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Hooked

Hooked

201792 minTV-MAMidcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
Director
Max Emerson
Starring
Conor Donnally, Sean Ormond, Terrance Murphy, Jared Sandler

Jack an 18-year old hustler and his boyfriend Tom are an item, close and very much in love. Otherwise, Jack is impulsive and explosive with few redeeming qualities. Ken, a married man who hasn't come out of the closet, takes Jack from NYC to Miami with the intention of helping him.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Hooked?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Hooked streaming on Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Hooked?

Hooked earns 1 badge: Cult Classic.

Reception

Is Hooked worth watching?

Hooked's Midcredits score is the 26th percentile of all films, from 1.2K ratings across 4 sources. 34% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

26th percentile

Better received than 26% of films

21st percentile among Drama27th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)25th
Approval (how many liked it)29th

54 /100

25th percentile of all films

21st percentile among Drama28th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

Ratings scatter across the whole scale — one of the most divisive reactions in the catalog.

Approval

How many liked it

34% liked it

29th percentile of all films

24th percentile among Drama28th percentile among 2010s
34% rated it 7–1066% rated it 1–6

Critics 20% · Audience 48%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Reach

How many have seen it

63rd percentile

1.2K ratings across platforms

65th percentile among Drama66th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 16% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film tries to address serious LGBTQ+ youth homelessness issues but suffers from weak writing and direction.

Fans praised

  • earnest portrayal of LGBTQ+ homeless youth struggle
  • compelling lead performance by Conor Donnally with charisma
  • moments of unexpected levity and gallows humor amid heavy themes

Detractors panned

  • unintelligent, bloated dialogue
  • unlikable protagonist reduces emotional investment
  • derivative story retreads tired gay prostitution tropes

What stands out

Cinematography60

nicely shot and well-produced for budget; competent visuals

Emotional impactDivisive50

meaningful for those connected to issue; others unmoved by unlikable lead

Pacing50

decent clip for an indie drama; not glacial

ActingDivisive48

lead praised for charisma but criticized for inexperience; some supporting performances wooden

Plot and storyDivisive40

predictable and familiar gay escort narrative; plausible but lacking depth

CharactersDivisive35

protagonist called unlikable and poorly written; central relationship sweet but thin

DialogueDivisive25

unintelligent and excessive; some realistic moments noted by fans

Originality20

derivative of other gay escort dramas; fails to offer fresh perspective

Watch experience

What is Hooked like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something that leaves you smiling.

It takes its time and leaves you hopeful. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
TenseRomanticMelancholic
Heaviest: middle
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Tender · 13% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its serious subject matter straight, treating the characters' struggles with earnestness and occasional warmth.
The rideThe film sustains a tense undercurrent around Jack's hustling and relationship, with romantic moments and melancholic undertones, building to a middle crisis.
StructureConventional linear narrative told in chronological order, with no experimental structure.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you with empathy for homeless LGBT youth and a sense of hope from the central relationship, despite the grim circumstances.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22% (this title)

No archetype fits — true of 22% of films: ensemble pieces, satire, slice-of-life.

Why this archetypeThe film is a character-driven drama following a young hustler and his boyfriend, structured as a relationship study rather than a classical plot archetype.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSelf-worth
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% (this title) · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Self-worth · 7% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on Jack's struggle to maintain self-respect and a loving relationship while hustling in a world that degrades him, with secondary focus on class divides and closeted sexuality.
StanceThe film observes the struggles of a young hustler and his boyfriend without strong judgment, letting the situation speak for itself.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanIn transitRealistic
AmbientSupportive music · original score · Tom Goss
SettingNew York City street hustling scene shifting to Miami's South Beach
MusicThe score by Tom Goss supports the intimate, emotional moments.

Content guide

Is Hooked okay for kids?

Ratings in 1 other country
  • Canada18A

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Hooked have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Hooked?

Cast

At least 2 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

Conor Donnally
as Jack
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.
Sean Ormond
as Tom
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Terrance Murphy
as Ken
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Jared Sandler
as Matt
Katie McClellan
as Jess
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Jay Alan Christianson
as Date-rape Dan
Chaz Mena
as Ignacio
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Steve Hayes
as Father Michael
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Casper Andreas
as German Client
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Max Emerson
as Meth Boy 1
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.

Crew

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TMDB's suggestions for movies like Hooked include Where the Day Takes You (1992), King Cobra (2016) and Saint Jack (1979).

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What else shares a premise, people or place with Hooked?

1.7K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: partners in crime. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.