Holes is based on the book of the same name and as a standalone, if you haven't read the books, then the film manages to still a coherent and enjoyable story. Stanley Yelnats' family is cursed, and in the latest in his bad luck he is framed for stealing a famous pair of shoes and sent to Camp Green Hill where he has to dig holes to "build his character". The camp is an odd place, what is the point of digging so many holes? What does the Camp's adults want? It builds a nice mystery that you are eager to find out. Unfortunately, the other juveniles detained there and Stanley's group, are not likeable characters. They bully Stanley so when the ending comes and they're all happy happy, it feels forced and not in line with what the viewers saw. The plot has a nice finale, completing a full circle so to speak, that began with Stanley's ancestors. It's neat that Stanley, the descendant, completes the promise that his ancestor broke. The subplot Camp Green Lake's past and how it wrapped into the present clever. Overall, Holes is a solid movie that's worth watching.