Hoard: Movie Review
“Hoard” may not use its two hours to the best of its abilities, but star Saura Lightfoot-Leon will keep you engaged throughout.
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Plot Summary
Maria grew up in a home where her biological mother was a hoarder. Pair that with teasing and a handful of other obstacles, and it makes it so that there is a notable shift in her life when Michelle takes up the reins of rearing Maria.
However, gaining a sense of normalcy, perhaps even wanting it, is hard, and with dealing with the removal of someone significant in her life, for a second time, paired with this boy named Michael coming about, Maria might be finding it all to be a bit too much.
Noted Cast and Characters Of “Hoard”
Lily-Beau Leach and Saura Lightfoot-Leon As Maria
Maria is a young woman who grew up in a messy hoarder’s home, and later in life, she begins to pick up her mother’s tendencies due to various triggers.
Hayley Squires As Cynthia (Mother)
Cynthia is a lovely woman, a caring mother, and a hoarder. It isn’t 100% clear why, but she has a notably packed house where you can barely see the floor, and while Cynthia is a functioning hoarder who works and is able to keep a roof over her child’s head, it could be questioned if she is in the best state to raise a child.
Samantha Spiro As Michelle
Michelle is a foster mother and seemingly a nurse who has fostered multiple children, of which we meet two.
- The actor is also known for their role in “Sex Education.”
Joseph Quinn As Michael
Michael is one of the children Michelle fostered who comes to live with her as he prepares to move to somewhere new soon. He has a job as a garbage man and is just waiting for his new place to be ready.
- The actor is also known for their role in “Stranger Things.”
Review
Our Rating: Mixed (Divisive)
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Highlights
You Get Invested In Maria’s Story And Relationships
Due to spending two hours with Maria, from when she is a child to a young adult, you will develop a certain attachment to her. This kid is struggling because her mother doesn’t fit in with other moms, and they are a bit more working class compared to other families. Add in the events that cause her to end up with Michelle, and some things are a bit repressed.
So, after a time jump, you see she has friends, a boy likes her, and Michelle has provided her stability, and there is this sense of joy. Cynthia, Maria’s mom, wasn’t a bad person, but she was likely overwhelmed due to the unmentioned or unintelligible things that had gone on in her life. Yet, as many know, mental health issues aren’t just about the environment but also biological, and it makes it so as Maria’s life starts to spiral, you get worried.
You’re pushed to wonder if the issues we thought she moved pass because her life is better, simply were repressed, and maybe, to maintain some sense of normalcy or to keep a roof over her head, she has masqueraded into something she is not. This could be me overanalyzing Maria as a character. Still, there are moments, when you have to recognize something, is wrong. Her routine was disrupted between the introduction of Michael and Maria’s friend moving away. There was a struggle to regain control, so things became chaotic.
On The Fence
A Reminder Of Why 90 Minutes Is The Standard
While you will grow to love Maria, as she potentially has a mental breakdown, leading to odd decisions and moments, you will find yourself checking how much time is left. Add in Michael’s drama, which goes from a cute boy to a messy man? It can feel like this film wanted to do a lot but didn’t necessarily knock any aspect out of the park.
Specifically, they had a beautiful mother-daughter relationship that could have been the whole movie. They could have dived into why her mom was a hoarder and built on Maria’s shame for that, but it didn’t. There could have been a focus on Maria’s life after being with Michelle, getting a taste of normalcy, and being triggered by her mom’s existence suddenly returning, but the film doesn’t capture that in a way that the general population may find understandable.
Then, with Michael, he notes he was a crack baby, and he is clearly older than Maria, so you’d think with sharing a foster mom, they would bond, he’d help her through Cynthia’s presence re-entering Maria’s life, and if or when things got romantic, it would be sweet. That is opposed to what we got, which, at best, was two people needing healing finding one another and, at worst, a man overwhelmed in life latching onto a young woman who offers him something far simpler.
It’s The Kind Of English Film Which May Require Subtitles For Those Who Don’t Have An Ear For Certain Dialects
Similar to “Wicked Little Letters,” what you get in “Hoard” isn’t BBC newscaster English. It is the type where, if you don’t have an ear for the less posh versions of English, you may want or need subtitles. Mind you, “Hoard” isn’t filled with slang or words that require you to be familiar with terms popular in the UK. However, there will be moments when you wish you could rewind to double-check you heard correctly or wish subtitles were provided in certain moments in which the diction wasn’t clear.
General Information
Film Length
2 Hours 6 Minutes
Date Released
September 6, 2024
How To Watch “Hoard”
In Theaters
Where To Buy, Rent or Subscribe To Watch This:
Distributor
Sunrise Films
Director(s)
Luna Carmoon
Writer(s)
Luna Carmoon
Genre(s)
Content Rating
Content Information
- Dialog: Cursing
- Violence: Self-Harm
- Sexual Content: Nudity, Sexual Situations (Implied)
- Miscellaneous: Smoking, Bodily Fluids
- Are There Jump Scares: No
- Is There a Chance It Will Make You Cry: No
Why Is The Movie Named “Hoard?”
Because Cynthia is a hoarder, and Maria develops a similar affinity for hoarding.
Is There A Mid-Credit or Post-Credit Scene For “Hoard?”
There is a mid-credit scene.
The Gist
The TLDR Recap/ Review
- Maria is a young woman who, as a child, lived with her biological mother, Cynthia, but later in life, is being taken care of by her foster mother, Michelle.
- Michelle offers a more stable and normal home compared to Cynthia, and the film, unfortunately, skips Maria’s adjustment to this.
- However, while Maria seems to have a stable life, with her best friend leaving and a boy named Michael coming about, there is a shift.
- That shift seems to trigger repressed memories and emotions in Maria, which lead to her creating chaos in her life and Michelle’s household.
- “Hoard” definitely pushes you to invest in Maria as she is a unique and charming character, even if she is a bit uncouth.
- But, one thing we love is that she isn’t geared to be a character you ever feel sorry for, but simply a person who has gone through things and has pressed on the best she can.
- This makes it so that when she has a bit of a breakdown, you may feel the need to sideeye her actions while taking note of all the stimuli that has rushed into her life.
- Overall, though, “Hoard” might be a bit longer than needed and may require subtitles, but Maria should be able to hold your attention for its two hour time span.
