Honey (2003) Reviews

• It would have been impossible for this or any movie to be as sweet as Jessica Alba, but that doesn't keep it from trying.

  Victor Field2004-04-09

  Any comparisons between "Honey" and "Glitter" are probably due to both movies having script-work by Kate Lanier (who, funnily enough, isn't listed on the completed movie)... and, of course, to their having slightly similar plots. Except that "Glitter" is likely to be more of a black mark on Mariah Carey's book than "Honey" is on Jessica Alba's. This movie about a kind-hearted young woman in New York who uses dancing to help the people in her neighbourhood (the people that she meets when she's walking down the street... sorry, couldn't resist) and who's plucked from a nightclub to become the Paula Abdul of the 21st century - she even has a little mole on her face - is aptly named; it's as sweet-natured as its title character and has little if any benefit on your system, except to slip down nice and easy and leave not very much behind. It's filled with all the realism you'd expect from the producer of "Legally Blonde" and "Josie and the Pussycats," but it's not quite as much fun as either. Part of it is a personal thing (the Rodney Jerkins-executive produced music that permeates the movie isn't my thing, rhythmic though it is), but the thin, originality-challenged scripting and silly dialogue are more of a problem; when our bartender-by-night/dance-teacher-by-day heroine tells a kid "Your flava's hot" it's a little embarrassing, although in fairness "Honey"'s street talk doesn't make you wince as much as some other examples of this kind of thing. To be honest, the movie pretty much goes in one ear and out the other; there's not a single truly dramatic moment, with the setbacks coming on cue (when Li'l Romeo's character gets arrested it, and many other moments in the movie, plays like a less-than-brilliant After School Special) and the characters are right out of Cliches Central, from the almost saintly title character to the sexually predatory rival dancer. (And note to the filmmakers: as anyone who's ever watched MTV, VH-1 et al will confirm, music videos don't credit the choreographer on screen... regardless of what the one that plays next to the movie's end credits might say.) But it's impossible to really hate "Honey"; the movie's too harmless and good-tempered for anyone to get into a hissyfit over its drawbacks, and though the R&B-flavoured cameos mean a lot of people who see this movie will probably be going "Who's this Tweet person?" Missy Elliott is genuinely funny in her very brief scenes. The dancing's also good, which is one of the main reasons to go and see movies like this; and though it doesn't actually seem to have anything like a narrative drive (it just seems to end instead of climax), there have been worse movies from music video directors, e.g. almost anything directed by Russell Mulcahy. Oh yes, Jessica. She doesn't quite seem like the streetwise type, but she isn't supposed to be; she looks the part and comes off reasonably well, as well as having the edge over Jennifer Beals in "Flashdance" in that she actually does most of her own dancing. This isn't really the best vehicle for her, to be honest, but Jessica's an undeniable charmer on screen, and far too sexy for this or anything she's been in (with the arguable exception of "Paranoid") to be an unbearable experience. All she has to do is improve her choice of scripts...

• Watchable for fans of the genre

  Evil_kid2004-05-15

  Pros: - Jessica Alba is likeable Cons: - The characters don't feel realistic in certain situations Summary: "Honey" is a likeable film, but you have to enjoy listening to hip hop and watch people dance.

• Surprisingly Watchable

  Robert_duder2005-06-09

  Honey was a film I hadn't heard much about. A few people had mentioned it if only as a passing Jessica Alba conversation. It took me some time to actually sit down and watch it but I was pleasantly surprised. I admit I am not a fan of hip hop music which was a big reason I hadn't bothered to see it. Honey is the story of dancer and nighttime bartender Honey Daniels. She dreams of making it big in the world of dancing and she has the moves but hasn't been discovered yet. By chance she is noticed by big time music video director Michael Ellis who launches her career by putting her front and center in some of the biggest music videos in the industry. As her fame grows she loses touch with some of the things most important to her, her neighborhood, her best friend, the kids she used to teach dance too. She tries to juggle both but it becomes a challenge. Ellis introduces her into choreography and she begins to write the dance moves and further her fame. Finally she finds a balance when she realizes she might be able to help get some of her neighborhood kids off the street by putting them in music videos. Unfortunately she quickly discovers Michael Ellis never wanted her for anything more than sex and he fires her when she doesn't give it up and on top of that blacklists her in the industry so no one will work with her. She returns to her neighborhood where she discovers the drop in center where she taught dance has closed and now she desperately wants to open up a dance studio where the kids can dance and have fun safely off the streets. In order to raise the money to buy the space for the dancer center Honey organizes a huge dance show with the kids performing. With the help from her neighborhood and the kids she will succeed in all her dreams. Any hip hop fan will appreciate this film from cameos alone. The film is chock full of musical cameos from Missy Elliot to Jadakiss. It's true that plot is a little thin in the film but quite frankly it was much more of a plot than I thought it would be. I had the film pegged as a Flashdance, Save The Last Dance type but it was less about the dancer and more about her love for the kids. It was actually rather uplifting and their final song of the film was very cool and made me smile. I've read some less than favorable reviews on this movie but for me it came as a surprise that it wasn't horrible. The cast is alright but they don't really hold up the movie as much as the story does. Jessica Alba is decent in the lead role, and Lil' Romeo does a great job in his role as Benny, the troubled kid from the streets. It doesn't have a lot of depth but if you enjoy hip hop and want something uplifting, it's worth seeing. 7/10

• not that bad...

  pri_e2004-07-03

  After reading a lot of the reviews on this board, I thought this movie was going to be really bad however I found that this movie isn't really as terrible as some people have made it out to be. Jessica Alba plays Honey Danies, a hip-hop dance teacher hoping to make it as a choreographer, for someone who didn't have any previous dance experience, she sure does a fantastic job! Mekhi Pfifer is good in his supporting role as the barber with a lot of heart. This movie is something that has been done many times before so you can't expect an oscar nominated screenplay etc etc. However, its something you can enjoy and if you are into the music or dancing, then this is definitely something for you a 6/10

• Oh, are you fo' real?

  Smells_Like_Cheese2008-02-01

  I got a three pack on a DVD at Wal Mart for ten dollars a few weeks ago and Honey was on the cover, never saw the movie, wasn't really interested when it came out, but I figured why not see it for ten dollars? Sounds silly, but who knows? Sometimes you find little treasures here and there that are cheap, plus, I remember that this was the film that really introduced Jessica Alba to the movie business industry. Of course, she's really huge now, and judging from this film, Honey that I watched last night, I have to say other than her looks, I am surprised she made it this far. I don't mean to sound horrible on the film or anything, but this just seemed like a giant rap video for me and the plot was way too average and predictable with some cheesy street slang. Honey Daniels has three jobs: a bartender, a sales girl at a CD store, and also a dance teacher at her mom's little business to keep kids off the street. But more than anything, Honey wants to be a music video back up dancer. Her wishes come true when a director, Michael, welcomes her to the dance floor and makes her a choreographer. All her dreams are coming true, until she realizes that she forgets the more important things in life that mean so much to her. She eventually wants to open a club of her own to help out the neighborhood kids. Honey has the typical street slang which I didn't find attractive, you just can't take it seriously. Alba, she's such a pretty girl, BUT, I'm very sorry, the girl cannot act, I didn't feel an ounce of sympathy or compassion for her character, she played off as this naive little thing, when she could have played it more smart and strong. Not to mention what was the whole Missy Elliot dialog? "What is this? This? This? Ugh? Ugh?"... it was supposed to be funny, but Missy comes off flat. Mekhi should have had more screen time, the guy is the only one with talent in the film. The dance moves are good, but I just wish they wouldn't have made this into a giant rap video. 2/10