Adam Scott Faces Ghosts and Goats in Damian McCarthy's Irish Horror 'Hokum'

Key facts

• Adam Scott stars as Ohm Bauman, an American novelist who travels to Ireland to scatter his parents' ashes.
• The film was shot at West Cork Film Studios and on location around Skibbereen.
• Director Damian McCarthy previously directed horror films 'Oddity' (2024) and 'Caveat' (2020).
• Scott stayed at the Liss Ard Estate, a 400-year-old manor, during filming.
• The cast includes Peter Coonan ('Bad Sisters', 'Love/Hate') and David Wilmot ('Hamnet').
• 'Hokum' is released in Irish cinemas today, with screenings at Mahon Point's Omniplex and The Arc Cinema.

A Writer's Retreat Turns Sinister

Adam Scott, best known for his roles in 'Severance' and 'Parks and Recreation', takes on an unexpectedly dark role in 'Hokum', a supernatural horror film that blends black comedy with gruesome shocks. The film, written and directed by West Cork-born filmmaker Damian McCarthy, follows Ohm Bauman, a successful American novelist who travels to a remote Irish hotel to scatter his deceased parents' ashes. Ohm is brooding over the nihilistic ending of his latest novel, sliding into alcoholism, and tormented by unacknowledged personal pain. He chooses the hotel where his parents spent their honeymoon, hoping to find some residual happiness. But upon arrival, he encounters a dead goat in the car park—culled because it climbed on vehicles to see its reflection—and learns that the hotel's honeymoon suite is boarded up because a 400-year-old witch is held captive there.

Scott's Praise for West Cork and the Irish Crew

Scott, the only American actor on set, praised the professionalism of the Irish crew and the beauty of the country. 'West Cork, and Skibbereen specifically, is one of the most beautiful places in the world,' he told the Press Association. He stayed at the Liss Ard Estate, a historic manor in the countryside, where he often wandered the grounds. 'I walked those grounds probably 30 times over the couple of months we were there. It is just beautiful. I could lose myself in West Cork and stay there for months and months.' Appearing on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live', Scott described the estate as 'at least 400 years old' and joked about being the 'eccentric bachelor' among honeymooning couples. He added, 'The crew that Damian works with is unbelievable and everyone is so nice and smart. Ireland is a place to go and a place to stay as far as I'm concerned.'

A Black-Comic Premise with Jump Scares

The film's premise is both amusing and gruesome: Ohm is obnoxious to hotel staff and indifferent to Fiona (Florence Ordesh), a barmaid who senses his unhappiness. David Wilmot plays Jerry, a wacky hermit living in a van in the surrounding woodland, who drinks a shroom-based smoothie of his own invention with chaotic results. McCarthy stretches the narrative into a convoluted, bizarre extended story involving two separate hospital stays for Ohm. Scott's character is 'unexpectedly dark, unsympathetic', according to early reviews, and the film delivers efficient jump scares. The supernatural elements force Ohm to confront the darkest corners of his past, including a shocking disappearance.

Ireland's Rich Horror Tradition

'Hokum' is one of several horror films recently made in Ireland, including Lee Cronin's 'The Mummy' starring Jack Reynor, which was filmed in Ireland and Spain. McCarthy, who also wrote and directed 'Caveat' and 'Oddity', said Ireland is a great setting for horror because of its rich history of myths and legends. 'I guess it's a fact that it's such an old country, and when you're in school learning all about these myths, legends and folklore, you realise it really is that island of storytellers, with such a rich history.' He added that many contemporary Irish horror filmmakers grew up in the 1980s watching John Carpenter and Steven Spielberg films, and are now 'turning what they loved as kids into their own stories.'

Release and Screenings

'Hokum' is released in Irish cinemas today, with three showings scheduled at Mahon Point's Omniplex and at The Arc Cinema on North Main Street. The film's release follows a promotional tour that included Scott's appearance on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live', where he discussed his time in West Cork. The film is expected to draw audiences familiar with McCarthy's previous work and Scott's fanbase from 'Parks and Recreation' and 'Severance'.

The bottom line

• 'Hokum' is a black-comic supernatural horror starring Adam Scott as a novelist confronting his past in a haunted Irish hotel.
• The film was shot in West Cork, with Scott praising the location and the Irish crew's professionalism.
• Director Damian McCarthy draws on Ireland's folklore tradition and his own 1980s horror influences.
• The cast includes Irish actors Peter Coonan and David Wilmot, adding local talent to the production.
• The film opens in Irish cinemas today, with specific screenings in Cork.