Taglines: Her dream. Her terms.
Honey Daniels (Jessica Alba) has been waiting all her life to show the world her dance moves and now, everything she ever wanted is just a step away. For years, her spirit and her ambition have given the dancer and aspiring choreographer the guts to move ahead, even when those who love her best have doubts about her possible success in such a tough field. Not content with her parents’ world of safe choices that promise a secure future, Honey has moved to the heart of the city, where the streets are a barrage of sound, energy and music-and it’s the music she’s after.
Living there is difficult, but she is willing to take it all in stride while she continues to struggle with making ends meet-her dream is worth it. During the day, she shares that dream by teaching hip-hop classes in a local center to the kids in her neighborhood. At night, watching the clock until her bartending shift ends, Honey comes alive on the dance club floor, where her training collides with her passion and her smooth moves get her noticed.
And then her one-time-in-a-million break comes in the form of a video director, who sees Honey in the club and offers her a chance at a spot as a back-up dancer. From there, her true ability shines through, and she begins to finally live her dream-choreographing for some of the hottest acts in hip-hop and R&B (Missy Elliott, Ginuwine, Jadakiss & Sheek, Tweet) and for Honey, it feels too good to be true. And almost as quickly as it arrives, the dream starts to dissolve. Back in the workaday world, Honey returns to what she knows best-the urban music she loves-and rediscovers her love of dancing though the exuberant energy of a group of neighborhood kids.
Honey is a 2003 dance film directed by Billie Woodruff and stars Jessica Alba, Lil’ Romeo, Mekhi Phifer, David Moscow, Zachary Williams, Joy Bryant, Lonette McKee, Zachary Williams, Laurieann Gibson, Kevin Duhaney, with featured performances by Tweet, Jadakiss and Ginuwine and a cameo by Missy Elliott.
The film opened at #2 at the U.S. box office, earning US$12.9 million in its opening weekend, behind The Last Samurai. The final box office was $30.3 million in the U.S. and Canada and $31.9 million in other countries, for a total of $62.2 million worldwide. A soundtrack containing Hip Hop, R&B, Funk and Disco music was released on November 11, 2003 by Elektra Records. It peaked at #105 on the Billboard 200 and #47 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.
Honey (2003)
Directed by: Bille Woodruff
Starring: Jessica Alba, Lil’ Romeo, Mekhi Phifer, David Moscow, Zachary Williams, Joy Bryant, Lonette McKee, Zachary Williams, Laurieann Gibson, Kevin Duhaney
Screenplay by: Kim Watson, Kate Lanier, Susannah Grant
Production Design by: Jasna Stefanovic
Cinematography by: John R. Leonetti
Film Editing by: Mark Helfrich, Emma E. Hickox
Costume Design by: Susan Matheson
Set Decoration by: Steven Essam
Art Direction by: Anastasia Masaro
Music by: Mervyn Warren
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for drug content, some sexual references.
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Release Date: December 5, 2003
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