With a plethora of flashy cameos by artists Missy Elliot, Tweet, Ginuwine, Jadakiss, and Sheek, HONEY feels like an extended hip-hop video with an inspiring, socially conscious message about ambition and the bittersweet taste of success.
New York City dancer-choreographer Honey Daniels (Jessica Alba, of TV's DARK ANGEL) hopes her talent will soon be recognized, but for now she's working three odd jobs: clerk in a record store, dance teacher at the local youth center, and bartender in a Manhattan dance club. Hot director of music videos Michael Ellis (David Moscow, JUST MARRIED, BIG) spots an amateur video of Honey cutting a rug after work, and gives her a shot at the big time when he asks her to choreograph videos for Ginuwine and Tweet. Just as the big checks start rolling in, Honey gets a nasty dose of reality when she rebuffs the director's sexual advances and is blackballed by the industry. Honey throws herself back into her community work with a vengeance and helps two of her most talented students Benny (Lil' Romeo) and Raymond (Zachary Isaiah Williams) stay out of the hands of local drug dealers. HONEY is a 21st-century version of FLASHDANCE or FAME--an infinitely entertaining urban dance movie that gets viewers' feet tapping with high-energy choreography and strings of catchy, cutting-edge tunes.
Theatrical Release: December 5, 2003
DVD Features:
Region 1
Keep Case
Single Side - Dual Layer
Full Frame - 1.33
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:
Outtakes
Deleted Scenes
Audio Commentary: "The Inside Scoop" with Jessica Alba - Star, and Billie Woodruff - Director
Featurette:
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
Text/Photo Galleries:
"Cast and Filmmakers"
Cameo
Missy Elliott: Rapper
Cameo
Ginuwine: R&B artist
Review 1:
"Jessica Alba is a charmer."
Source: Chicago Sun-Times
p.28 03/19/2004
Review 2:
"[W]ith two big assets: the awesomely fit Alba and non-stop dancing that will have even the most curmudgeonly jigging in their seats."
Source: Total Film
p.36 04/01/2004
Review 3:
"...Jessica Alba goes from Dark Angel to street angel, flashing a beatific smile..."
Source: Entertainment Weekly
p.59 12/12/2003
Review 4:
"...[A]n upbeat little hip-hop fable....The kinetic energy of the music keeps this picture moving."
Source: New York Times
p.E31 12/05/2003
Review 5:
"The film's best moments come in a scene-stealing cameo form hip hop star Missy Elliott..."
Source: Sight and Sound
p.54 04/01/2004