TV Review: "The House of Hammer"

The legacy of actor Armie Hammer is one that is rooted in tragedy. A legacy of tragedy and darkness showcasing fame’s vile nature.  Hammer’s downfall began in January 2021 with some very explicit accusations. The accusations varied from sexual assault to possible acts of cannibalism involving women. It was a dark revelation that made the media dig deeper into the Hammer family history. Now streaming on Discovery+,  “The House of Hammer” informs audiences of the familial legacy. Told over three hour-long episodes, directors Elli Hakami and Jullian P. Hobbes deconstruct where Armie’s dark nature came from. This dissection includes a discussion on how his family rose to power via grandfather Armand Hammer. Hakami and Hobbes reveal a lot about the twisted family in graphic detail, so here is a content warning for anyone unprepared. There are serious descriptions of sexual violence. If that seems like too much to handle it is best to avoid this docu-series.

The series structure is delivered in a way that explains and contextualizes the situation. Episode one catches audiences up to speed on everything that has happened with the controversy. This episode introduces us to one of Hammer’s first girlfriends, Dallas entrepreneur Courtney Vucekovich. Hakami and Hobbes tell Vucekovich’s story first to show the persuasive power Hammer exuded. Between Instagram, Direct Messages, and audio messages, Hammer’s charisma and persuasive nature with women are obvious. Combined with the brutal honesty in Vucekovich’s retelling of a sexually violent past date, everybody understands this trauma’s effect on her. Having Vucekovich set up the story allows episode two to provide the context for the entire Hammer family. 

Episode two shifts the focus to Casey Hammer, Armie’s aunt.  This episode gives audiences a better understanding of the family history. Audiences learn quite a bit about the family delivered in a way that never feels overdramatized. This episode primarily focuses on the family's lineage, showing how each member afflicted their own forms of abuse on their offspring. History involving drug-fueled parties reveals the root of the Hammer family trauma in a substantive way. With this episode being the meat of the season, are put through an emotional ringer. Going through such turmoil made episode three feel like an hour of earned emotional catharsis. 

By the final episode, there is a genuine surprise at how far the Hammer family went to keep their darkness hidden. A powerful family hiding things should not be a surprise,  but the reveals were riveting. Hakami and Hobbes wisely program this final hour to be the crescendo of the piece. After spending an episode on the family history, the full picture is painted. Include descriptions of explicit details being explained about family members' sadistic actions, which would feel exploitative in the wrong hands.  Thankfully, that is not the case because the filmmakers let these women speak uninterrupted.

The “talking head” structure is a common technique in documentary filmmaking.  It involves the filmmaker or creator, speaking with the subject who is the only person visible on screen.  All three episodes employ the technique, without relying on an abundance of archival footage. Dialogue is intercut with Instagram messages or bits of audio with Armie Hammer, but never in a way that feels overbearing. There is a precise amount of space given to the women, which allows them to be open with the audience and come across as genuine.

“House of Hammer” is one of the more surprising docu-series of the year. You can feel that no subject of the family was off limits. It makes the revelations all the more surprising and the abused women even more admirable. There is nothing groundbreaking about the filmmaking, but the execution is rather astounding. The finished product is something to shine a light on and bring awareness to abuse. The story could be trimmed in places, but the signs of male toxicity explored remain quite relevant to the world today. “House of Hammer” is not a fun watch, but a crucial one.