Honey Boy

Most well acted movie I have seen in 2020. The direction, writing, and cinematography were all amazing. The fact that this is not nominated for a single Oscar is atrocious. How anyone could say Pitt or Hanks put in even close to the effort and performance Shia did is asinine.

You've got to be in the right headspace for this type of drama or it could eat you up. That being said Honey Boy is a total accomplishment for Shia in all aspects of the word. Honestly when Holes & Transformers were around I was not a fan but over the last 10 years or so he has delivered incredible performances this being the most vulnerable in my opinion. The entire cast is amazing & shining a light on child stardom and the repercussions of that matters. We've seen this scenario play in Hollywood too many times. Maybe this will make a dent somehow and I look forward to seeing what comes next for Shia.

It's a strange movie in a sense that Shia Lebeauf who wrote and starred in this picture is kinda saying thank you to his father for making him the man he is today, but the portrayal of his father is not the most favorable. Movies do not get realer than this one. It holds nothing back and tells no lies it's just emotionally honest. I'll give it that. Shia's betrayal of that overbearing father was great and the movie overall is an excellent watch.

Let me start by saying I am not an emotional person by any stretch. I dont think I have ever cried in front of my wife in the 15 years we have been together. This movie utterly destroyed me emotionally. I had to put up a blanket barrier between my head and my wife's as she slept for fear she would catch me sobbing like a little girl while watching this movie. This movie sucked me into a paradox of memories and emotions relating to the dynamic between me, my father, and my 3 children. It allowed me to put myself into the shoes of my children...and made me see very clearly for the first time in many years one thing. LOVE THOSE LITTLE ONES. HUG THEM, KISS THEM, LOOK THEM IN THE EYES AND TELL THEM HOW VERY MUCH YOU LOVE THEM. The years pass and before you know it, it's too late to make up for lost time. I wish I could thank Shaia for making this movie. It helped me more than any therapy session ever could.

There were some great performances from Shia LaBeouf and Noah Jupe and powerful moments between these characters as father and son.

Unfortunately, the film suffers from not having a clear story. There was no plot, suspense, or structure. This isn't inherently a bad thing if ALL the scenes are strong, but the weaker scenes were boring and never moved the story forward(particularly the scenes with Lucas Hedges in rehab).

The film read as a bit incoherent, messy, and indulgent. If you're curious about Shia LaBeouf, you'll love the movie.

The sad thing is that I love Alma Harel's prior documentary films, which have a magical quality this film totally lacked. The cinematography was also unimpressive. The film relies on a dreamy quality that isn't captured well.

All in all, a disappointing film.