My theater is open, but there are not any new releases that
struck my fancy, so I checked out Hooking Up on Hulu.
Hooking Up is a dramedy that covers the story of Darla and Bailey. Darla is a sex addict recently justifiably
fired from her job as a sex columnist at a magazine and attending required
counseling sessions that are held in a local high school. Bailey is recovering from testicular cancer
and has just been diagnosed with a second round of it while attending cancer
support counseling at the same high school. He’s recently separated from his
high school sweetheart and handling that very poorly – to the point of stalking
her. Darla gets the idea from her
sessions to revisit all the locations that she had sex. She convinces Bailey to
go with her, and they set off on a road trip from Atlanta to Dallas, screwing
in all her previous screwing locations. Hijinks sort of ensue.
The cast is great and they do a wonderful job with the roles they have. The chemistry between the two leads is wonderful and I would love to see some of the outtakes. The story is one of redemption and how these two characters who are at their respective rock bottoms help each other pull up to find new chances. In a normal year, I may have had more patience for the movie, but I think I am craving lighter fare lately. Both characters are so completely screwed up, it’s hard to like them. Yes, once we meet Darla’s mother, we understand where some of her issues come from. However, she was so horrible in the beginning, for me that wasn’t enough to redeem her. Once we meet Bailey’s family, we see why he felt so unsupported and was clingy with Liz, his ex. I would have preferred this movie either lean hard into the comedy, or completely commit to the drama. Walking the line between both is very difficult.
As I mentioned, the cast is great. Brittany Snow plays Darla as unhinged and uncaring in the beginning. She had convinced herself that her lifestyle was necessary for her job without really noticing the affect it was having on that job and her relationships. Through her adventures with Bailey, she learns to acknowledge and get help for her own issues, leading to the ability to heal.
Sam Richardson is a gem of a performer and gives Bailey such layered depression that the comic moments felt uncomfortable. Eventually, he learns to stand up for himself, become who he wants to be as opposed to the demands of friends and family, and accepts that he can be more than just his cancer.
The rest of the cast is really just elevated cameos, which is good, because they support the story while letting Snow and Richardson earn the spotlight. Anna Akana as Liz gets the most to do, which is oscillate between angry and supportive-smothering. Amy Pietz plays Darla’s mother Betty, and Jordana Brewster plays her boss Tanya. Vivica A. Fox pops in as Bailey’s mother.
Overall, the movie is well-executed and the performances are
good. Again, the chemistry between Richardson and Snow is fantastic - they truly seem to be having fun. I didn’t care for the story, but if you enjoy a good dramedy with earned
redemption from some tough-to-love folks, this will be right up your alley.
5 out of 10
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