The Hook

A short dark comedy written and directed by Thomas Beatty and starring Mei Bignall, Elijah Rowen, Jack McEvoy and Charlie Freeman.

Siblings Creamore (Freeman), Spice (Bignall), Sexton (Rowen) and The Wig (McEvoy) are a rock band and they have a problem: studio executive, Mel (Kele Leroc) is unhappy with their latest album and gives them 24 hours to come up with a good song or they can kiss their music career goodbye. So, the four of them gather at the JBJ Recording Studio in Notting Hill and proceed to try to accomplish their goal, while simultaneously contemplating their lives.

A sort of race-against-the-clock story that takes place almost entirely inside one large room. As the siblings discuss and argue regarding a new track, they are visited by a succession of awkward characters, including a spiritual guru, two American police officers and another band. Are all these visitors real, or are some (or all of them) figments of the sibling's imagination due to the drugs they take? Whatever the case, the appearance of each visitor adds its own humour and qualities.

Interestingly, the film is separated into chapters (called verses in the texts), each with its own title. Creative animation dominates the opening title sequence and the letters that introduce several characters. The entertaining soundtrack consists of works by a variety of artists including Charlie Freeman, Jamie Brown and Ollie De Wailly.

Generally, the four siblings are a bunch of young musicians who have a habit of smoking and doing drugs. Creamore is the main character, a guitarist with an attitude and a foul mouth, who provides narration. Sexton is a sort of hippie guitarist, The Wig is a drummer who imagines that a famous American singer frequently visits him, while singer Spice is down-to-earth.

This feature is a commentary about the music industry, drug use, self-expression, self-reflection and working towards a goal and it also acknowledges the significance of appreciating loved ones.

A story about a band. Or perhaps...a story about four siblings trying to comprehend themselves.