The Hook

By Omeleto

A young man comes into a gym for a one-to-one boxing lesson with a washed-up fighter, but finds himself in a confrontation that proves more than either man bargained for — and will change both their lives forever.

Director and writer Nick Flugge’s quirky comedy short employs deft writing and ace performances to explore masculinity in an offbeat, humorous way.

Dialogue is brought to vivid life with brisk pacing and crack comic timing, landing LOL-worthy one-liners while hinting at the deeper conflicts underlining both main characters and their interaction with one another. The two main actors play off one another beautifully, bringing both moments of doubt and humor and making for a pleasure to watch.

The premise of the film may be compact and limited to a precise time and place, but “The Hook” is able to tease out the internal conflicts and tension that often come with being a man — all while landing sharply drawn laughs.

Transcript provided by YouTube:

00:02
[Applause]
00:12
[Music]
00:26
[Music]
00:32
[Music]
00:48
[Music]
01:01
hello I’m I’m your 8 o’clock and 11 oh
01:06
look look through your website
01:20
alright let’s get changed I I am changed
01:27
[Music]
01:35
to be honest I normally am more of a
01:39
swimmer but you know it was past this
01:41
place and I just thought why not because
01:44
you know get to let it all out I think
01:47
you know because the last thing you want
01:48
is a load of pent-up aggression coming
01:50
out when you know you’re not expecting
01:52
it you know cuz you could be at work or
01:54
you compare them that’s a post office or
01:56
you know the fishmonger mom again I
01:59
don’t know why I said fishmonger oh hey
02:02
still have fish mongers I’m skipping
02:15
well that’s two kinds it’s giving her a
02:19
lot both kinds of an injuries
02:30
once hit myself in the face with a
02:33
tennis racket when I was trying to kill
02:34
a bee I mean the only I should know
02:37
about
02:37
okay let me think well that’s all right
02:45
[Applause]
02:50
where’s you stay out
03:20
[Music]
03:36
[Music]
03:38
right well I think I’ve realized the
03:40
problem eyes are too long okay your
03:52
Twitter yes no problem pop these on
04:09
[Applause]
04:42
spoke to him what are you up to nothing
04:47
what are you some sort weirdo or
04:48
something no really what’s your name ed
04:53
what ed would handle
05:15
ask me on the bottom obviously
05:25
okay look I’m sorry but you know I was
05:29
just a bit nervous about meeting you
05:35
anyway
05:37
what about you know we go for some lunch
05:40
I mean I think I saw Greg’s out there
05:44
You’ve nuts not a pastry fan nothing’s
05:48
changed
05:48
well I thought the we could rekindle get
05:52
out okay okay
06:03
I haven’t done I haven’t had my hour
06:11
what you had me an hour what you’re
06:14
talking about
06:15
I mean I’ve booked a one to one hour
06:17
session there’s still about 45 minutes
06:20
left so you know you’re gonna have to
06:21
finish the session I mean that it’s
06:23
probably consumer rights or something
06:25
yes serious yes I am actually just to
06:43
check is it still a one-to-one if you’re
06:46
over there hey buddy don’t me feel like
06:50
it won’t I want it feels more like a one
06:52
just just me look at least learn to
07:01
throw a punch properly yeah you’re not
07:03
gonna hurt anyone with your thumb are
07:04
you yeah bend your knees both thumbs up
07:07
turn the punch turn it let’s go give me
07:10
a lift
07:11
it’s not with the thumb no it’s not with
07:12
a bloody farm let’s go give me a lift
07:14
straight right across that’s better for
07:18
I’ve got two left right left right let’s
07:21
go
07:22
that’s better go right hand key again
07:30
I guess if anyone knows how to throw a
07:32
punch it’s probably you yeah hey yeah
07:37
Chris I was wondering yeah they call you
07:39
worm the hook why’s that
07:41
it’s a punch oh yeah anyone I flew it
07:45
people need to know about it yeah I used
07:47
to wait for the right hand to come
07:49
across move just to the last moment back
07:53
just beneath the ribs yeah I just say
07:55
they knew about it yeah I knew about
07:57
that okay thanks me balanced yourself
08:00
for a straight left lifting my left
08:02
shoulder that’s it good go again twist
08:06
from the hips go for the left twist the
08:10
punch with the knuckles that’s it right
08:13
hand across
08:13
just to oh we’re here Chris um I just
08:16
wanted to say you know I don’t I don’t
08:20
you know well I don’t you know and I you
08:28
know I don’t bloody hell I don’t bloody
08:31
blame you blame me for what you know I
08:35
don’t blame me for leaving what it
08:38
wasn’t your fault I don’t know what
08:39
you’re talking about I mean anyone
08:41
would’ve been scared so I was good well
08:43
yeah I mean there’s nothing wrong with
08:45
being afraid it wasn’t afraid that
08:47
everyone gets scared Sam
09:07
then
09:20
same time tomorrow
10:07
[Music]
10:12
you
10:14
[Music]
10:19
you