Because of the way Clarkston is advertised and because of Joe Locke’s celebrity, it is easy to assume that he plays the central character in Samuel D. Hunter’s drama. Yet this is not the case; the protagonist is actually Chris, played by Ruaridh Mollica. Clarkston is another narrative that explores the obstacles confronted by a writer on the road to self-discovery. In this case, Chris’ artistic journey is paralleled with that of the explorers Lewis and Clark who made their way to the Pacific Ocean in the ongoing American hunger for territorial expansion. Chris faces the challenges of being poor, gay, and trapped in a small town, all while caring for his drug-addicted mother. By contrast, Jake, played by Locke, comes from a wealthy family and an environment where his sexuality is accepted. However, he has recently been dumped by his boyfriend, faces the ravages of Huntington’s disease, and is haunted by a sense of futility. The two young men meet while working dead-end jobs in a Costco warehouse, and together they begin to give each other hope. The result is an uplifting, if not especially original, story that will nonetheless delight Joe Locke’s fans. He brings considerable depth to the character of Jake, and his scenes with Mollica are full of a poignancy and humour that made his Heartstopper performance so engaging. As the conflicted Chris, torn between pursuing graduate school to become a writer and staying behind to care for his mother, Ruaridh Mollica is touchingly convincing, while Sophie Melville is equally authentic as his troubled parent. Clarkston is a tale of aspiration and self-realisation that is strongly acted, and it's almost as upbeat as Heartstopper.
Rated: ★★★★
Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Marc Brenner
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