IMDb 0 2021 HD

Hold Up

Hold Up

2021
Comedy Thriller
11 min NR Australia
0 IMDB

A shy university student gets caught up in a robbery at an Asian grocery store as he attempts to ask out his crush.

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director Cassandra Nguyen / Andrea Ruth Anthony
Starring
Sam Dudley / Carina Hoang / Ming Yang Lim / Shern Nguy / Keana Pillay

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

awkward tense charming chaotic unexpected relatable suspenseful intriguing heartfelt grounded quirky compelling

Reviews

G
Genevieve Dubois
Mar 31, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

In ‘Hold Up’, the mundane setting of an Asian grocery store becomes the stage for a rather extraordinary confluence of events: a shy student’s romantic overture colliding with a robbery. The film’s strength lies in its exploration of…

R
Rhys Davies
Mar 31, 2026
4.5 / 5
4.5

A wonderfully unexpected British-Australian collaboration in spirit, ‘Hold Up’ shines with its inventive premise. We follow a timid student whose attempt to woo his crush is dramatically interrupted by a robbery at a vibrant Asian grocery store. The…

I
Isabelle Moreau
Mar 31, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

‘Hold Up’ attempts to weave a tale of nervous courtship and criminal interference, set against the backdrop of an Asian grocery store. The central idea, of a romantic gesture being upended by a robbery, is intriguing, though the…

M
Marcus Bellweather
Mar 31, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

This Australian gem, ‘Hold Up’, offers a surprisingly potent concoction of shy romance and sudden crime. The narrative hinges on a university student’s ill-fated attempt at asking out his crush, which conveniently coincides with a robbery at an…

E
Eleanor Vance
Mar 31, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

‘Hold Up’ presents a charmingly awkward premise: a shy university student’s bid to impress his crush is derailed by a sudden robbery at a local Asian grocery store. The film navigates this delicate balance with a tone that…

FAQs

The Asian grocery store setting in 'Hold Up' provides a specific cultural backdrop to the unfolding events. It grounds the narrative in a particular community space, which can add layers of social commentary or texture to the story. The choice of this location for both a romantic encounter and a robbery suggests a deliberate exploration of everyday environments becoming sites of extraordinary tension and personal revelation.