United States, 2003Cast: Jessica Alba, Mekhi Phifer, 'Lil Romeo, David Moscow, Joy Bryant
Director: Bille Woodruff
My Rating: *1/2 / ****
Some of you may already know, but i am a sucker for musical movie (but, only if i could understand the language they're singing which of course excluding all of Bollywood's product). I mean, i just love to hear the words rhymed, the tunes, even the dancing. I could clearly remember my first experience of watching musical movie when i was just a kid (12 years old, 6th grade elementary school), a 1948 movie, 'Oliver Twist' which has been remade and scheduled to release sometimes around fall this year. And by given that fact, when me and my friends watching 'Robots' (2005) the other day, i'm the only who had laughed (mostly because of the nostalgic feeling, since the movie was very sad and uplifting) when the robots performing the dance which clearly a homage to the 'Oliver Twist'.
Hence, over the years, as my experience in watching movies had significantly increased, my love towards musical movie never deceased. 'Chicago', '8 Mile', 'Molin Rouge', those are the movie i never get bored in watching them over and over again. Hell, even i could dig 'Biarkan Bintang Menari' and though for a very short time (hadn't it because the cheesy and way too lengthy plot, maybe short time instead of very short), i had had a chance to enjoy it.
Now, thrown in some hip-hops, and Jessica Alba (my current favourite young actress in term of gregoriousness), you've got yourself a masterpiece. Really? naw, just kidding. The theme that was bought up in 'Honey' wasn't new at all in movies. It's not the first time you had seen it, nor it's not the fiftieth time you had seen it as well. All i'm saying is, that even though you'd never seen any movie in your life prior to this one, unless some physcological disorder happened to your consciusness, you'd had no problem at all in guessing where the plot's ended up.
Honey Daniels (Jessica Alba) was a star in her neighbourhood. She teaches dance (hip-hop dances) in the center community neighbourhood where kids are tuned to hip-hops and / or drugs (either user or dealer) in compensation for the lack of love in the family. One night, after her shift as a bartender in a local club (where later she would be scouted by some talent agent who directs video for hip-hop artists) ended, she and her bestfriend, Gina (Joy Bryant) stumbled to a bunch of kids doing free style dance (hip-hop of course) on the street. The kids caught her eye, obviously. Moreover when later, she'd found out that the kid in question, Benny (Lil' Romeo) had no place at home and had to lookout for his gangster buddy for a figure. And that's what bad, wasn't it? And of course, our heroine wouldn't want the little Benny turns out to be a gangster and befriended with the police and also a regular visitor of the penetineary.
The rest of the plot was easy to guess. Just add some city council commenting that the center was no longer safe for the indoor activity, a producer whose original intentions were getting into Honey's pants, an abandoned church which had a floor, a charming, perfect-gentleman boyfriend, the movie will of course ended up to where all of the movie that had a similar theme ended. A show. Where almost every cast shown-up for a final performance, happy faces and smiling all around.
It hardly offers anything new. The movie was slow, even though that it runs for a little more of 90 minutes, i kept checking my watch (as if i have any, well, metaphorically speaking) to see how long have i been struggling to stay at my seat. But the visual was great though, Ms.Alba had her very first major role in this movie and not just major, but MAJOR as every other minute, if we didn't see her smile or dreamy eyes, we'd see her belly button which is exposed quite often. But, aside from that, both Ms.Alba and her role's eventual boyfriend, played by Mr.Phifer were likeable enough that the cliche role could be forgiven. And, oh, i had two distinct feeling towards kid actor, love 'em or despised 'em. There're no middle layers among the two. It's either love or hate. And that depends on how annoying his / her characters on screen. Well here, all the kids were annoying. And that's another reason why i didn't fancy this movie even with Jessica Alba in the front seat and the musical stuff.
P.S: i really had no time of watching movie nowadays, i've been sleeping at campus everyday now. I had watch this movie almost a week ago, and just managed to write the review for it this morning.