There's an entertainingly ludicrous movie lurking somewhere inside of the ludicrous, mediocre one this actually is.
Honey (2003)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
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.
Runtime: 1 hr 34 mins
Genre: Dramas
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
Reviews for Honey
The muddily photographed production, with its rote script and chop-chop editing, makes for a barely passable new-school musical.
The dance routines aren’t all that bad, but this turkey is too late for thanksgiving. Give it a miss.
Without a conflicted Tony Manero, a blowtorch-wielding Alex Owens, or even a self-mocking Michael “Boogaloo Shrimp” Chambers, this Honey just ain’t sweet enough.
Flavorless blender-mix of dance movie cliches draws from the stagnant well of everything from Flashdance to Save the Last Dance.
The best thing that can be said is that this is a better movie than Mariah Carey's much-maligned Glitter, and that's only because Alba doesn't try to sing.
Cheerful, unlikely and featherweight, Honey is nevertheless charmingly optimistic and refreshingly earnest.
What holds your attention most in Honey is not the treacly, pat story or even Alba's physical attributes. Rather, it's the boundless hilarity of watching the actress attempt to pull off lines like 'We just peoples.'
The mostly formulaic pieces come together thanks to a well-crafted youth-savvy script and likable cast of attractive performers.
Honey invites us, not to share in a character's journey, but to have an audience with one young woman's physical and spiritual loveliness. That's not just bogus, it's boring.
Watching Honey is like having the fluids drained out of your system and replaced by a sugar-loaded, mixed-drink concoction of a color not found in nature.
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 sweet, but that's not real honey you're tasting. It's more like saccharine.
Honey is a whole festival of bad movies, from Flashdance through Glitter.
Latest News for Honey
June 14, 2006:
Missy Elliott: The Movie
I think there should be a law passed that says the following: You're not allowed to get your own biopic made until: A) You're over 50 years old, and/or B) You've actually done... More...
September 29, 2005:
Critical Consensus: "Blue" Sinks, "Violence" Kills, "Serenity" Soars
This week at the movies, we have sexy divers ("Into the Blue"), secretive family men ("A History of Violence"), space renegades ("Serenity"),... More...
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 83% 83% | Harry Potter and the H… |
| 67% 67% | Public Enemies |
| 75% 75% | Julie & Julia |
| 95% 95% | The Cove |
| 85% 85% | World's Greatest Dad |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Fresh Links
Featured

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.



Top Critic

