00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Chris: Okay, so here's something to think about.
00:00:02 --> 00:00:05 What happens when you mix a haunted Irish
00:00:05 --> 00:00:07 hotel, a deeply antisocial author
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 and a dash of folklore. You
00:00:10 --> 00:00:13 get Hokum, a supernatural
00:00:13 --> 00:00:15 horror film that's as much about
00:00:15 --> 00:00:18 psychological tension as it is about things
00:00:18 --> 00:00:19 that go bump in the night.
00:00:20 --> 00:00:22 Jessica: That's such a great way to frame it because
00:00:22 --> 00:00:24 this movie isn't just about jump scares or
00:00:24 --> 00:00:26 gore. It's about atmosphere,
00:00:26 --> 00:00:29 isolation, and the way personal demons can be
00:00:29 --> 00:00:31 just as terrifying as the supernatural.
00:00:32 --> 00:00:35 Ohm Bauman, the main character, is
00:00:35 --> 00:00:37 such a fascinating lens through which to
00:00:37 --> 00:00:38 explore all of that.
00:00:39 --> 00:00:42 Chris: He really is played by Adam Scott.
00:00:42 --> 00:00:45 Ohm is this gruff, humorless author
00:00:45 --> 00:00:47 who's come to Ireland to scatter his parents
00:00:47 --> 00:00:50 ashes and finish writing his book. But from
00:00:50 --> 00:00:52 the moment he arrives at this remote hotel,
00:00:53 --> 00:00:55 you can tell something's off. The staff
00:00:55 --> 00:00:58 recognize his name, the honeymoon suite is
00:00:58 --> 00:01:00 mysteriously locked, and there's this
00:01:00 --> 00:01:02 constant sense of unease.
00:01:02 --> 00:01:05 Jessica: And then there's Jerry, played by David
00:01:05 --> 00:01:08 Wilmot. He's this scruffy, bearded guy
00:01:08 --> 00:01:09 who shows up in the woods offering om. Um,
00:01:09 --> 00:01:12 drinks and magic mushrooms. I mean,
00:01:12 --> 00:01:14 that's a red flag if I've ever seen one.
00:01:15 --> 00:01:17 But what's so interesting is that Jerry isn't
00:01:17 --> 00:01:20 overtly threatening, he's just
00:01:20 --> 00:01:21 unsettling.
00:01:22 --> 00:01:25 Chris: Exactly. He's one of those characters where
00:01:25 --> 00:01:27 you're constantly questioning his motives.
00:01:27 --> 00:01:30 Is he just a quirky local or is there
00:01:30 --> 00:01:33 something more sinister going on? And that
00:01:33 --> 00:01:35 ambiguity is part of what makes the movie so
00:01:35 --> 00:01:38 compelling. You're never quite sure who or
00:01:38 --> 00:01:39 what you can trust.
00:01:40 --> 00:01:42 Jessica: And then there's Fiona, one of the hotel
00:01:42 --> 00:01:44 employees, played by Florence Ordes.
00:01:45 --> 00:01:46 She's such an interesting counterpoint to
00:01:46 --> 00:01:49 Ohm, where he's closed off and dismissive.
00:01:49 --> 00:01:52 She's warm and approachable, but
00:01:52 --> 00:01:55 even she has her quirks, like pulling out a
00:01:55 --> 00:01:57 picture book about how to combat witches.
00:01:57 --> 00:01:59 That scene was so unexpected.
00:02:00 --> 00:02:03 Chris: It really was. She's explaining this Irish
00:02:03 --> 00:02:05 folklore about drawing a white chalk circle
00:02:05 --> 00:02:07 around yourself to protect against witches.
00:02:07 --> 00:02:09 And you can just see Ohm um, rolling his
00:02:09 --> 00:02:12 eyes. He's so dismissive of it. But as
00:02:12 --> 00:02:14 the story unfolds, you start to wonder if
00:02:14 --> 00:02:16 maybe Fiona knows more than she's letting on.
00:02:17 --> 00:02:20 Jessica: That's what I love about this movie. It keeps
00:02:20 --> 00:02:22 you guessing. It's not just a straightforward
00:02:22 --> 00:02:25 horror story. There are all these layers of
00:02:25 --> 00:02:28 mystery and folklore. You've got the haunted
00:02:28 --> 00:02:31 hotel, the strange locals, Ohm's own personal
00:02:31 --> 00:02:33 demons. It's all interconnected in this
00:02:33 --> 00:02:35 really intriguing way.
00:02:36 --> 00:02:38 Chris: And speaking of the hotel, let's talk about
00:02:38 --> 00:02:41 the Setting this remote hotel in Ireland is
00:02:41 --> 00:02:43 practically a character in itself. It's
00:02:43 --> 00:02:46 eerie, it's atmospheric, and it's the perfect
00:02:46 --> 00:02:49 backdrop for a story like this. You've got
00:02:49 --> 00:02:52 these long empty hallways, dim lighting
00:02:52 --> 00:02:55 and this overwhelming sense of isolation.
00:02:55 --> 00:02:57 It's unsettling in the best way.
00:02:58 --> 00:03:01 Jessica: Oh, uh, for sure. And the way the film uses
00:03:01 --> 00:03:04 sound and music is brilliant. There are these
00:03:04 --> 00:03:06 creaks, sudden loud noises and other
00:03:06 --> 00:03:08 unsettling sounds that keep you on edge.
00:03:09 --> 00:03:11 It's not about gore or over the top scares.
00:03:12 --> 00:03:14 It's about building this sense of dread that
00:03:14 --> 00:03:15 stays with you.
00:03:15 --> 00:03:17 Chris: And, um, then there's the Halloween
00:03:17 --> 00:03:19 celebration at the hotel, which is when
00:03:19 --> 00:03:22 things really start to escalate. Ohm um
00:03:22 --> 00:03:25 has no intention of participating, but of
00:03:25 --> 00:03:26 course that's the night when everything takes
00:03:26 --> 00:03:29 a darker turn. It's like the movie is saying
00:03:29 --> 00:03:32 you can try to ignore the supernatural, but
00:03:32 --> 00:03:33 it's not going to ignore you.
00:03:34 --> 00:03:37 Jessica: Exactly. And I love how the movie plays with
00:03:37 --> 00:03:39 the idea of belief. Ohm m is this
00:03:39 --> 00:03:41 rational, no nonsense guy who doesn't believe
00:03:41 --> 00:03:44 in any of the folklore or ghost stories. But
00:03:44 --> 00:03:46 as the film goes on, he's forced to confront
00:03:46 --> 00:03:49 things that defy explanation. It's a
00:03:49 --> 00:03:50 fascinating journey to watch.
00:03:51 --> 00:03:53 Chris: And the way Damian McCarthy, the writer and
00:03:53 --> 00:03:55 director handles the story is so
00:03:55 --> 00:03:58 impressive. The screenplay feels like a
00:03:58 --> 00:04:00 fractured fairy tale. It's dark, it's twisted
00:04:00 --> 00:04:03 and it's deeply unsettling. But it's also
00:04:03 --> 00:04:06 incredibly well crafted. Every detail
00:04:06 --> 00:04:08 feels intentional, from the dialogue to the
00:04:08 --> 00:04:11 pacing, to the way the scares are executed.
00:04:12 --> 00:04:15 Jessica: Oh, uh, absolutely. McCarthy knows how to
00:04:15 --> 00:04:18 create tension and sustain it. There are
00:04:18 --> 00:04:19 moments where you're just holding your
00:04:19 --> 00:04:21 breath, waiting for something to happen.
00:04:22 --> 00:04:24 And when it does, it's not always what you
00:04:24 --> 00:04:27 expect. That unpredictability is part of
00:04:27 --> 00:04:29 what makes the movie so effective.
00:04:30 --> 00:04:31 Chris: And, uh, let's talk about the visuals for a
00:04:31 --> 00:04:34 second. The cinematography is stunning.
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 The way the film uses light and shadow is
00:04:36 --> 00:04:39 just masterful. There are scenes where you
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 can barely see what's happening, but that
00:04:41 --> 00:04:43 only makes it more terrifying. Your
00:04:43 --> 00:04:46 imagination fills in the gaps and that's so
00:04:46 --> 00:04:47 much scarier than anything they could show
00:04:47 --> 00:04:48 you outright.
00:04:49 --> 00:04:52 Jessica: Oh, definitely. And the performances
00:04:52 --> 00:04:55 really elevate the material. Adam Scott,
00:04:55 --> 00:04:58 David Wilmot, Florence Ardesh,
00:04:58 --> 00:05:00 they all bring something unique to their
00:05:00 --> 00:05:03 roles. Even when the story gets
00:05:03 --> 00:05:05 fantastical, their performances keep it
00:05:05 --> 00:05:08 grounded. You believe in these characters and
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 their struggles, which makes the horror feel
00:05:10 --> 00:05:11 that much more real.
00:05:12 --> 00:05:15 Chris: So the big question, should people see
00:05:15 --> 00:05:18 this movie? For me, it's a resounding
00:05:18 --> 00:05:20 yes. If you're a fan of psychological
00:05:20 --> 00:05:23 horror folklore or just well crafted
00:05:23 --> 00:05:25 storytelling, this is a, uh, must watch.
00:05:26 --> 00:05:28 It's not for the faint of heart, but if
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 you're willing to embrace the darkness, it's
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 an unforgettable experience.
00:05:33 --> 00:05:34 Jessica: I completely agree.
00:05:35 --> 00:05:38 Hokum isn't just a horror movie, it's an
00:05:38 --> 00:05:41 experience. It's the kind of film that stays
00:05:41 --> 00:05:43 with you long after the credits roll. If
00:05:43 --> 00:05:45 you're looking for something that's scary,
00:05:45 --> 00:05:48 thought provoking and beautifully made, this
00:05:48 --> 00:05:50 is it. Just maybe don't watch it alone
00:05:51 --> 00:05:51 or
00:05:51 --> 00:05:53 Chris: in a remote hotel in Ireland.
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 Jessica: Definitely not. And a score?
00:05:56 --> 00:05:57 I'm giving it 8 out of 10.