There's little to buzz about in 'Honey' (NY Daily News)

12-05-2003, 09:52 AM

There's little to buzz about in 'Honey'

Rating: **

Jessica Alba steps up to lead a hip-hop entourage.

HONEY With Jessica Alba. Director: Bille Woodruff. (1:29) PG-13: Drug content/sexual references.

A showcase feature for rising star Jessica Alba, "Honey" is a by-the-numbers, let's-put-on-a-show quasi-musical that has absolutely nothing going for it, except Alba.

Directed by music video veteran Bille Woodruff, "Honey" exists as a kind of kinetic photo shoot, in which the camera adores the 22-year-old Alba's undeniably gorgeous face, captures her energetic, bare-midriff dance movements and shows her apparent sincerity while working with the film's kids.

If any of the above appeals to you, enjoy. But that's about all there is.

Alba's Honey Daniels and her hip-hop entourage are putting on a show to raise money for a community dance center, where she can give Harlem's youths something to do other than work the corners selling drugs.

Her immediate mission is to rescue Benny (Lil' Romeo), a break-dance phenom whose older brother is rushing him into a life of crime.

Before we get to that melodrama, we follow Honey's quick rise from dance obscurity to the hottest choreographer in the hip-hop world. Born to middle-class parents who want her to get out of the 'hood, she's determined to stay put and make the hood worth living in.

She's got it all set up for the kids to dance in a major music video, but when she rejects the sexual advances of the film's smarmy director (David Moscow), he pulls the plug, the disappointed kids scatter, and Benny is soon doing time in juvie.

The movie sends all the right messages to the urban teen audience for which it's intended, and should put Alba (best known from TV's "Dark Angel") on the A list of young film actresses. It will be interesting to see where she goes from here.

Originally published on December 5, 2003

Mat · 12-05-2003, 10:15 AM

Ya, almost everything ive read so far is bad, kinda figured it would be

12-05-2003, 01:51 PM

They are positive towards Jessica though. If it does good at the box office we can expect more and more movies from Alba, movies that will play in theatres and will be made with lots of money instead of the straight to video, low quality movies.

12-05-2003, 09:52 AM	#1 (permalink)
Dada Guest Posts: n/a	There's little to buzz about in 'Honey' Rating: ** Jessica Alba steps up to lead a hip-hop entourage. HONEY With Jessica Alba. Director: Bille Woodruff. (1:29) PG-13: Drug content/sexual references. A showcase feature for rising star Jessica Alba, "Honey" is a by-the-numbers, let's-put-on-a-show quasi-musical that has absolutely nothing going for it, except Alba. Directed by music video veteran Bille Woodruff, "Honey" exists as a kind of kinetic photo shoot, in which the camera adores the 22-year-old Alba's undeniably gorgeous face, captures her energetic, bare-midriff dance movements and shows her apparent sincerity while working with the film's kids. If any of the above appeals to you, enjoy. But that's about all there is. Alba's Honey Daniels and her hip-hop entourage are putting on a show to raise money for a community dance center, where she can give Harlem's youths something to do other than work the corners selling drugs. Her immediate mission is to rescue Benny (Lil' Romeo), a break-dance phenom whose older brother is rushing him into a life of crime. Before we get to that melodrama, we follow Honey's quick rise from dance obscurity to the hottest choreographer in the hip-hop world. Born to middle-class parents who want her to get out of the 'hood, she's determined to stay put and make the hood worth living in. She's got it all set up for the kids to dance in a major music video, but when she rejects the sexual advances of the film's smarmy director (David Moscow), he pulls the plug, the disappointed kids scatter, and Benny is soon doing time in juvie. The movie sends all the right messages to the urban teen audience for which it's intended, and should put Alba (best known from TV's "Dark Angel") on the A list of young film actresses. It will be interesting to see where she goes from here. Originally published on December 5, 2003

12-05-2003, 10:15 AM	#2 (permalink)
Mat Senior Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Los Angeles, California Posts: 1,030	Ya, almost everything ive read so far is bad, kinda figured it would be

12-05-2003, 01:51 PM	#3 (permalink)
Dada Guest Posts: n/a	They are positive towards Jessica though. If it does good at the box office we can expect more and more movies from Alba, movies that will play in theatres and will be made with lots of money instead of the straight to video, low quality movies.

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