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Stranger ThingsstarJoseph Quinnis having a huge moment between his breakout in the Netflix role, his recent starring turn inA Quiet Place: Day One, and his upcoming appearance as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch in the MCU’sFantastic Fourfilm. It’s no wonder thatHoard, an indie movie in which he has a supporting role, is getting a much larger platform than it otherwise would, considering his popularity. As for the movie itself, it’s a conventional story told from an unconventional perspective, resulting in an incredibly uneven entry into the genre.
HoardReview
Hoardfollows a young woman through two time periods — her youth, when her mom was a hoarder, and her teenage years in foster care, where she is forced to unbury traumas that have long been repressed. Carmoon’s coming-of-age story clearly tries to use this very specific experience to channel more universal emotions. Although it comes very close at several points, it’s more often one or the other — it’s a scene that’s impressive because it’s so specific or one that resonates with how relatable it is.
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The first half of the film is incredibly conventional, following the same beats asAftersun,Scrapper, and any number of other recent movies that tell the stories of troubled youth. When the character ages into her teenage years, the second half is less conventional and arguably more engaging and ambitious. With the runtime clocking in over two hours, it can grow tedious — particularly given how similar it is to other films.
In a thematic sense, it’s more difficult to tell exactly whatHoardwants to say about its characters and their experiences. It’s clear that the intention is not to villainize or endorse the characters and their actions, but many things will rub audiences the wrong way. The messaging about trauma is also incredibly ambiguous, which is frustrating because of how common of a theme this is in the genre.
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The main reason people will watch this movie is for the supporting performances by Joseph Quinn and Hayley Squires. Quinn’s performance is solid, but he’s playing to an archetype that other actors have done more effectively in recent years. Still, he’s incredibly watchable and has a very good screen presence that signifies a bright future in film. The same goes for Squires, but she makes much more of an impact with her first act turn than Quinn does with more screen time.
The duo of actresses playing the protagonist — Saura Lightfoot Leon and Lily Beau-Leach — are both excellent. Leach is particularly impressive, especially given her youth. Although the movie as a whole is somewhat uneven, Carmoon is clearly very talented at getting the exact performance she desires out of her cast members, no matter their age or experience.
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From a technical standpoint, Carmoon shows a lot of potential behind the camera. It’s refreshing to see one of these films take a truly grimy approach, as opposed to the “light in the darkness” approach that so many filmmakers choose to take with this material. This is not some idyllic view of a dark childhood seen through the eyes of a child — it’s a gritty look at the harsh reality of this character’s upbringing. Because of this, the cinematography and editing are very disorienting and effectively so.
IsHoardworth watching?
Although the movie itself has its ups and downs and is arguably too long,Hoardis a promising directorial debut for filmmaker Luna Carmoon. She takes some very ambitious swings from an aesthetic standpoint and manages to get consistently strong performances out of her cast. It’ll be exciting to see what Carmoon does in the future.
Hoardis now in theaters and on VOD.
Sean Boelman
Managing Editor for Film and TV
Articles Published :441
Sean is the Managing Editor for Film and Television, working to determine editorial strategy for the critics team. He has been on the FandomWire team since 2022.In addition to writing reviews himself, Sean helps match writers on the FandomWire team with assignments that best fit their interests and expertise.
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Joseph Quinn
