Is The Holdovers appropriate for children?

# The Holdovers – Parent Guide "The Holdovers" is an R-rated drama with strong language and violence that's not suitable for children. While the heartwarming story about unlikely friendships has merit for mature teens, the crude dialogue, alcohol use, and intense scenes make it best reserved for adults.

What age is The Holdovers suitable for?

Our verdict for The Holdovers is: Not recommended. See the age grid on this page for specific recommendations by age group.

Is The Holdovers safe for children? | ScreenWise Parent Guide

Content breakdown

🔫

Violence

Strong

🗣️

Language / Profanity

Strong

🔞

Sexual Content

Moderate

👻

Horror / Scary

Moderate

About this movie

Type

Movie

Released

2023

Rating

Genre

Comedy, Drama

Synopsis

A curmudgeonly instructor at a New England prep school is forced to remain on campus during Christmas break to babysit the handful of students with nowhere to go. Eventually, he forms an unlikely bond with one of them — a damaged, brainy troublemaker — and with the school’s head cook, who has just lost a son in Vietnam.

Cast

Paul Giamatti

Paul Hunham

Dominic Sessa

Angus Tully

Da'Vine Joy Randolph

Mary Lamb

Carrie Preston

Miss Lydia Crane

Full cast on IMDb ›

Age suitability

Under 6

Not yet

Ages 6–8

Not recommended

Ages 9–12

Not recommended

Ages 13+

Not recommended

Where to watch

🎬 Find on Amazon

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Parents also checked

The Wolf of Wall Street

Not recommended

Ratings based on MPAA/TV classification and TMDB metadata. Updated March 2026.
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