This is fairy tale stuff, its saintly hip-hop heroine far too worthy for comfort and its dialogue hilariously banal.
Honey (2003)
Runtime: 1 hr 34 mins
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 spirit and her ambition have given the dancer and aspiring choreographer the guts to move ahead,... 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]
Genre: Dramas
Starring: Jessica Alba, Mekhi Phifer, Lil' Romeo, Joy Bryant, Lonette McKee
DVD Info
Release:
Nov 3, 2005
DVD Features:
- Region 1
- Keep Case
- Anamorphic Letterboxed Widescreen - 1.85
- Dual Layer/Single Side
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:
- Commentary - 1. "The Inside Scoop" with Jessica Alba - Star, and Billie Woodruff - Director
- Featurettes - 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
- Deleted Scenes
- Outtakes
Text/Photo Galleries:
- "Cast and Filmmakers"
Reviews
A preposterously transparent attempt to market hip-hop in as anodyne a way as possible, but -- for its target audience of pre-teenage girls -- it works.
Occasionally preachy and always predictable, it's nevertheless executed with efficiency and a little charm.
The plot is pure fluff, with a script structured in such a way that you never doubt anything for a second (and you never believe anything either).
Oooh boy, whoever greenlit this baby is going to have some explaining to do.
Alba’s quite easy on the eye, and admittedly, a bit of a star in the making.
What does Honey do in the face of dilemma? Come see this touching film to find out.
Some dazzling acrobatic dance moves, but the story is pretty lame. The DVD, however, with quality extras, rates a B.
Honey has an earnestness that’s hard to ignore, but easy to dislike.
The story is a bit cliché, but it bristles with energy and positivism.
Sparkling but slight glimpse into the lives of the lusty female dancers of the music video world.
With enough plots for half a dozen movies, Honey is less a story than a commercial for the soundtrack CD.
Flawless beauty aside, Miss Alba never seems like the Everywoman she needs to be in order for Honey to click.
Sweet and syrupy, "Honey" is a movie you've probably seen before.
If -- like the filmmakers and star Jessica Alba -- you're over 14 years old, it seems impossible that you could get through Honey with a straight face.
Overreaches its niche as a glammed-up music video and can't survive with everything but the kitchen sink crammed in.
What Honey has going for it is dazzling choreography, cinematography, a great soundtrack, cool cameos, the spunky Alba, and Mekhi Phifer. Working against the movie is pretty much everything else.
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