Hoard

An examination of trauma, this film is relentlessly tense as the vulnerability of the main characters means they're constantly on the edge. It left me asking questions of the effect of trauma on relationships and the individual, which I suspect was the aim.

The actors carry themselves faultless, the breakout young star a particular highlight, though the script falls flat a few times. The direction is stupendous - the way they turn a hot iron in to a menacing, predatory presence was a favourite of mine

Sometimes it's incoherent which makes the film difficult to follow scene by scene, and can fall in to itself, but the intensity never abides and all you really want is for these damaged people to turn out OK.

I enjoyed every second of it so why would I rate it lower? I understood everything I saw and I understood the character of Maria and the way grief worked on her and made her do certain things. Joseph looked absolutely scrumptious. I guess you either really like it or really hate it there's no in between.

In her directorial debut Luna Carmoon captures extraordinarily how we can be connected to our positive childhood memories and experiences even when they can be seen as strange and even traumatic by some. Essentially "Hoard" tells the story of love - platonic, friendly, physical or parental, and the way it can affect our behaviour and also our personality. But Carmoon decided to show slightly disturbing and sometimes disgusting side of connecting and bonding of two people, which made the whole film more gripping in my opinion. I found this concept intriguing and although there were some themes I would have wished to be more developed, I am really interested to see what comes out next from the mind of Carmoon. I must highlight the debut performance of Saura Lightfoot Leon in the leading role whose stubborn, emotional and fragile yet brave Maria carried the narrative. In the supporting role the new rising star Joseph Quinn proved that he has the talent even for more artistic approach in film-making than just for mainstream production like Stranger Things (his break-out role).

It will turn out to be a visceral nightmare for anyone with OCD, so it's best to keep your distance.

Now keeping my courteous forewarning aside, this just didn't hit the mark for me, even though I get what they were trying to do, and what they have had in their minds.

A lot of it comes down to the inefficient execution which focuses way too much on visuals and forgets to build a strong emotional groundwork.

Even though I like their intent to highlight 'hoarder disorder' and them providing a voice to those affected by it.

But the real question is, did the story do enough to foster compassion for people dealing with such issues? Or at least help others understand their off-beat mindset better?

I don't think so.

Young Maria (Lily-Beau Leach) has a close relationship with her mother Cynthia (Hayley Squires) in 1980s London. Cynthia is a single mother who is a hoarder and has embroiled her young daughter in her obsession. When Cynthia is killed by a collapsing pile of rubbish Maria is sent to live with a foster mother called Michelle (Samantha Spiro). Ten years later the now teenage Maria (Saura Lightfoot Leon) establishes an intense, obsessive relationship with another of Michelle's foster children called Michael (Joseph Quinn), who is now a grown man, and who also happens to be a bin man. Writer/director Luna Carmoon's 2023 debut feature film is an edgy, visceral psychological drama dealing with the legacy of the past, memory and childhood, the traumas and obsessions of life, and coping mechanisms (such as hoarding) for the emotional pain of loss (you wonder about Cynthia). With references to 'Last Tango in Paris' and 'The Tin Drum', as well as a sitting room 'bullfight', this is daring stuff (at least for a post 1970s world) made by a new female writer/director prospect.