In this episode of *Movies First*, Chris and Jessica explore the chilling supernatural horror film *Hokum*, a unique blend of psychological tension and folklore set against the eerie backdrop of a haunted Irish hotel. The story follows Ohm Bauman, portrayed by Adam Scott, a gruff author who arrives in Ireland to scatter his parents' ashes and finish his book. From the moment he steps into the remote hotel, an unsettling atmosphere envelops him, with peculiar staff and locked doors hinting at deeper mysteries.
The hosts delve into the character dynamics, particularly Ohm's interactions with the enigmatic Jerry, played by David Wilmot, who introduces an unsettling element of ambiguity, and Fiona, a warm hotel employee portrayed by Florence Ordes, who offers a quirky perspective on Irish folklore. Chris and Jessica highlight how the film masterfully intertwines personal demons with supernatural elements, creating an engaging narrative that keeps viewers guessing.
The setting of the hotel itself is described as a character, enhancing the film's atmosphere with its long hallways and dim lighting. The hosts commend the film's sound design, which builds a sense of dread without relying on gore or jump scares. As the Halloween celebration approaches, the tension escalates, forcing Ohm to confront his disbelief in folklore and the supernatural.
With a screenplay that feels like a fractured fairy tale, writer and director Damian McCarthy crafts a dark and twisted narrative that is both unsettling and beautifully executed. Chris and Jessica praise the stunning cinematography that uses light and shadow to amplify the horror, alongside compelling performances that ground the fantastical elements in reality.
With a score of 8 out of 10, this episode encourages listeners to experience *Hokum*, a film that lingers in the mind long after viewing. Join Chris and Jessica as they unpack this haunting tale that challenges perceptions and delivers an unforgettable cinematic experience.
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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.