There's a ton of dancing, a raft of cameos from hip-hop artists and a daring amount of sweetness for a movie so street conscious. It's just enough to form a nice sugary coat over any cranky complaints about its silliness.
Honey (2003)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:111
Fresh:22
Rotten:89
Average Rating:4.1/10
Consensus: An attractive Jessica Alba and energetic dance numbers provide some lift to this corny and formulaic movie.
Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for drug content and some sexual references
Runtime: 1 hr 34 mins
Genre: Dramas
Theatrical Release:Dec 5, 2003 Wide
Box Office: $30,222,640
Synopsis: Honey Daniels (JESSICA ALBA, of television's Dark Angel) has been waiting all her life to show the world her dance moves and now, everything she ever wanted is just a step away. For years, her... Honey Daniels (JESSICA ALBA, of television's Dark Angel) has been waiting all her life to show the world her dance moves and now, everything she ever wanted is just a step away. For years, her spirit and her ambition have given the dancer and aspiring choreographer the guts to move ahead, even when those who love her best have doubts about her possible success in such a tough field. Not content with her parents' world of safe choices that promise a secure future, Honey has moved to the heart of the city, where the streets are a barrage of sound, energy and music—and it's the music she's after. Living there is difficult, but she is willing to take it all in stride while she continues to struggle with making ends meet—her dream is worth it. During the day, she shares that dream by teaching hip-hop classes in a local center to the kids in her neighborhood. At night, watching the clock until her bartending shift ends, Honey comes alive on the dance club floor, where her training collides with her passion and her smooth moves get her noticed. And then her one-time-in-a-million break comes in the form of a video director, who sees Honey in the club and offers her a chance at a spot as a back-up dancer. From there, her true ability shines through, and she begins to finally live her dream—choreographing for some of the hottest acts in hip-hop and R&B (Missy Elliott, Ginuwine, Jadakiss & Sheek, Tweet) and for Honey, it feels too good to be true. And almost as quickly as it arrives, the dream starts to dissolve. Back in the workaday world, Honey returns to what she knows best—the urban music she loves—and rediscovers her love of dancing though the exuberant energy of a group of neighborhood kids. A high-energy drama with music, Honey also stars LIL' ROMEO, winner of the 2001 Billboard Music Award for “Rap Artist of the Year,” as Benny, a kid who needs a break even more than Honey does. MEKHI PHIFER (8 Mile) portrays Chaz, Honey's boyfriend with no angle to work—he's the constant, the real thing, the down-to-earth voice of reason who just wants Honey happy and in his life. JOY BRYANT (Antwone Fisher) plays Honey's protective, best friend Gina, who views her pal's newfound success with equal parts excitement and skepticism. The young, vibrant cast also includes DAVID MOSCOW (Just Married), ZACHARY ISAIAH WILLIAMS (TV's Romeo!) and LONETTE MCKEE (He Got Game), with cameo appearances by hip-hop/R&B stars MISSY ELLIOTT, GINUWINE, 3rd STOREE, SHAWN DESMAN, TWEET, and JADAKISS & SHEEK. BILLE WOODRUFF, who has directed music videos for stars including Usher, Britney Spears and Toni Braxton, debuts as a feature film director with this multi-ethnic contemporary urban drama energized by music and propelled by dance. The film is written by ALONZO BROWN & KIM WATSON. Veteran filmmaker MARC PLATT (Legally Blonde) and music mogul ANDRE HARRELL (Strictly Business) serve as producers, with BILLY HIGGINS (Simon Burch) executive producing. The film's exciting soundtrack includes a diverse lineup of some of the best R&B, hip-hop and urban music superstars working in music today. New songs from Missy Elliott, Fabolous, Tweet, Yolanda Adams, Knocturnal, Amerie and Nate Dogg are just a few of the musical offerings, with additional contributions from Sean Paul, Blaque featuring Chingy, Lil'Mo, Mark Ronson and Jadakiss & Sheek. The creative team behind the scenes includes director of photography JOHN R. LEONETTI (The Scorpion King); production designer JASNA STEFANOVICH (Josie and the Pussycats); editors MARK HELFRICH, A.C.E. (Red Dragon) and EMMA E. HICKOX, A.C.E. (A Walk to Remember); costume designer SUSAN MATHESON (Blue Crush); composer MARVYN WARREN (The Wedding Planner); and entertainment industry choreographer LAURIEANN GIBSON. All of the songs in Honey are original compositions by songwriter/producer RODNEY JERKINS, who has created hits for artists including Britney Spears, Toni Braxton, Brandy, Monica, Mary J. Blige and Jennifer Lopez. -- © Universal Pictures [More]
Starring: Jessica Alba, Mekhi Phifer, Lil' Romeo, Joy Bryant
Starring: Jessica Alba, Mekhi Phifer, Lil' Romeo, Joy Bryant, Lonette McKee, David Moscow, Zack Williams
Director: Bille Woodruff
Director: Bille Woodruff
Producer: Marc Platt, Andre Harrell
Composer: Rodney Jerkins
Studio: Universal Pictures
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Release:
Jun 14, 2009
DVD Features:
- Region 1
- Keep Case
- Single Side - Dual Layer
Audio:
- Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound - English
- Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound - French
- Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound - Spanish
Additional Release Material:
- Outtakes
- Deleted Scenes
- Audio Commentary: "The Inside Scoop" with Jessica Alba - Star, and Billie Woodruff - Director
Featurette:
- 1. "Behind the Groove: The Making of HONEY"
- 2. "Make Your Move: Dance like HONEY!"
- 3. "In the Mix with Blaque: Go Behind the Scenes with Blaque's Music Video"
- 4. "I'm Good" - Music Video by Blaque
- 5. "J-A-D-A" - Music Video by Jadakiss & Sheek
- 6. "Sexy" - Music Video by Shawn Desman
Text/Photo Galleries:
- "Cast and Filmmakers"
Reviews for Honey
Honey brings out the wholesome, affirmative side of the hip-hop aesthetic without being overly preachy, and it offers a winningly utopian view of show-business success without real costs or compromises.
The movie is so energetic, sincere and funny that I didn't mind the bad parts.
Alba’s quite easy on the eye, and admittedly, a bit of a star in the making.
The film remains watchable in the ways that delightful musicals tend to be...
Snappy and charming enough to overcome its predictability and shopworn cliches.
Yes, it's corny ... But Honey also makes a completely sincere and mostly successful attempt to be an old-fashioned movie of heart and decency, directed to a young hip-hop audience for whom such messages are rare.
It's hard to dislike a movie as inoffensive as this one -- even the crack dealers don't seem very threatening.
It's really a Judy Garland-Mickey Rooney "Let's put on a show" movie set in the South Bronx.
The story is a bit cliché, but it bristles with energy and positivism.
As sweet and undemanding as its name, Honey goes down smooth and simple.
Honey passes the time nicely up to that last dance and doesn't trip when it gets there.
Occasionally preachy and always predictable, it's nevertheless executed with efficiency and a little charm.
“Honey” is aimed directly at the teen crowd and offers enough handsome characters, hip-hop songs and energetic dancing to keep the demographic happy.
The mostly formulaic pieces come together thanks to a well-crafted youth-savvy script and likable cast of attractive performers.
Honey is basically a hip-hop Flashdance by way of Save the Last Dance, but those who are able to climb over the cliches and step up to the beat will find it an organically sweet treat.
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