The students of Barton Academy depart for the winter holidays, leaving behind a ragtag bunch with nowhere to go, whose ‘babysitter’ is the cantankerous Professor Hunham. But as the days pass, the grumpy professor forms an unexpected bond with student Angus and the school’s cook, Mary, who is grieving the loss of her son. Alexander Payne reunites with his Sideways star Paul Giamatti in a film that strikes the perfect balance between pathos and playfulness.