocates his shoulder in a reckless jump and has it popped back in, played partly for laughs. Two boys scuffle and a bar fight nearly starts. Past domestic violence is mentioned but not shown.
Language
StrongPlugged In counted about 35 f-words and Movieguide at least 21, plus many s-words, 'pussy,' 'prick,' 'bitch,' 'goddamn' and misuse of Jesus' name. A rich student makes a racist joke about an Asian classmate.
Sex and nudity
ModerateA teen flips a pornographic magazine to a photo of bare breasts, and a museum vase shows a sex act. Talk of masturbation and porn, a kiss at a party, and a sex worker who propositions a man.
Drinking, drugs and smoking
StrongTeens briefly smoke a joint and one holds a bag of marijuana. The teacher drinks bourbon constantly, even in class, hinting at dependence; the cook gets drunk while grieving; characters drive after drinking; smoking is everywhere.
Scary or intense scenes
ModerateNo scares, but real sorrow: a mother's first Christmas after her son's death in the war, her breakdown at a party, and a teen's painful family situation involving mental illness.
Sensitive topics
- Death of a child
- Bullying
Worth talking about
Mary's son ended up in Vietnam while wealthier boys could stay in college and avoid the draft. Talk with your teen about how money and class shape people's chances, then and now.
On our lists
Similar picks around 15+
Checked October 13th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, Plugged In, bbfc.co.uk, movieguide.org. The age is our judgment, not an official rating, and every family draws its lines differently: read the notes, not just the number. Spotted something we missed? Tell us. How we rate.