HOOKED: A Necessary Depiction Of Queer Youth

Avatar photo

Hooked is a film with its heart is in the right place. Jack (Conor Donnally) is an 18-year-old escort for both men and women – he is abrasive, loud, but deeply vulnerable. His boyfriend Tom (Sean Ormond) is an aspiring photographer on the run from his unaccepting father. Together, Jack and Tom live in a public dorm setting as they plan a future where they can live freely and extravagantly. When an older, closeted, and married gentleman named Ken (Terrance Murphy) meets Jack and whisks him away on a weekend trip to Miami, the possibilities of Jack and Tom’s relationship are tested in new and extreme ways.

Writer and director Max Emerson is telling a story that feels both intimate and timely; before the credits roll, the audience is told the perils that plague LGBTQ+ homeless youth and to help in any way possible. There is clear intent behind telling Jack and Tom’s story, and in many ways, Hooked is a crucial film that sheds light on a pervasive issue. Still, though, it seems as though there was more lurking beneath the film’s surface.

The Relationship At Its Center

We are first introduced to Jack in a voicemail he is leaving for Tom, or as he lovingly refers to him as: Tom Cat. Played out in a voice-over as we follow Jack’s day-to-day activities, we bear witness to his line of work, his routine, and his life. He is consistently degraded by his sex work, belittled, and condescended. Through it, though, he feels powerful and confident. On the other hand, Tom is the more vulnerable of the two. He urges Jack to remain sober while they are together as they work on forging a life for one another. The two make for a fascinating pair, if not a tad unbalanced. We are given more screen time and more attention paid to Jack.

Emerson doesn’t provide us with much in the way of context regarding Jack and Tom’s relationship – instead, we are left with the task of making sense of their past. We know that both come from broken homes, but how did they meet? How long have they been together? They speak vaguely of the future, but what exactly are they looking for?

source: Breaking Glass Pictures

It’s not necessarily the filmmaker’s responsibility to spell all of this information out for the audience. That said, the two characters are like puzzle pieces that do not fully come together. And because of this, there is little to grasp onto in the story. We are given very limited time to feel a connection to these characters, and while Emerson is patient enough to allow us moments to see Jack and Tom banter and joke around, these conversations could have been more meaningful to the story and to the characters.

Ken Doll Come to Life

Then, of course, there is Ken. When we first meet Ken it seems clear that he is an out and proud gay man – he is shopping and makes lewd, flamboyant jokes with the cashiers. We soon come to realize that he is not only married, but married with a son. That is not to say him and his wife (Katie McClellan) have a perfect marriage. Through their brief interactions, he mentions the “urges” he has had in the past and how they have created a rift in their relationship. As they start to drift apart throughout the film, Ken becomes fixated on Jack after a brief encounter in public.

source: Breaking Glass Pictures

On top of the film’s focus on queer homeless youth, it seems to also want to examine the role older gay men play when they feel as though they cannot comfortably live their lives. Ken is caught in a bind: he could have the perfect nuclear family. He comes across as affluent and successful. But his urges disrupt his comfortable life. From this comes a tricky balance between acting on his sexual cravings or to remain complacent with the life he currently lives. And while this could offer fascinating commentary on the generational gaps that come from coming out of the closet, the film does not explore this deep enough. By the film’s explosive end, there seems to be a message hiding behind the plot, but it does not feel entirely clear what it is. And to this degree, Emerson finds a resolution to Jack and Tom’s relationship, but not one for Ken.

Build-Up Without Pay-Off

Queer cinema is complicated. I can only imagine how difficult it must be to encapsulate all of the complexities that rise from being a queer youth or an older queer man in the 21st century. So many live the experiences and are able to tell their stories. Through Hooked, Emerson depicts a narrative that is so often forgotten from within the LGBTQ+ community. And while the film is aesthetically pleasing with some stunning shots throughout, the narrative leaves some elements to be desired. By its climactic final moments, the messaged becomes muddled, leaving us with an open-ended conclusion.

From these last few minutes, Hooked becomes confusing and seems to negate many of the characters’ initial motivations. What began as a character study soon evolves into a cautionary tale that feels unfounded considering everything that we had just watched up until that point. To be clear, Emerson seems to have a vision for his film (and a portion of the proceeds for the film go straight to The Hooked Project, a charity designed to help LGBTQ+ homeless youth), but unfortunately that vision becomes a bit convoluted by the end.

What are your thoughts on Hooked?

Hooked is available to buy and rent digitally. 

Does content like this matter to you?


Become a Member and support film journalism. Unlock access to all of Film Inquiry`s great articles. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about cinema - get access to our private members Network, give back to independent filmmakers, and more.

Join now!

Scroll To Top