Hokum

Synopsis

Set in the rural American South during the 1930s Great Depression, Hokum follows a charismatic traveling con artist and snake-oil salesman who moves from county to county peddling miracle cures and stage-managed spiritual awakenings. Armed with sharp quick-witted charm and a repertoire of clever illusions, he easily tricks desperate townsfolk looking for hope amid hardship. However, his lucrative scheme unravels when he arrives in a tight-knit river town plagued by genuine tragedy and dark secrets. Confronted by a skeptical local sheriff and an intuitive young woman who sees right through his theatrical facade, the grifter becomes tangled in a dangerous mystery involving land theft and corruption. To save himself and the town from a far more predatory syndicate, he must decide whether to run away with his earnings or use his deceptive talents for good.